RBCII The Day After!!!

Hey guys,
Sorry for the late chime but, kinda feeling some anxiety thinking about the whole event. The mixed emotions not from that we were not prepared for the situation but, from just being in this situation. Teamwork was definitely the name of the game and it was not easy task. Glad you were there Sledge.

When shit hit the fan we were both on our kayaks right outside the north end of Fort Ross cove.

While in the process of swapping kayaks, Sledge and I were for a moment, both on my kayak. It took a while to get situated to make the swap and I noticed water coming over the edges of the kayak. I didn't think much of it until I start hearing a bubbling type sound and can see water being forced into the hatch. We bail off the kayak to assess the scene to find that the kayak had already filled about almost half way inside the kayak. When water had entered the kayak it was really hard to keep the kayak upright. With the weight of gear and rods, the kayak kept wanting to tilt over and flip upside down. Sledge and I tried a few times to flip it around and get it stable to try to bilge some water out. The kayak felt very heavy and was at the point of no return. The kayak flipped upside down and started to nose dive, no shit. I even asked Sledge if he ever seen a kayak sink, me neither.

We were now pushed north almost to the big rocks and farther out to sea.

At this point we were probably in the water over 30 minutes or longer trying to handle the boat. At a certain point the emergency boat rescue procedures ran out. F*#+ the boat, it's getting dark and we gotta head in, was the plan.
We tried a couple of different strategies to get in like both get on the boat, didn't work, Sledge peddle-I hold onto the boat, not going to happen. A couple falls off the boat happened trying to figure this out and starting to tire us out. Too freaking cold at this point. We decided on me peddling and sledge kicking behind the boat because he had a 7mm and I a 3mm. Tons of kelp in the way!!!!!!! and dark!!!!!! If it wasn't for the moon and us being able to see the shore, we would have called for help, we decided to push on.

This experience brought out alot of different emotions  and words from Sledge and I. Things that I wouldn't even imagine unless you were in some shit. We pulled through because of our determination and the will to live.

I have learned  to never go out alone because without Sledge, who knows what would have happened. It is definitely easier to handle a sinking boat with an extra hand. In terms of gear, time to upgrade. Contingency plan? Your experience in the water should determine the level of your contingency plan because you will have to execute.

Thanks for your kind words guys. I did not know that this would affect me the way it did. Getting better

Joe

I really am having a hard time figuring out how come it took you 2.5 hours to get back to land.

One time I tried dragging a dive buddy behind my old paddle kayak. It not only 'felt like' we were going nowhere but after trying for a while we realized that it would be faster for the man in the water to swim separate from the kayak [of course he had fins & full dive gear]. IMO the Revo is meant to be mostly pedaled and when you are trying to paddle it [because of the kelp] with maybe the drive & or rudder still inserted/down, and you have a guy hanging and being dragged off the back in the water[who is probably inadvertently interfering with the rudder being kept straight], THRU KELP and AGAINST THE CURRENT!!!.....well I am amazed and stoked that Joe was able to muscle that kayak to shore under the circumstances [including watching his yak go down]. Thank God things worked out = two brothers back on dry land. jim

Holy **** dudes, I'm very glad you guys made it out okay.  I just now saw this post and man.. I'm sorry to hear about your yak, Joe.  I'm down as well, Sledge I'll send you a pm.  It's a good thing there were two of you out there.  Lessons learned.

Pern

Glad you guys made it back, one way or another. Expensive as it may be, gear is replaceable; you wild muthas ain't. 

Did you report the sinking in case it washes up? They won't be looking for someone.

Always report it to the Coast Guard if you have to abandon your kayak (or any other vessel). Otherwise, if they find it or someone else reports it, they'll start a search and won't be too amused if they find out the kayaker is fine but didn't notify them.

In fact, according to info from the the Coast Guard Aux, the USCG is implementing a requirement (maybe already have, I'll try to get clarification) that our name & a phone # be on the deck of our kayaks so they can try to contact someone if they find our ride without us in it. This is to hopefully cut out a lot of guesswork in determining who the kayak belongs to and if they need to begin (or continue) a search. Preferably, the phone # would not be your cell you carry OTW for hopefully obvious reasons.

Amazing adventure!
Glad you 2 are OK.
Open salty water is not to be taken lightly!
The party rolls on!

This is good safety experience for everybody.  I made a bone head mistake last Saturday 10/1 at Pigeon Point.  I was out with Bink and Golfish.  That day I was using my Revo.  At about 11AM I crawled up to the bow hatch to grab my lunch.  It didn't occur to me that I forgot to secure the bow hatch with the 2 bungees.   Fortunately it was a nice day but there were several times when I was punching through some small waves. 
I noticed that the bow was not secured only when I got back to the beach.  I took in about 3 cups of water.

So Joe, do you know how the water was getting in to your hull?  Did you guys have a bilge pump?

That's a great writeup Joe!  Chilling recounting the details of the day...  I know just how you felt when you saw the yak was filling up with water.    Not a pretty sight.  Took me a bit to get back into the salt without hesitation, or doubt.  But it will come    Still just glad you two are still around to party with 

Glad to hear you're both O.K., that was a hard lesson learned the hard way. I'm sure that I will take extra precautions from now on. WTG sledge for being there.

That is a frikkin hella spooky story Joe. We push the limits sometimes without realizing it. I have never seen a kayak sink before.

Take your time to process it all, and soon it will be a great campfire story that will save some newbies life someday.

"Slegend"...fits perfectly. Wear it with pride bro.

Glad to hear you guys are ok man is that some s@it . You never know when something crazy might happen out of the blue!

F' the kayak, I'm just glad you guys made it back to terra firma!

I got 20 on a new kayak. 50 on a boat. And a nice rod&reel combo for you bro.
Next time maybe tie a waterbottle to the end of your line and open the bail. Then you can scuba down and tie a rope to the bow next week. Joking, of course...nobody can think straight in situations like that. Just survive. But nothing works when it's that cold.
Glad you guys are both OK now. Or at least getting back to OK. And once you're back at 100% you know: my yak is your yak. Anytime.

I agree this tale of survival is Sledgendary. 

Thanks PK!!!  yeah F the boat was the poetic words Joe used at the time!!!

HUGE showing of  and we only need 23 or less to reach the GOAL!!!

HELL YES THANKS EVERYBODY!!!

Wow! So glad both of you made it back safely. Just imagine if you weren't dress for immersion, that would have been it. There has been some fishing reports lately where I see a person or two not even wearing their PFD out on the ocean.

Jedmo

 Sledge
Life's kind of funny sometimes, sometimes not, you just have to roll with it...
Salmon

 Posts: 1850
Location: Willapa King Baby!!!
Get Some!!! For ShickenMooch!!!

 Re: Transporting on truck camper


Don't forget to stuff a grip in your hull...I bought 18 of um at a dollar store and stuffed 16 in my yak...tested it at blue lake to see if I could sink it... I've robbed a few for rod floats/net over the yrs..but knowing if you should ever take on a Lot of water that u will not go to the bottom helps when your way out and suddenly everything feels heavy...ask Jimbo "DrHabanro" bout his time at Elk!!! he did not have them and was freaking out... had a pump though... I took on a LOT of water at Albion this yr... poor old yak...   

I have a lance camper and use the foam blocks a picked up at a yak store somewhere in sac yrs ago...I transport my yak up right all the time... never had a problem... Have fun be safe........noodles,noodles,noodles...
"Get Some" !!!