Made some mistakes today, but still a good day OTW

So I wanted to take the boys fishing today. They love Rucker and we haven't been there in a couple of years so I figured why not. I took my wife's revolution 11 for my 12 year old and I figure my 5 year old could fish with me on my Cuda 14. We got up early got diesel and donuts for the boys. Got to the lake and it was beautiful, flat calm. You have to walk you kayaks to the lake (about 200 yards) there is not launch ramp and motor boats are not allowed. We got the yaks all rigged up. Headed out and fished for about an hour and a half and went back to get snacks out of the ice chest. Didn't even get a bite or see a fish! Which is weird we use to catch a fish almost every catch there small bass all under 12" but lots of fun and you can usually seem them everywhere! Anyway got some snacks and went back at it. We hit the banks all along the west side of the lake and again NOTHING. There was an old man sitting on his dock having coffee and he told us someone thought it would be ok to let PIKE go in the lake two years again and now the bass are just about gone. After talking with him we started fishing again and the wind started to come up. My son and I drifted into a rock not far from shore and the mistakes began! I reached over to push off instead of using the paddle and the kayak leaned pretty good, that was enough to scare my son and moved quick causing the boat to go over! Rucker is a high sierra lake, the water was FREEZING!! I immediately threw him onto the rock I was trying to push off of. He was out of the water but extremely cold! I was in the water still, I got the kayak flipped back over and to my amazement ALL of my gear was still there. Even my sons trail mix that was sitting on the hatch somehow stayed in the boat. I scrambled onto the rock myself. I then realized my truck keys with a key fob and my iPhone 5 was in my pockets! I loaded him on the kayak and I got back on. I quickly paddled to the other side where we launched and ran him to the truck. Luckily I know how my son likes to play around the water and ALWAYS gets wet so I brought him and extra set of clothes. I got him stripped down dried off and in new clothes. A proud moment my 5 year old who was just dunked into a high sierra lake full of snow run off wanted to go back out and fish! I turned the truck on and cranked the heater full blast. By this time the adrenaline had started to wear off and I was freezing! I got back to the lake and my other son had made it back. I told him we had to go now! It took all I had to get two kayaks pulled up the hill to the truck and loaded up. If I had not had a set of wheelez I honestly would have left the kayaks and came back, I was that cold. I stripped down myself and of course had no extra set of clothes. I did have a sweatshirt from baseball and an emergency blanket to wrap around me. With the help of my oldest we had our stuff all loaded and flew home. I was a great day with the kids and I learned a few lessons to!

Mistake 1: Take your waterproof camera or go pro instead of having your iPhone in your pocket(its in rice now, hopefully it will make it)

Mistake 2: DONT have your Jackson seat in the high position with a child on your lap.

Mistake 3: ALWAYS have a spare set of clothes.

I know made more mistake than that but those are my highlighted ones for the moment

Glad everything worked out!

Thanks guys………………..Im thinking I'm gonna have to go see Dan and get a Big Tuna for when my youngest wants to go

A simple rule to always keep in mind...if the water is cold enough to require extra protection, everyone on a yak should have that protection.  Wetsuit, dry suit, whatever.  The PFD might save you from drowning, but in a very short while the cold will kill you anyway.

note to self. take the triathlon wetsuit along for early season Sierra lakes trips

thanks for the reminder

A simple rule to always keep in mind...if the water is cold enough to require extra protection, everyone on a yak should have that protection.  Wetsuit, dry suit, whatever.  The PFD might save you from drowning, but in a very short while the cold will kill you anyway.

+1 My wife and love you and those boys; always expect to get dumped!! You need to get a Galaxy 5 (so do I), they are water proof! Glad everything worked out.

Mistakes happen but so long as everybody lives, everybody learns. Kudos for having the good intentions to get the kids out on th water in the first place.