My Yard Sale at Shelter Cove

So the Friday before the GS9 tournament I was fishing with Kayote, shooting the bull and just enjoying the day.
The conditions started picking up a bit and Ed decided to head in. Then about a half hour passed and Ed really decided to head in…OK probably 10 minutes after he really decided to head in he actually headed in.
Being my first time fishing this year I decided to stay a little longer……um, a lot longer.
The sheep had been getting bigger on the outside but still felt I had plenty of time to head in because there was really no wind to speak of and it wasn’t that bad on the inside.
Suddenly one big swell went by me and said, “Time to pack it in because I’m bringing back up!”
Back up indeed!
It turned to slop faster than I’ve ever seen and not in a normal fashion either.
Usually it gets big outside, the wind picks up inside, then it gets big inside.
It just got big before the wind showed up.
I had already put my rods away and was high tailing it back to the cove which was south from me; I started at Seal Rock.
About half way between the light house and Seal Rock the Northerly tailing swells were picking up the back of my Hobie Adventure pitching the stern to the left and the bow to the right.
Wave after wave I was cursing my head off because these waves were making me their b!tch and no one likes that……..I’m guessing? I know I don’t.
Then finally the big blue got what it wanted from me. No matter how much I leaned into the wave and hit the rudder there was no question in my mind this was the one.
Instead of fighting it, knowing the inevitable, I jumped off hoping the kayak wouldn’t roll.
Well, didn’t quite go that way. The wave broke at the top and flipped the kayak.
As I jumped off I kept a hand on it so as not to get separated from the kayak and as it flipped I kind of caught it with my other hand. (Disclaimer: an actual video might show a different story, but this is how I remember it  )
Jumping off rather than fighting it usually keeps the kayak upright and allows you to keep control so that’s what I practice.
I used the push pull method to right the kayak and it worked like a charm as the rods were all in their rod holders making it a little harder than normal to flip it upright.
I hopped back on faster than a new version of anything by Microsoft needing to be patched and was on my way.
I noticed my bilge pump floating a little behind and to my left…..screw it!
My seat had come out of the plugs….screw it!
My only goal was to get my @ss outta there.
The entire time I was following someone paddling their kayak and for the life of me I couldn’t keep up.
I couldn’t see who it was but after I flipped he slowed down until I caught up. Then he said his rudder wasn’t working.
It wasn’t until then I realized he was paddling and pedaling. No wonder he was so fast!  Not sure what was wrong with the rudder, broken cable maybe, but I put his rudder in the upright position and secured it.
Got back to the launch and made a yard sale assessment.
Bilge pump
Clear dry bag with an apple, granola bar and water
Burlap sack
Cheap filet knife
Descender in a pill bottle…funny story about that …ask Cen Coast

So what could I have done differently besides getting off the water sooner?

The conditions didn’t really bother me so much as how the Adventure was acting in the water.
The Adventure was not handling the tailing swells very well.
I think, in hindsight, lifting the rudder out of the water and using the paddle for control might be better.
Does anyone else with equal experience in sloppy water with both a Hobie and a paddle kayak care to chime in on this?
I would probably put the pedals against the hull too and just paddle if lifting the rudder wasn’t enough.
I would make sure my dry suit in COMPLETELY zipped closed. There was the ever so slightest gap at the end. Maybe 1/4 inch diameter. Enough to let a little water in but not enough to make a difference...unless I was in the water for an extended period of time. Fail on my part.

I am happy with the things I did right.

PRACTICED SELF RESCUE. I cannot harp enough on how important this is. EVERYONE swims at one time or another. If you haven’t; you will.
Maintained a clean deck.  Don’t have a bunch of junk on the kayak that will entangle you or make it impossible for you to turn over. I only had 2 things leashed, bait jug and game clip. Both are leashed midway of the tank well so only the business ends reach me, not the leash so as to avoid getting entangled.
Spent zero time gathering stuff. Only one thing on your kayak is irreplaceable; YOU! Get out of the slop ASAP.
Kept my cool. It’s not a big deal if you practice for it. No one panics when it’s second nature. TCOB and move on.

It’s called self rescue for a reason.
IMO unless you are injured or there is an equipment failure you should need no help from anyone getting back on. If you do than you are endangering not only yourself, but the person who is helping you.
Practice self rescue so it becomes a knee jerk reaction.

Glad you made it out okay! I opted to get the heck out early haha.

Whew!
Glad yard sale was not with the good stuff...
Only reason I missed the wind was because I came in to check my crab pot which was empty then decided to come in.

I'm an ocean noob so I headed in around noon.  I did have a problem using  the rudder on the following seas as the swells were building.  I think I made it back in the nick of time. 
Glad you made it back safely!

Glad you're ok Mike. It does seem like the rudder causes following seas to push a boat around with less control. I've even taken a longer route back to avoid getting spun almost broadside while coming in through areas of steeper swells. Maybe a braced paddle is a better tool than a rudder in such conditions......but honestly when conditions are that poor I hope to be back on the beach.

Sounds like a very close call, thanks for the safety reminders.   
   Sounds right that in some conditions a rudder might contribute to a capsize.  When I used to sail a 15' racing sailboat with a daggerboard, when I got going pretty fast, planing actually, I needed to lift the board a lot so the boat wouldn't "trip" over it.

I am glad you just lost a burlap or two.  Read your post reminded me of my own struggle during Friday.
I went out Friday at 2pm! I know people are going to say what a stupid idea? I was to even go to dive with Ken Jan. Then I took the safer choise, is it? 

Not much of fishing time, only peddled to visit the hotel front. then the waves were so big, my hand cannot leave the rudder handle. Then people start scrambling in the radio. So my team begin to peddle back. We were literally surfing. And the radio was so busy, there were not even a second of break. Listen to the radio made me even more nurvious! I was doing all I could to stay on. There were a couple of times I send my leg out ready to jump in. Fortunately I didn't get to test my new drysuit.

I think with this experience I know where my limit is now. I would turn back much earlier next time. 

A few years ago, I was coming into big break on a really windy day.  You know how bad the waves can stack up at the mouth of big break there when there's a heavy north wind..same issue with following waves, big ones, 3 or 4 footers in really short periods, got a lot of backsplash and water in the hull that day.  I have never capsized my kayak but that was the closest I ever have, the adventure was real squirrelly and almost impossible to keep straight. I pedaled as hard as I could and eventually made it inside, but yeah, I'd say the following seas/waves are the toughest in an adventure.

I found on that day my kayak was too fast for the following seas. I got ahead of a BIG roller and my Tarpon started to surf in front of the roller. it started to turn left quickly so I hit full right rudder and braced hard on the paddle to the right. I slowed enough and turned right to save  the flip. I slowed my speed way down and the waves were passing under me pretty easy. My lesson was to slow down in following seas on my longer than most kayaks.
Sunday ATD and I intentionally took my new Thresher out to surf it. We played for a while and surfed most waves and learned left/right controls. We still need practice. I have video facing me of my one real good rides. I will ask Adam to post it here to show how to control in a surf or big ocean swell condition.

Not too much sacrificed to Neptunes kingdom.     Could have been much worse. 

Echoing Rob's experience, way back when I was young and dumb, I pushed my limits in rough water. Never had a problem going head in to a sheep farm but following seas were a bad in my 15' 7" Freedom with sharp Vs fore and aft. Too long and fast to surf. Slowing down meant the rear was getting pushed around. I found brake strokes to be the most effective method to control and keep up right while riding the back side of troughs.

Glad youre okay! We'll chat on the postal network...

I definitely noticed the squirrellyness from the following swells.  Friday was the  first time I felt that tippee on my adventure.  I have been out in bigger swells and stronger winds, but there were two following swells that almost dumped me.

Friday was evil.  The swells kicked up and the wind kicked in almost immediately without any warning.  I too found myself along with many others fighting their way back from Abalone Point, and a similar wave took my Hobie Revo out from under me.  This was to be my first time of spilling in the ocean.  I believe self rescue helps, but it is hard to duplicate the real situation.  I was able to right my kayak, but was unsuccessful getting back in with the very quick swells coming in after each other.  It wasn't until Antonio made his way over to help after seeing my Mirage Drive in the air like some big dorsal fin.  Him stabilizing is all it took for me to get back in and going again.  Shortly after that, I was hooked up with Raydon and Sonny and the three of us made a three kayak floatilla that was more stable in the rough conditions. 

Was my kayak too fast?  Maybe because I wanted out of there, but I feel it didn't matter what kayak I had, that wave was determined to make me go swimming.

I believe slowing down and getting the paddle out for added balance and maneuverability would have helped.  The best solution would be to monitor the conditions and leave before they get bad.  Friday was a great learning experience and wake up call for me.  And on the plus side, I only lost a pair of pliers, my pride and possibly my FF.

It could always turn nasty.

It got rough around 1 when the wind waves started cresting on top of that mixed swell, so it was hard to tell which swells were going to break. I was pedaling back from Black Sand beach with BigJim when I noticed another kayaker diver was struggling to make headway while dry heaving and towing a Banks board. So we helped him out and secured his board...he was overheating and needed water & drop his wetsuit top. In the meantime, this mysterious salty seafaring legend appeared out of nowhere: Raydon tied a rope to the young man's bow and started towing him to safety! Video to come.
As we made our way back, he felt better and the tow rope was removed. Need longer tow rope next time too. Our group picked up 2 more kayakers and we fought our way past Abalone Pt.
I happened to be looking directly at Matty as a big swell broke behind him and catapulted his kayak down the face...surfing sideways right into another kayaker in the bottom of the trough. It was wild and something I've never seen. He crashed right into this gal whose name I forgot and flipped over. Jim helped him right the kayak and get back onboard. Managed to save his fins and a few floating items but good point by Tote about priorities: getting back on the kayak is the most important thing, so don't waste time collecting your potentially-lost gear...do that later, if possible.

After that it was a long slog back around Pilot Rock into the shelter of the Cove. But during that stretch, I started getting that familiar feeling of instability due to steep trailing seas. I've said it before, but I'll say it again--I don't like how my Revo handles trailing seas because it feels like the stern gets pitched sideways...almost like it's pivoting mid-hull (where the mirage drive sits). Until now, nobody I've mentioned it to said they experienced similar results. In the past, I've remedied the situation by straping the mirage pedal forward so the fins are flush against the hull, then paddling while straddling the hull...I don't put my feet completely int he water; just have my heels on the edge off the gunnels. It provides more stability, for me at least. It also puts my torso in an upright position which feels more stable than the reclined pedaling position. I've done this with the mirage drive in or out and it's better in because the water really sloshes around in the open yakgina when the drive is pulled (maybe I should start bringing my plug with me because that would probably be better than locking the fins flush against the underside of the hull.

While making headway using my straddle-paddle technique I slowed down to monitor the situation and see if anybody else needed help. During that time I saw Raydon fall off his Adventure and get right back on in less than 2 seconds...it was amazing and I don't think anybody else even noticed because he was so quick. Nice save buddy!

Before rounding the point, Jim pointed out a floating bilge pump so I paddled in that direction to recover it but it was getting close to the danger zone...then I spotted the Jackpot! A floating medicine container bobbed in the swell and looked like it was possibly stuffed full of Humboldt greenery hahaha...I called it out and we raced to snatch it up. Only to discover it was full of hooks & line...booooo! Turns out we missed Tote's swim by a few minutes. Still feel bad I couldn't save the bilge pump.