Tamale Bay Missing Kayaker

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/coast-guard-and-local-agencies-search-for-missing-kayaker-on-tomales-bay/

Sad to read this. It says he had a headlight, but no word on any other safety gear.

Dang…

Very sad. I’m at Doran today and was scanning channel 16. The CC broadcasted numerous times about the missing kayaker.

Sad to read this. It says he had a headlight, but no word on any other safety gear.

another site says no wet suit or PFD headlight was found but not on a head.

Sad to read this. It says he had a headlight, but no word on any other safety gear.

another site says no wet suit or PFD headlight was found but not on a head.

Word of mouth from the campground is that they were wearing waders w/ no belt, and no PFD or wetsuit.  They were paddling after dark, in rough and windy conditions, then capsized.  Some people from Lawsons saw the headlight flashing, but ultimately they disappeared.  Sad 

We got there Friday and was cooking in the parking lot when we noticed the helicopter kept hovering over above Jack's beach and Ducks beach. Didn't know what had happened until today when a friend text came in  and helicopter flying above searching for the missing kayaker.  What a terrible tragedy 

Again.

I was drinking my coffee and enjoying the view above Dillon yesterday morning, figure CG was doing an exercise. I have to commend Willy and Cameron of Lawson's Landing for their rescue attempt.

dayum.  sad

Sad, but a reminder to all of us to prepare and go out assuming the worst will happen: you will flip it; you will get separated from boat or paddle or both; the wind will come up blowing offshore; etc. Remember, Murphy was an optimist and an a-hole.

I was out there sat doing some crabbing near the weather buoy, I noticed the helicopter first, then a large vessel with firefighter markings on it. Sort of had a bad feeling, sad the feeling has been confirmed.

Sure wish everyone who got ON the water would always plan to be IN the water at some point. Really changes your thinking.

Waders, no PFD, in the dark, in the ocean, wind and waves... such a bad set of compounding factors.

Last time I was at Lawson's, I was kinda taken back by the behavior of some of the kayakers there. Lots of big box store kayaks, very few PFDs, even fewer wet/dry suits. Kayaks overstuffed with hoops paddled by inexperienced kayakers in jeans and a t-shirt with a beer in the beverage holder. Alot of "I'm just paddling out to the channel to drop a hoop so it's no big deal" thinking. As we all know, that whole area is no joke and claims lives every year.

Sure wish everyone who got ON the water would always plan to be IN the water at some point. Really changes your thinking.

Waders, no PFD, in the dark, in the ocean, wind and waves... such a bad set of compounding factors.

You'd figure all those things would be red flags, but not for these type of dudes.  I mean, some people take calculated risks, then there's these bozos risking their lives, and in turn, risking other people's lives to save their asses.  Its very unfortunate these type of things happen even when people take the proper precautions, but then you have these yahoos.  It really does take a special kind of person to be in that situation at night with wind/waves and think it would be a good idea to go crabbing.