assisted rescue

THE GREAT ADVENTURE: What a day I had !   Teaching and coaching kayakers. Leading 12 other paddlers on a Moonlight Paddle adventure. and . . . Rescuing a capsized stranger!!

Now here is THAT story:

Before I was on the water with 2 of my graduates, I was going over some details with a new paddler. I looked out at the white capped waves just beyond the point. It was then that I saw a capsized 17′ ocean kayak. After a moment I saw the solo paddler out of the kayak and bobbing in the whipping water. The water is cold. I ran down the ramp and hopped in my kayak. When I arrived near the capsized paddler, he was standing waist deep on a rock at the edge of the rock jetty. He wore no shirt. He wore no PFD (personal flotation device –life jacket). This man had borrowed a kayak designed for a skilled kayaker. He was not.

What he had done was get on the water in a very inebriated state! Drunk. As a skunk. He had already righted his kayak (turned it right side up) and was complaining that it was full of water. The waves were slapping hard against the jetty. I remained about 6 feet away from his boat and the jetty. I insisted that he come out into the water and get away from the jetty. He argued that he was going to get in his kayak right there, but he had no clue how to do that. I told him come to me, I would get him back in his boat. “no I will get in it myself right here.”

With some discussion going back and forth I finally asked him “I have come out here to rescue you. I can help you get into your kayak. Do you want to be rescued? – or do you want to try to get in that bouncing water-filled kayak all by yourself?”  “You can help me?”  And he finally stepped off the rock and began to swim and push his kayak out from the rocks. So now I have instructed Mr D Runk to hold onto the stern (back end) of my kayak.

With my paddle laid my across my cockpit and tucked against my tummy, I have manually maneuvered the bow (front end) of his kayak to intersect my kayak like a big “T” –this is the “T” rescue.

My challenge was to lift the bow of his kayak up and across my cockpit – while keeping my own kayak upright. It was very heavy with water in it! But up it came. When I had pulled enough up into

my lap, i rolled his kayak over to drain all the water out but kept the kayak up across mine. Then I rolled it over again to right side up, and slid it into the water- his bow at my stern, his stern at my bow. That was all easy …. the tough part, instructing Mr D Runk, how to get in. I talked him through the “heel hook rescue” and braced my kayak and his as he began the heel hook climb-in.

Now I have to deal with a tippy guy in a tippy kayak… bad mix! And, his paddle… oh he let go of his paddle a long time ago. it was upwind of us by 15 feet. So, my next assessment of tippy in tippy, led me to just hold his kayak steady and let the wind take us to the opposite shore/boat launch. Oh my. …. not to worry. Mr D Runk did get out of the water, I went back to get his paddle, and he carried his gear back to his truck…. he was safe now. and he DROVE OFF!     Y I K E S

Well. Now you have “seen” the Assisted Rescue. The lessons here:

1. Don’t paddle beyond your skill.

2. Always wear a PFD – it will float you, save you, and keep your core warmer in cold water!!

3. Paddle with a buddy.

4. IF you capsize, leave the kayak upside down for the rescuer – by righting it improperly, you will fill it with water.

5. Water sport have their own dangers. It is foolish to add alcohol to the mix. Dont do it!

6. ALWAYS hold on to your paddle!

7. Dress for the water and then the weather. –the weather was hot and windy, but the water was cold. This person had already altered his core with alcohol, the water could easily take him to hypothermia.

8. Take a class and learn all you can from a qualified instructor!!

Thanks for reading. I hope you have learned something here! see you on the water and hopefully –NOT IN IT!

oh wow. i just wrote a book!