[Paddlewise] Safety: Bottoms up!

Since the wind was something like 9 metres/s ( ? knots ?) 
yesterday I chose to spend the afternoon paddling my new 
kayak and trying to get a feel of its stability in more 
choppy surroundings.  I bought the Nordkapp before 
Christmas and have had quite rare possibilities to get used 
to it, because the ice left here relatively late.   I chose 
a safe route around an island and a bay nearby, quite 
close the shoreline, where I would be paddling two miles 
exposed to SW wind and rain (total of 7 miles). The air 
temperature was 15 degrees centigrade, water 4 degrees 
centigrade (F 34?).

When I was safely and comfortably - I thought- paddling
along the downwind coast of this island, a motorboat left
the harbor.  Not very large, not very fast, maybe only 24'
long but a really heavy one.  I passed its wake and enjoyed
the surf and speed it gave to my kayak.  The boat was long
time gone.  Finally I slowed down when coming near a small
pier, because I didnt want to crash into it, the distance
was something like 60'.   After a few moments the wake hit
the left back quarter of my kayak.

I do recall watching the waves coming nearer: four or five
of them, maybe 1 1/2' to 2' high with sudden breaking tops. 
I wasnt paralyzed, more like wondering what should I do. 
There was no time to turn the kayak, very little space to
move forwards to run from the waves, so I sat there like a
duck watching down the barrel of a shotgun.  And down I
went, the paddle in my slight confusion to the right side
and I, catching my breath, to the left side of my boat.  It
really gives new meaning to saying bottoms up...

After a short passing moment of panic, trying to get my
upper body towards the surface by bending it in vain, I
opened my eyes, saw the greenness of the water and instantly
popped the spray cover open, wondering if my contact lenses
would drop from my eyes.  Fortunately, they didnt.  The
kayak and the other pogue were floating beside me, the
paddle with other pogue few feet away.  I gathered my things
and started swimming towards the pier, pushing the kayak.  I
felt how cold water was getting inside my two-piece dry-suit
pants.  Really amusing, especially when I did notice that
the wind, even if this was the calmer side of the island,
was starting to push me slowly past the end of the pier to
the boat route.  

After soothing my breath I changed my swimming position from
the stern to the bow, where it would be easier to draw the
boat and paddle and keep me heading towards the pier.  I did
not turn the boat up, because it would probably had got more
water in the cockpit and became more heavier.  The other
pogue between my teeth, I was grinning and feeling sheepish.
 I am not sure how long time the swimming took, but I was
not feeling very cold and reached the pier under control. 
Emptying the kayak at the foot of the pier took six minutes.
 The spare clothes were in the aft, but I have a twofold
spray cover, which keeps my feet and precious a** very warm
inside the cockpit - my upper body was warm and dry so I 
trusted the spray deck, besides sitting also on a thermo 
seat.  Actually, I had a second pair of spare clothes 
at the club, too.

After going around the island and the more windy and
choppier part of my trip (2' to 3' waves) I paddled directly
to the jetty of the company where I bought my dry-suit and
walked to the shop wet and dripping salt water.  The folks
were a little bit bewildered before I left - still dripping
- including the owner, who had said before that the trousers
  m i g h t   let   s o m e   water in.  I should have paid
more critical attention to his words then: with even a
slightest leak of water through the gaiters of a dry-suit
changes it to an  un-dry-suit.  Neoprene gaiters and straps
do not seem to keep water, even though it feels tight and
safe together with a neoprene sock. 

Positive observations: the dry-suit shirt was ok, and the
hatches were tight and safe.  The spray cover did keep the
warmth inside, and it was tight enough to make a possible
rolling easy.  But I did not have to fight to pop it open. 
Everything I keep with me during such a short trip was 
securely  placed: knife, keys, chart, compass, GSM mobile 
phone, bailer, water bottle and thermos, first-aid kit, 
paddle-float.  

Some conclusions I draw from the incident:

Be sure that the grab lines of your kayak are good and thick
enough for you to have a good grip of them.  There was not
very much wind, but I can imagine how it feels to lose your
kayak...

Test your equipment before using it in real situations.  I
did not.  Do not take for granted what the salesperson is
telling you, even if you have been knowing each other for
years.  I did.  Btw: I had tested the dry-pack of my mobile
phone before - why not the dry-suit?

Never trust too much to your equipment.  I lost my paddle
and would there been more wind and more distance to safety
the things would have been very much more serious.  Though,
I must admit, besides having a paddle-float with me I am
sure that I am having also a spare paddle with me next time
when it is windy.  And a chord between the paddle and the
deck lines.  

Emptying the half flooded kayak cockpit took six minutes. 
It is a fact I have to think carefully.

A funny thing: even a shortest feeling of panic can give you
a false sense of secureness later, a kind of a backlash. 
When later walking to home I had this strange feeling of
being hard-boiled.  Those PaddleWisers who have known me
some longer time do know that I do take safety issues
seriously, and that I am able to practice some
self-criticism - besides being maybe a little thick-headed
;-)

What I should have done:

Added some ballast, maybe, even though the kayak went very 
well during the more windy part of my trip.

Paid more attention to the situation as a whole: I was 
concentrating too much to the wind - not to the situation I 
was in... 

Unfortunately, I am leaving for England for five days, so I
am not able to answer any possible questions or comments
before next Tuesday.  More fin-stories from Finland will
follow...  

I am starting to practice my hand roll.
Cheers,

Ari Saarto

"Home of the Famous & Traditional Scandinavian Skinny-dipping [TM]"
Finland - Europe
GSM +358 - 50 - 526 5892
fax. +358 - 3 - 828 2815
e-mail: asaarto_at_lpt.fi
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************