[Paddlewise] The Ocean is Big, Our Impact Bigger

I just got back from three wonderful days out on Santa Cruz Island, one of 
the Northern Group of Channel Islands here in Southern California.  I was 
leading a small group of parents and their children with two assistant 
guides.  The weather varied from small-craft warning conditions to calm and 
warm, allowing us to get in some varied but restricted paddling.  The general 
large-period swell prevented us from getting in most of the sea caves, but 
the few we did enter were magnificent.

Now the downside:  

Although it is not really in-season yet, the number of people and the large 
number of kayaks on this until-recently unpopular island led me to think 
about the recent thread concerning crowding along our shores.  I had 
summarily deleted most of the postings in that thread, so if this posting 
repeats what someone else has already stated, please accept my apologies.

While I am willing to share the ocean and shorelines with other kayakers and 
boaters, I am concerned about the rapid increase in the unenlightened and 
unprepared paddlers I am seeing in fragile and possibly dangerous areas such 
as the Channel Islands.  We, as a species, have demonstrated all too well 
that the earth and environment is no match for our ability to pollute, spoil 
and destroy in the name of progress, profit and even recreation.  So, no 
matter how large the oceans, we can more than match them with our undesirable 
impact.

This past weekend there were two or three other outfitters besides myself on 
Santa Cruz.  For the most part, these are fairly responsible people who play 
by what few rules there are and are relatively safety conscious.  However, 
even though the waters are still in the upper 50's and we had somewhat cool 
(55-65 F) and windy (10-20 kt) days, the other outfitters were running trips 
on SOTs without issuing wetsuits to their clients, and one had rented a 
number of kayaks to groups of inexperienced and unguided Scouts and school 
children.  In addition, there were many more who had rented kayaks from 
various stores and outfitters and brought them out to the island on their 
own.  (In the interest of safety, we stopped renting kayaks for use on the 
islands a couple of years ago.)

Throughout the weekend I watched as people were being pummeled by kayaks in 
the shore dump because they had no instruction on proper landing technique, 
found myself advising people to go back to shore for their PFDs, telling 
people to stay out of the sea caves because they were not wearing helmets, 
conditions were too rough, or because there were nesting birds or resting 
pinnipeds clearly visible inside.  I also had to split off from my group, 
leaving them with one guide as I and another assistant rescued a young 
hypothermic boy and his father who had been in the water for 30 minutes 
because their SOT was sinking.

My concern is that the number and severity of these types of incidents 
involving unskilled and unknowledgeable paddlers will lead to a rise in 
injuries and deaths, an increase in the disturbance of nesting birds and sea 
creatures, and other problems which will in turn result in restrictions being 
placed on the paddling community as a whole.  We will see more and more areas 
closed off to kayaking altogether or placed under permit and quota 
restrictions.  Is this bad?  Perhaps not in the grand scheme of things, but 
it will certainly place a crimp in the enjoyment we all currently get from 
our sport.

Some general comments which were brought back to mind during the weekend 
which can always stand repeating:

1.  It has been said before on this list:  Get involved in educating people 
you see out on the water when it is clear that they have no clue.

2.  The Marine Mammal Protection Act requires that you do nothing that will 
cause Pinnipeds and other marine mammals to change their natural behavior.   
This requires that we stay out of sea caves when seals and seal lions are 
inside. 
  
3.  This time of year is nesting season for many species of birds that nest 
inside sea caves and along cliffs and rocky sea shores.  Entering caves or 
playing too close to areas where birds are nesting can cause abandonment of 
nests or cause eggs or chicks to fall from the nests.  Stay away from rookery 
areas.

4.  Entering sea caves in kayaks requires special skills, knowledge and 
safety equipment.  Get proper instruction and learn to read the caves and 
ocean swell before taking on caves.

5.  If you are an outfitter or livery, consider restricting who you rent to 
and/or the destination of your equipment.  The life you save may correspond 
to the law suit you avoid.  But more importantly, you will save areas which 
are subject to overuse and abuse from being restricted, thus making them 
available for your own (hopefully) well-run programs. 

6.  SOT kayaks are certainly not unsinkable.  The one we rescued was 
practically new, but had been stored too close to a light bulb, which melted 
a 2-inch diameter hole through the deck (plastic, plastic, plastic).  

    With respect to all kayaks and associated gear:
    -Store all gear properly.
    -Inspect all gear before and after use.
    -Carry supplemental flotation bags or other buoyancy for emergency 
situations.
    -Never leave shore without your safety gear (we were going less than a 
mile from the put-in).
    -Dress for the water.  If you are unsure, dress warmer than you think you 
need.  The kayakers we rescued had thin, shorty wetsuits on.  They were 
insufficient for the conditions, but if they had gone out without them, 
and/or without their PFDs (as some were doing that sunny day), the outcome 
could have been much worse.

I apologize for rambling on over such a wide range of subject matter, but I 
just needed to vent.  Watching such goings-on and then listening to the Park 
Rangers talk about how little they can do to better the situation leaves me 
with a feeling of helplessness.  Hopefully, if we keep the subjects alive and 
pass on our knowledge to others, the cause will not be lost.

Happy Paddling,
Harold
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