[Paddlewise] Corrections/details on capsized Corpus kayaker

I live in the same apartment complex as the capsized kayaker discussed in the link in "Another use for a water bottle."  In fact I took her out for her first trip in a kayak.

>From my conversations with her I think I can supply some correction and details to the story as told on the Internet.  First, she was in the water for between 5 and 6 hours.   She had been paddling for 2-3 hours before she capsized thus the 8 hours mentioned in the story.  She had paddled about 2 nautical miles along the shoreline to a beach in front of the local university where she spent some time playing with the dogs.  She was almost back to her car when the wind picked up and started blowing her out into the bay.   This was the third time she had been out in the kayak and she did have some difficulty controlling it at times on those trips.   Eventually she was pushed far enough out into the bay that she got into some small waves where the dog jumped or fell overboard.   She was trying to lift the dog back into the kayak when it flipped.

She did not have a wearable PFD with her.  She had a floatation cushion which she had laying on the floor of the kayak.   In her defense the "supposed to" comment should be read as "like I thought it would" since she did not have the cushion tied to the kayak or under shock cord.   My guess is it was just far enough toward the end of the kayak that it got wedged between the sides so it did not come out.   I have not checked the regulations, but I was under the impression that this cushion would not meet the PFD requirements for a kayak or canoe but it does meet the "throwable floatation device" requirement for motor boats.   In any case she should have been wearing a PFD in that situation.

One of the main reasons for her near death was the failure of an experienced kayaker, namely me, to take the time to fully point out the possible dangers involved in kayaking in our area and to emphasize her use of the proper safety gear.   I did not adequately describe the normal afternoon wind increase and how it could affect her kayak at the launch site she used (a launch site I had told her about).   I had paddled with her very briefly 4 days before this incident.  At that time I did notice that she was not wearing a PFD.   I asked her if she had one and she said yes, but I failed to notice that she was talking about that floatation cushion.   Normally I would have talked to her rather strongly about wearing it all the time, but she was having difficultly controlling the kayak and I got involved in trying to help her with her paddling technique.    I failed to say anything about the lack of a paddle leash which on an SOT is usually the only way to hold onto a capsized ka
 yak.  I also made the mistake of letting her paddle solo a short distance back to the launch while I went out for some additional paddling.  I am sure this left her  with the impression that she was ready for solo paddling.   

My failure to take a strong stand on safe paddling almost killed this kayaker.  Please do not make the same mistake I made.

Mark J.  Arnold
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