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Dramatic water rescue off Vancouver Island

He'd even attached it to his paddle and blown it up - wonder what the problem was?
rescue-beforeafter.jpg


and the story said he called in his rescue:
"A spokesperson with BC Ferries says radio distress calls were placed by the kayaker"

so he did have some backups: looks like a pfd, float - but didn't work for him, but radio/cell and pfd did.
 
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Rpowdigs said:
Learn to roll! Paddle floats wont help you in difficult conditions.
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Watched the video - paddle float definitely could be used, by someone who has practiced in conditions. I teach a tides and currents class in SF Bay where we have the students do a paddle float rescue in choppier conditions than that.

Of course, most people who are practiced enough in paddle float rescues in those conditions would have other tricks in their basket to get back in (like a roll), or avoid needing to get back in in the first place.
 
PFD, radio, immersion gear. This is a responsible paddler. We all have our bad days: we blow our rolls, can’t nail our rescues, etc.

Given his proximity to the ferry routes, perhaps he felt that the best course of action was to call it in. Good decision. All’s well that ends well.

Cheers,
Andrew
 
I must admit that when I saw the video I was thinking ‘those waves look like fun’. Glad everything worked out for the paddler. Several times in that same area in similar conditions I have been approached by other craft asking if everything is OK, so there is a reasonable amount of traffic there.

To add to what Peter said, paddle float re-entry rolls are useful here too and are pretty easy too master even if one has a shaky roll. But getting back in the boat is just part of the challenge. It can be tricky to get the float off the paddle and/or pumped out and squared away with the spraydeck on without going over again, especially if the person is already a little rattled.
 
This victim could be a guy like me; I could see it happening. I practice my roll regularly, emphasizing rolls without a pre-capsize setup (my attempt at bombproof). Other than roll practice, I try to stick with pretty flat water and have not experienced an inadvertent capsize since I learned a dependable roll. So in such a situation, I still might miss my roll twice and need to bail out. Then I would likely try my solo paddlefloat rescue. If I failed I'd next try my VHF while resting before my next attempt.

Next season I'll work on my reentry and roll, which will hopefully supersede my solo paddlefloat rescue. As I near age 77, it's not that easy to learn new kayak skills, but that doesn't mean I'll quit just yet.
 
As Andrew and others have said, a lot of important backups were preplanned/present in case this event happened:
pfd, some kind of thermal protection, paddlefloat, radio/cell, close to shore, close to people.

One that seems to not be used in similar scenarios/accidents is to try and get some part of the body out of the water by clambering partway over sideways or partway over either end. It does not matter if the kayak is upside down or upright, just getting any [even tiny amount] more of the body out of the water will help one last longer. Time is everything.

[with the reentry and roll, try the attached paddlefloat method first: if you have a partial roll anyway,the floatation on the end of the paddle will almost make it a snap.]
 
In a rough water class with Wayne Horodowich some years ago, I tried a couple of re-entry methods. It wasn't windy, but the waves were high and chaotic (Staines Pt, Trial Is). Same Mariner Express kayak that drahcir has now.
Cowboy/scramble: I can do this pretty much 100% of the time in smaller wave conditions, but before I could get back into the cockpit, it had been filled with water, and the kayak got a lot less stable, and a wave rolled me back into the water. Repeated 2x, and then:

Paddlefloat re-entry and roll: This worked well (and quickly- it's quite fast to inflate a paddlefloat) to get me back into the boat, in the cockpit and upright, and bracing often.
Cockpit was full of water.
It was extremely difficult to get the sprayskirt back on while continuing to brace and hang on to the paddle. Normally it's a two-handed operation for me; I still haven't figured out a different way to do it- but I am trying to practice doing it faster (so that getting the skirt on between waves might be possible).
Once I did get the skirt back on, I was glad I had an electric pump. I'm sure I couldn't have pumped out the boat by hand in those conditions. Luckily for me (unlike the paddler in the rescue situation above) there was calmer water not to far away, so I probably could have paddled the boat with the water in the cockpit to a more sheltered area-once I got the float off the paddle blade. It is possible, but not very efficient (!) to make a bit of progress with the float on the blade. Once the float is off the blade, having a spot on deck to clip it quickly is important.

Notes to myself: Immersion clothing and VHF - don't leave home without them! And keep working on that roll!
 
difficult to get the sprayskirt back on while continuing to brace and hang on to the paddle. Normally it's a two-handed operation . . . ; I still haven't figured out a different way . . .
Click to expand...

As a test, try the one-handed paddle tech for 10 minutes: say for at least 10 minutes and hopefully in moderately wavy conditions in all basic directions:

- unbuckle the belt at the bottom of your pfd and re-buckle it over the middle of your paddle loom - the paddle is now 90deg across the kayak and under or near the bottom of your pfd. Try holding the paddle as near as possible as you normally would and paddle along [- with a very, very low angled stroke, heh heh] - it's possible, right?? not perfect or ideal, but works, right?
- now, even if you have a feathered blade, try taking your off-hand from the paddle and see if you can paddle almost the same as before - on both sides. works, right? not perfect, but works, right?
- now try bracing on each side, works right? not perfect, but works, right?
- now try alternately bracing and paddling, mixing it up a bit. not perfect, but actually works, right?
- take both hands off the paddle and hold the blade across the kayak with your elbows. fairly rigid position right? almost a bracing situation, right? could get at least one hand down in a jiffy, right? not perfect, but works, right?
- now what if the paddlefloat was still on one side and you slightly leaned to that side while bracing with your elbows. . . . a conceivable option, right? what if you extended the paddle? not going to slip out - is it? quite a stable position possibly, right??
- just might be able to pump, just might be able to re-skirt.

a whole, whole bunch of more techs, right?

so there you are - a solo paddler and you broke your shoulder/elbow/wrist etc. without possibility of help - there's now an option, right? not perfect, not wonderful, but an option. for many scenarios.

[so anyone reading - I'm talking about an idea here, not advocating undoing the pfd belt in dire situations: obviously one would just have a tie/clip/cone in that location that also quick-releases rather than a 2-handed release/reattach]
 
mick_allen said:
As a test, try the one-handed paddle tech for 10 minutes: say for at least 10 minutes and hopefully in moderately wavy conditions in all basic directions:

- unbuckle the belt at the bottom of your pfd and re-buckle it over the middle of your paddle loom - the paddle is now 90deg across the kayak and under or near the bottom of your pfd...............................

[so anyone reading - I'm talking about an idea here, not advocating undoing the pfd belt in dire situations: obviously one would just have a tie/clip/cone in that location that also quick-releases rather than a 2-handed release/reattach]
Click to expand...

Mick-
Interesting idea.
Have you actually done this in rough conditions?
In a situation where I couldn't easily get two hands free long enough to snap on the sprayskirt, I can't imagine undoing the PFD buckle, sliding out a lot of slack, getting it around the paddle, and then re-buckling it (finding the elusive 'short end' of the buckle could be tricky).
But it's worth some experimenting.

BTW, the whole 'lean on the float end of the paddle' thing works better on one side of the wind/waves than the other, so it's a 50-50 chance if I just re-enter and roll on the side that I find myself swimming on.
In windy conditions (like the reported 25-30 knots the paddler in the video was experiencing), it takes 'attention' to hold on to the paddle, even without a float attached.
 
Have you actually done this in rough conditions?
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Yes, medium rough conditions: good enough to initially test the hypothesis.

If you have a buckle at the bottom of the pfd or have a waist tow that won't ride above the bottom of the pfd, the idea can be quickly tested als - but give it 10 mins of practice. The first time I tried it in quite wavy conditions, I was astonished at the relatively straight forward bracing across waves on the opposite side to the hand even with my feathered paddle. The whole setup duplicates [and possibly is superior to] rigid deck handicap setups for one armed paddlers.

[I don't get the "sliding out the slack" the "getting around the paddle" and the "finding the elusive short end" is all about though - my pfd must be different, so try something like a waist tow or a separate buckled web belt for the simple test]

it takes 'attention' to hold on to the paddle
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Yes, that is one of the other things that that paddler did to his credit: hung onto his paddle. In other scenarios where there was help [of any kind, or just a reinvigorated attempt or a wind/wave drop] to get back in the boat, he would have been able to use it to some degree - rather than letting it float away as happens in many scenarios.
 
mick_allen said:
[I don't get the "sliding out the slack" the "getting around the paddle" and the "finding the elusive short end" is all about though - my pfd must be different, so try something like a waist tow or a separate buckled web belt for the simple test]
Click to expand...

You are referring to the bottom strap and buckle on the PFD (which should be tight to help keep the PFD from riding up when swimming) ?

PFD buckle.jpg


Even with two hands (i.e. not injured/disabled), it would be very difficult to adjust this strap/buckle to get it around the paddle shaft in rough conditions. Remember the scenario- winds/waves big enough to have caused a capsize with a dry cockpit , cockpit now probably full of water so the boat is less stable.

Re-threading the tow belt buckle also would be tricky.

towbelt buckle.jpg


I 'got caught' in 30 knot gusting conditions and breaking waves a few weeks ago, and I'm remembering those conditions when thinking about these self-rescue situations. Even assisted rescue would have been difficult- getting to my partner without capsizing myself would have required some luck (with my skill level).
 
mick_allen said:
Yes, that is one of the other things that that paddler did to his credit: hung onto his paddle.
Click to expand...
I agree - I was referring to the difficulty of hanging on to the paddle before a capsize, just while making progress- high wind gusts can really 'grab' the paddle blade - one good reason to switch to a lower angle paddle stroke if possible.
 
Looks like he was out alone in moderate conditions BUT not moderate for paddler. He shouldn't go out with out a roll. Period. The very first class I took was a roll class. Iam always puzzled by other paddlers who think a roll is some kind of show off trick. If you paddle in any kind of waves a roll should be in your skill level. Even if you have a so so roll ad a paddle float like others have said and you cant miss.
 
dc9mm said:
He shouldn't go out with out a roll. Period.
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That paddler may well have had the ability to roll consistently in less windy/wavy conditions. Looking down from the deck of a ferry (as in the video) is a lot different than being in a kayak. In the video, you can see the rescue boat moving around pretty actively in the waves, and it was windy that day.
It takes a lot of confidence - more than I have - to practice rolling in conditions where I would actually capsize.
On that recent day when I found myself paddling with 30 knot gusts (from abeam) and breaking waves, I was thinking :"Better pay attention here; you might have to throw in a brace at any second", NOT :"Gee, this would be a great place and conditions to practice a roll!" In conditions where I would actually capsize, even if I rolled up, there would be an even chance that I'd be knocked over again. And, in those conditions, even an assisted rescue from a paddling partner could be difficult if I ended up swimming. It's not easy for me to paddle over to another boat when it's blowing 25 knots, and rough. So, it's complicated. And, completely different from the usual rolling practice scenarios I get involved in from time to time.
Around Victoria, we are lucky to have Trial Island where sometimes we can get big waves with a current that will flush us out to flatter water - it's a great practice spot or place for a rough water clinic. However, it's also a spot where you need to take care to inform people (light keeper) that you are practicing - you don't want the rescue helicopter to show up!

The main benefit of rolling practice for me is to tune up my bracing skills, so that I don't 'quit' even when I get 'tilted' close to the water in an actual paddling situation.

When it's blowing hard and 'rocking', I get pretty humble about my skills!:)
 
I would guess that the majority of kayakers don't have a roll and never will: they never will, no matter how much some would wish.
And many of those are reasonably safe in dire conditions.

The paddler in the incident made many good decisions. It was not fluke that he made it out ok. There were preplanned backups upon backups.

It behooves the rest of us who paddle elsewhere in dire conditions, to consider what our preplanned backups upon backups are.
 
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