Surfski Knowledge Base

bboats2
01/01/10 #7605

I saw on channel 7 news today; a kayaker was rescued on Bellingham Bay by the Coast Guard ? you has details ? type up !!!

Re: kayak rescue
lori & beau whitehead
01/01/10 #7606

Here you go Brian…(from Coast Guard News)

Coast Guard rescues kayaker near Bellingham
Jan 1st, 2010 · Comments Off on Coast Guard rescues kayaker near Bellingham

SEATTLE – The Coast Guard rescued a 39-year old male kayaker in Bellingham Bay near the Fairhaven Marina, Bellingham, Wash., Friday.

Coast Guard Group Port Angeles, Wash., received a call at 12:35 p.m. from a Good Samaritan on shore reporting a person in distress in the water. Immediately after the initial call, Group Port Angeles received a second call via VHF radio from a man stating his friend Jeffery Hilburn had fallen from his kayak and was in need of assistance.

Coast Guard Station Bellingham, Wash., launched a 33-foot response boat crew to. The Coast Guard arrived on scene at 12:55 p.m. and pulled Hilburn from the water while his friend was able to kayak safely to shore. Hilburn was taken to the Fairhaven Marina where local emergency medical personnel were wait ing to treat him for possible hypothermia.

Both men were wearing lifejackets but Hilburn was not wearing a drysuit. No injuries were reported.

Beau Whitehead
http://paddlesurfnorthwest.blogspot.com/

Re: kayak rescue
Dale McKinnon
01/01/10 #7607

Soon, the CG is going to start charging for these “rescues.”

CG rescue
hilburnjjcl
01/02/10 #7608

The informal protocol of paddling that the local surfski community had established was not followed yesterday and I was fortunate to have not gotten hurt or drowned. The protocol is:
1. dress for immersion
2. carry a VHF radio
3. make sure your equipment is in top shape
4. honestly evaluate your ability level on the given day

I was in a rush and didn't dress for immersion. My paddle lock slipped a couple of times, altering the feather angle-this had happened to me once on a previous paddle this winter, so I should have replaced the paddle or had it fixed. I was also paddling a relatively new boat for me. On my previous four downwind runs this year, I hadn't felt 100% “comfortable” in the boat.

There will always be those stupid individuals (I'm now the poster child) that don't follow the protocol for some reason or another on a given day. I understand the risks involved with paddling in the winter. Why I didn't follow the protocol yesterday-I'm not sure. I was just really excited to get in a good paddle, since I hadn't paddled for a week. I was in a huge rush to get out the door and paddle with my friends.

I'm embarassed that the events unfolded the way they did yesterday. I appreciate those of you that were concerned for my safety. I lost a lot of self-respect yesterday, my boat was crushed and I'm sure I lost the respect of a lot of other paddlers that I consider to be my friends. Not a great way to start 2010.

Hilburn

Re: CG rescue
Dale McKinnon
01/02/10 #7609

With humility comes the recognition of what it is we do and the environment in which we do it. Whether respect comes from fear or love doesn't matter when it comes to the Salish Sea. Respect it because it gave you up yesterday, taught you a big lesson in the process and didn't take you from the people that care about you.

Life is pretty simple when it is looked at from sea level. Celebrate storm paddling with your check list before you put your boat in the water.

One question, though… did anyone else point out the checklist to you prior to hitting the water?

Re: CG rescue
fennmako
01/02/10 #7610

Nah, we still love you Jeff. Sorry to hear about the boat, but I have a Millenium you can borrow…..Simon

Re: CG rescue
Reivers Dustin
01/02/10 #7612

You are completely 'vetted' to speak about adventures on the sea, Dale. Since you are being a bit philosophical here, perhaps I can respond. I want to because there are so many readers here with such a variety of views.

Do you remember your first row down the inside passage? It is not possible to cover every contingiency. That is the reality. Risk Management is a rich subject. I have risk management training which includes building a matrix that yields a risk ranking from likelyhood vs consequense inputs. All very linear and tidy.

I guess we owe progress to linear, black-and-white thinking. I don't demean it. But feel there is more. Life is not completely reasonable. Our mistakes teach us, and those with strength of character to learn well, make us wiser. But there are some who would make these lessons into rules. Among these are the 'Tolstoy Beauracrats' gleefuly extracting obesance from any who enter their sphere of influence. Did you meet some of these when you were preparing for your sea adventure? I think you found a way to own your lessons in spite of these people.

Today I spread my Mom's ashes on the sea. She was an adventurer with great heart. When her independance was gone she took off her oxygen and died within a day. Some of her adventures, like many of our elders, would be scandalous today. I hope to pass with at least a fraction of her wisdom.

I don't defend Jeff's choices. I just hope that we can leave room for human experience. The community has a share of lookie-lous who don't know the heart of an adventurer.

Maybe I've missed getting the point across. But maybe you can see how a regard for Jeff can go too far into his business. It's like those parents who can't give their children the space to live. Ah well.

It's all fun and games until somebody pokes an eye out.

rd

Re: CG rescue
paulamoll2125
01/02/10 #7613

Hi Jeff,

I'm glad you're O.K. For what it's worth, I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and all the other folks that get out there on the water. I hope you're able to get back on the water very soon, and don't let this set you back.

Best,
Eric Moll

Re: CG rescue
Pmarcus
01/02/10 #7614

Jeff……….Thanks for recognizing things that should have be done which is GOOD, since you are HERE to type what should have been done……but on the coin flip….when you guys push the envelope a little it makes me a better paddler like taking on the 50+ puffs in the Gorge this Summer (okay maybe the water was a little warmer)….but with respect to the equipment that I CHOSE to use and then go and try to tackle the same conditions (maybe a little less….) but I wouldn't have considered it if you and the other two paddlers hadn't done it!

Kudo's….we need you around………………but with caution! Cheers, Peter

Re: CG rescue
dnjacobson79
01/02/10 #7615

Well said, I'm glad you're OK and those dang two piece paddles not working keep getting us Bham paddlers….

I, like you, have been putting together different combo's of winter gear that work most days, but aren't ideal on the nuclear days. So next week I'm doing what I have known I needed to do, and learning from a friends misfortune, I'm biting the bullet and buying a one piece drysuit and hope others who like to paddle when it's big and cold do the same….dj

PS - some great after holidays deals on drysuits at outdoorplay.com