Surfski Knowledge Base

New Year's Paddle
Reivers Dustin
01/01/06 #900

The short version: More than we bargained for.

Seven of us launched at FBW. There was a promise of wind in the air, but not much going on really. It was flatter than Saturday's run until we were about half-way down the Wall. The wind strengthened a lot. The waves were those short choppy buggers that slap your boat around, but don't ride very well. It was a hard pull to get to the island. Two of us turned it around before getting to the island, and two more turned it around at Chuckanut Island. (These were the smarter of us.)

Dean, Mike G. and I had hopes that the wind would grow some good rides. So we beat down to the next point. When we stuck our noses out in it we knew it was going to be heavy. With the wind quartering from the East we were a little spooked about going too far out. A power boat passing mentioned something about a squall coming to Dean. Sure enough, we got hammered just East of the Island.

We three were kinda spread when I realized it was not fun anymore. I tried to mark where Mike and Dean were, but was not able to find Mike after a while. I put my feet over thinking that he would get blown toward me pretty soon unless he turned it in for shore. Dean up ahead would see him if he got by me. I saw Dean make it to the Wall and creep back South. Time ran out on my plan, so I headed to the Wall and talked with Dean. No Mike.

We headed back North. Ran into Brian, Eric, Don in OC-1's and decided to sweep back South looking for a boat or paddler. No luck. I headed back to FBW and called CG. They found his boat and eventually Mike himself rode up in a pick-up: he had swam in.

I'm hoping that Dean and Mike will post their version of this. I'm going to put my conclusions in a seperate post.

Big day on the bay
Michael Gregory
01/02/06 #907

Dear Paddling Friends,

Imagine my fright and concern when my Evil Twin arrived home yesterday afternoon without a boat mumbling something about cold water, winds, and swimming with seals. Strange story and of course being the way he is, he didn't want to talk about it. So, I boxed his ears and sat on him to make him tell. This is what he said.

Paddling along enjoying the day and the companionship of fellow paddlers when a southeasterly wind piped up and began to rage out through the channel between Chuckanut Is. and Clark's Pt. Turned toward Clark's point hoping to get close and find a lee from the squall. Unfortunately, that puts the wind and waves right on the beam. So, up goes the boat rocking on the crest of a foamy, whoo goes the squall, splash goes the paddler holding tight to his paddle. Then the s— hits the fan. As the boat blows downwind the paddle leash tightens and goes POP. Away goes the boat not to be recaptured despite a flurry of furious swimming strokes, drag! So, off through the wind and waves trying to visualize tropical seas. When, what's this, a gray shape darting around me in the waves. Finally, a whiskered face pokes up and continues to follow along, dude can swim. Well the rest of the little episode seems to be sorta fuzzy but ends with the guy standing on someones porch trying to speak through chattering teeth and being lead into a hot shower.

Now, the paddling buddies are sorta wondering what the hell is going on. Dean “Heart of Gold” Bumstead is paddling around looking for this madman. Reivers (Safety Officer) is calling the authorities. People are pacing up and down. All the while this guy is enjoying a hot shower! This is how the apellation “Evil Twin” is earned.

Part 2.

Now, on a somewhat less stylized note.

Trust me, there has been quite a lot of retrospection about this on my part. I will not be deterred from paddling. I will, however, revisit my safety gear and update with some type of voice communication device (one channel only -Coast Guard), perhaps smoke cannisters, and a very good stout leash for sure.

I did get my boat and paddle back from the CG, amazing! The ski was found about 100 yds from Portage Is. and the paddle off the Post Point Bouy.

Part 3.

I gotta tell ya, I'm way glad that the CG guys are around, ok! But I'm questioning their judgement right now. You see I've just gotten a call from those guys. Dear reader, you are sitting down, aren't you. They asked ME if I was interested in paddling for them on their “Ski to Sea” team!!!!! Evil Twin will not be around for the big race this spring, so, what do you guys think – can we find a bad to the bone, fast as “you know what” paddler for our Coast Guard brothers for “Ski to Sea” this year? It's gotta be someone who is unlikely to need to be rescued, if ya know what I mean. Call Ian Patrick USCG at 671-3751 or contact him at the Squalicum CG station. This is getting to be tooo much but they are looking for canoeists as well. Perhaps we should buddy up with these guys and invite them to our watersports activities, really!

All the Best In the New Year,

Mike G.

Safety (again…)
Reivers Dustin
01/01/06 #901

There is an old saying: “The Sea eats everything.”

Today's ride was sobering. The conditions went nuclear really fast. The squall lasted maybe 15min. or so. That patch East of Chuckanut got bad skank on it, then acted all sweet and innocent very quickly.

Something Morris said has been echoing for me this afternoon: “When I'm in a jam, I want a person to talk to.” Basically, carry a Marine VHF radio. In those conditions it would be impossible to sit in your boat and yak on the talkie. But nothing else comes close to speaking with the person who will send you a helicopter taxi.

When I spoke with the Coast Guard (CG) they were rock solid. They didn't want my Visa number, they wanted to help. Also, when the situation no longer called for ships and helicopters, they turned them off quickly without questions. They were the real thing to have handy.

Other things I've thought about:
-I was not going to be much use to anyone in trouble.
-I really wanted to talk to the other guys, but we were spread out.
-I couldn't see Mike's boat as it rolled by, and if I had, it just meant to call somebody big. (If I had a phone).

-The conditions didn't play fair. (In other words, I made assumptions.)
-Dean is a good guy to have watching your back.

The rest is stuff we've already beat on (but never to death). What I'm saying here is my take. Mike will have more to offer as far as his set-up, how he got in this fine mess, and how he dealt with it.

rd

Michael Hammer <michaelhammer62@…>
01/01/06 #902

Yes, activate the emergency system as quickly as possible. We on the shore were speculating on what might be occurring. I should have made the call. Get them rolling, they can always turn around if not needed. This has been said before, I'm damn glad that those crews are there ready to go at a moments notice.

As a side note on the conditions, I noticed when returning home that I have a red contusion on the forehead. This was from my boat being blown into me when I was in the water on the way back. This occured through my thick fleece cap. The remount in the wind was interesting.

Well done Dean for staying out longer than we would have liked to search. Great job staying on the line with the Coast Guard Reivers to keep them posted and get information to us. A big thanks to the gentleman that provided Mike with a warm shower. Hats of to the Coast Guard. Mike, very glad you are still with us.

Mike

Dale McKinnon

01/01/06 #903

Don't you guys know the first rule of seamanship? The incoming storm has the right of way. Sorry you got run over. Glad nothing broke.
Dale McKinnon

Larry Goolsby
01/01/06 #904

A year and a half ago when Shaun and I were in Oahu at Twogood's paddling camp, we spent a lot of time out in the breakers. One time Shaun got knocked over by a big wave, the wave grabbed his boat and snapped his leash. His boat took off like a rocket without him. I saw this so I turned in the middle of a wave, got rolled over myself by the wave, remounted and went after his boat. I was able to stop his boat and hold it there until he caught up to us and remounted. What I'm trying to point out is that a buddy can be of some use when you lose your boat. On Saturday I stuck near Tim for two reasons: I might be able to assist him and he might be able to assist me. Last year on a couple of occasions, I had a buddy catch my boat when it got out of my grip. That was in the days when I didn't use a leash. Now, I don't go out without one and I am now doubting the strength of my current leash. I think that one of the first steps to safety is having someone that you are accountable for. You may not think that you can be of any assistance but you might be surprised what you are capable of doing. I do own a marine band VHS portable radio and the batteries run down easily (holds 8 AA). I think a cell phone is just as handy, smaller, and holds it's charge longer. Do any of the phone companies make a waterproof or water resistant phone? You can get one of those Aquapaks that hold phones and pin it to your pfd. That is if you wear a pfd.
Larry G.

Dale McKinnon
01/02/06 #905

Larry-The marine safety net (read “Coast Guard, harbor patrols and boats on the water”) and cellular technology are not yet seamlessly connected. Peter Marcus probably knows better than anyone the advantages of VHF over cellular. He gets his paycheck from being smart out on the nasty briny. Yesterday was a two-ton weather elephant. When you have to call the coasties, then you have stepped in the elephant's doo-doo.

RE: weatherproof cellphones. None of the cellphone manufacturers make weatherproof units, except for the Korean manufacturer LG. They claim their phone can survive for “30 minutes if dropped in a pool, tub, or sink.” Send the Marketing VP for LG into yesterday afternoon's weather with a waterproof LG and see if there is a brown spot in his wet suit. I don't think it would survive for five minutes. He would wish he had a VHF. And yes, you can purchase an Aquapak for cellphones, but you must have a single-unit phone, not a flipphone.

However, thinking it terms of “EITHER VHF OR cellphone” is depressing. HAVE BOTH. Your safety is worth it. You can mitigate Murphy's Law by 50%. If you do a risk assessment of cellphone range and service provider, there are too many “dead” spots along Chuckanut, at the south end of Lummi, off the Peapods, yaddayaddayadda. I have been told by the 911 operator during an emergency call on land that he has to wait 15 seconds for the call to lock on the E911 signal from Verizon phones before he could proceed with the call. That was a very long 15 seconds. E911 (Enhanced 911) is a federal requirement that cell providers must meet to identify to within 30 meters the transmit location of a 911 call. It is a great federal mandate but the marketplace issues need to be worked out by the FCC and communications companies. Generally, cellphone coverage is getting better. But I will not trust my life on the water to it. I'll let the Coast Guard RDF in on my VHF signal. I trust that technology. Additionally, too often, land-based operators incorrectly route emergency calls to wrong response organizations. My life has been challenged on the water. I've gotten an answering machine at a Coast Guard station when I called on my cellphone. There are no answering machines with VHF. My VHF goes with me whenever I go out on the water. (I was out at #2 buoy, yesterday. I know junky it was.)

Cellphone is my backup and “late for dinner” tool, NOT my safety tool.

The single-most important reason for relying on VHF is because when you have to make that emergency call it is going DIRECTLY to the agency/office that is going to dispatch the boat/s that will save you or your boat. A 911 cellphone call first goes through a land-based operator that may direct your call to the wrong agency/office. Precious time can get wasted in trying to get through to the right office. On VHF you remain on an open/hot line with the person in the rescue office who has their finger on your pulse, so to speak.

In addition, any boats in the area will hear that first call on Channel 16. Cellular phones generally cannot provide ship to ship safety communications or communications with rescue vessels. If you make a distress call on a cellular phone, only the one party you call will be able to hear you.

For an excellent discussion of VHF vs.Cell Phone, go to: http://www.connyak.org/Public%20Affairs/Paul_D_VHS_Guidelines_HTML.html

Also, Larry, how old is your VHF? Newer radios have NiMH or Lithium batteries and last a long time. Mine lasts 24 hours when turned on (listening mode and weather), with the squelch right at threshold, twenty minutes in continuous transmit at 2 watts (most conversations last three minutes), and five minutes at 5 watts. I use the 5 watts only for a MAYDAY or a “securite” and I've only had to broadcast a “securite” once. The battery on my VHF lasts considerably longer than the AA NiMH batteries in my GPS. As I'm on the water a lot, my VHF radio is always on the charger at home and it's the last thing I grab before I head out the door to my boat. I do not leave without it.

Larry Goolsby
01/02/06 #908

Dale….Thanks for all the info on VHF. I think my VHF is not appropriate for paddling. It's not waterproof and I used it on a week long trip two years ago and the batteries ran down despite very little use. Storing your 'safety net' within your boat isn't a good idea because if you lose your boat, you are up a creek. So whatever safety device you choose, you should be able to wear it attached to your pfd, if you are wearing a pfd. On Sunday, if I was there, I probably wouldn't have taken a cell or a VHF. A short trip to Govenor's Point is a benign adventure (usually). The sport we do sounds dangerous to to those that don't venture onto the seas, especially when we talk about surfing in windstorms in the middle of winter. However, the freak storm or broken leash or busted paddle is always a risk we take. If we totally eliminate all the risks, we become kayakers. I don't know how well I could use a cell phone, VHF, or other device while floating in big water but I do know that if I lose my boat, I want it back. That's why I like paddling near someone on those nasty/fun days. That's also why I am doubting the strength of my leash as I write this. Thanks
Larry G.

Dale McKinnon
01/03/06 #915

One other small piece of technology that anyone can use to increase safety in the nasty briny, is a barometer. I wear mine on my wrist. Some people attach it to their PFD. Mine's a watch, stopwatch, etc. Lot's of manufacturers make them. I use mine mostly for the barometer.

You may not think that being out on the water for only an hour would require a barometer, but boyhowdy,… I'm glad I had mine.

I was at #2 buoy on the 1st, and could see a distinct buzz saw line south of Governor's Point, with large whitecaps south of the line that continued across the Bay toward the light north of Eliza. Yet, the water on the north side of that line, although consisting of two-foot rollers, was smooth-topped. No whitecaps. As I was at the top of an ebbing tide, I recognized that there was something squirrely going on with the winds. I was in a steady northeasterly, yet below Gov Point was a southeasterly, hence the whitecaps. The buzzsaw line was the nasty mix where the winds met. I had no idea anybody was out in it. Once it moved past Gov Point and wrapped around the land mass.and into Chuckanut.. ouch.

There were other weather factors that merged in my mind at a critcal point but when I glanced at my barometer and saw that the pressure had dropped 2/10ths in ten minutes, I muttered an expletive, and rowed hard to get back to FBW. I was gasping for air when I got in. I was about 100 yards from the shipyard when the wind caught me. I could see the dragon moving across the top of the water toward me. If not for checking my barometer, I too, would probably have been calling for help on my VHF clinging to #2.

Along with simply experiencing and learning from the local weather conditions (which is one learning style), there are two good books that help understand the area: Jeff Renner's “Marine Weather Field Guide” and Owen S. Lange's “Wind Came All Ways: A Quest to Understand the Winds, Waves & Weather in Georgia Basin.” Frankly, I've found the information in Lange's book to more directly relate to conditions in Bellingham Bay. Along with Washburne's tide tables, it is the most used reference in my growing library on everything marine between here and Anchorage. If anyone has any good suggestions for meterological/weather reference books, please send them my way.

What is fantastic about Whatcompaddlers is the love of the sport and water that everyone has, and the continual positive support. Keep on keepin' on… And getting the coasties out on the water in surfskis with you guys is a FANTASTIC idea. They do good work. They are good kids, with good training, doing the best they can with a difficult mandate and they are going to be neighbors to FBW very soon.
Dale
–
Larry Goolsby
01/03/06 #918

Dale…..Good point. When I did mountain guiding, I used an altimeter as a barometer. If I was at a steady altitude and the altimeter was changing, then I knew that the weather was changing rapidly. If the altitude reading was climbing, that meant a low pressure was coming in and we should not ascend further. You can use an altimeter on the water the same way.
Larry G.

more Safety
Reivers Dustin
01/02/06 #910

Please read message #832 posted on this board by Kathleen P. (It's back there a few pages.) It's a little disturbing hearing that Kathleen had trouble pulling herself back into the boat.

Since I'm the crazy guy who paddled the Speedster all those years, I think of myself as solid in rough water. Hehe, funny how we don't really seem to test our deeply cherished beliefs.

I bought the best VHF I could find today. I'm kinda hoping that some more of you paddlers do that too. Somebody posted about the brand name “Standard Horizon” for a good, least expensive one. (I bought an Icom IC-M88.)

Randall Washburn has written several kayak books. An early one of his discusses kayak safety as “rings of defense”. The outer ring, and the best defense, is to not be in dangerous situations. That is not useful information by itself, but needs to be incorporated with knowledge, judgement, planning, good equipment, and personal skills.

Another factor is cooperation.

Uh. Diner is ready. Jeeze. I was starting to sound really wise there. Gotta go.

Hope lots of you folks are reading and planning to write stuff to this board. This is our best shot at connecting about stuff that matters. We don't seem to have time between paddles.

rd

Re: more Safety
Jeff Hegedus <jhegedus@…>
01/02/06 #911

Nice radio Reivers. Did you also get an Aquapak for it? My understanding is that most of the JIS-7 rated radios (submersible to 3 meters for 30 minutes or so) had trouble meeting the standard in an independent test. The bags do not need to be opened in order to use the unit, and they keep it from prolonged exposure. I'm making a custom mesh pocket for the back of my PFD to hold my bagged VHF and a few other safety items, which will be in an inner bag tethered to the PFD front(so I can pull it out over my shoulder). Should be nicely out of the way during rotation, but accessible. When its on for monitoring, it will go in the front pocket.

kathleen petereit
01/02/06 #912

Were any of you guys wearing whistles or carrying flares ? The flares I have are in a cartridge that is the size of skinny felt pen.
Kathleen

kathleen petereit
01/03/06 #913

I jusy bought a Uniden 350, waterproof, submersable VHF last week. I wanted the ICOM but it was out of my price range. Jude reccommended I get the Uniden, he has 3 of them and has been happy with them.

Last year at the San Juan Challenge I won a safety attachment rope that is very compact and comes in a little pouch that attaches to your lifejacket. It is easy to attach to things….someone elses ski or their lifejacket if need be in rescue situations. I am going to try it out as a leash attached to my boat and my lifejacket.

Glad that you guys are all alive and safe, it brought back memories. And I agree with Larry that others can help in nasty conditions. Better if their are 3 of you. We had to rescue Nathan once. He dumped and after several attempst couldn't get back on, it was super windy, big chop and cold. Jeff pulled up on one side of his ski and Derek on the other and managed to help him in. He was really insecure paddling back and we had to keep a close eye on him. Exhausted himself trying to get back in. We stick really close together and after 2 attempts getting back in wait for our buddies to help so as not to exhaust ourselves.

Aquapac does make a cell case for flip phones now. I take both cell and VHF.
Kathleen

Reivers Dustin
01/03/06 #917

This idea of whistles, flares, smoke, and mirrors just gets too much attention. (Sez me!) And here's why:

In that crazy mess I couldn't have heard a train whistle from twenty yards away. I couldn't see Mike's boat roll past, and it had to have. I kinda know where he went in, and my plan should have worked. But it was too big. It was all I could do to manage my paddle and my boat.

I couldn't see objects in the water very well. His boat had to have passed within a couple of hundred feet during the time I was sitting there with my feet out. I'm probably lucky it didn't hit me.

A flare might work if you hit the intended audience with it. I'm telling you, there is no visual device that would have mattered one bit.

Well, it did help that Dean had that day-glo yellow jacket on. I could see him through all the crap and it helped. I knew from where he was that if somehow Mike had caught great rides and gone ahead Dean would see him.

From now on I'm going to buy Easter Egg outfits for paddling. I'll be your day-glo bunny for the evening.

lbussinger50 <lbussinger@…>
01/04/06 #919

A comment on those pencil flares. #1. A large percentage of them don't work. Duds. #2. They only last for 10-15 sec's. Once someone sees the light, they don't know where it came from. In Reivers' case he already knew someone was in the water and couldn't see them. Maybe if you aimed it at a passing powerboat. All kiding aside, they should only be use if someone is close. #3. Smoke flares are by far the best visibility, but they only come in the 1-1/8“ dia. by 12” long size. Not real handy in a kayak.

Alan Carlsson <Alan.Carlsson@…>
01/05/06 #925

An added complication is the pencil flare launchers corrode very fast. The spring and other hardware are steel, together with the aluminum body creat a fast corrosion combination.

I hade my sealed in light silicone grease, in two ziplocks, cleaned regularly and it was still inoperable after 6 months. On land I could barely clean it up enough to use, and in the water it would have been impossible.

I'd choose signal smoke next time as the point of origin will always be “me”.

Alan

Pmarcus
01/04/06 #920

Hi All,
Couple of things since everyone else is suggesting on-water education…The “pucker factor,” I am not anyone's keeper but it would be smart to see the whole picture when you are going to launch, and “am I willing to sacrifice whatever your (I'm) worth for that one paddle”….three obvious factors about reading the water….Look in the distance (for you OLDER and faster guys), have someone do it for you.

1) See any dark lines right on the horizon which isn't very far away from us because we are only sitting about four feet above the surface, maybe a pleasure/fishing boat pounding into the waves and wind in the distance.

2) A strong wind approaching will have a mist line above it, almost always their, moisture swept up above the surface like a very faint see through fog.

3) Clouds….sneak a peak up, compare them to a perminent object,(different shapes tell different stories), like a surfski paddler sitting on a rock….get a feel for how fast the cloud is traveling.

4) okay, maybe four things….wave shape and pattern, 15 mph SE might have that Post Point chop, especially going over the reef right their, but if their is a little bigger mini roller under certain sets of waves or under that slop, it might be suggesting something from the distance…..so resort back to 1).

VHF's are closely monitered by the CG, so you might laminate a small card with proper channels and stick it to your radio.Obviously 16 is the channel of choice, but commercial traffic(passing Victoria Express or a Foss Tug) communicates on other channels which are also scanned by the CG. Last…distance transmitted is seriously inhibited by the power and antenna height (you) . Also what they don't tell you about flares…they get HOT and spit burnt fuel…not that you should not carry one, but you should know! See you on the Salt Chuck…..Peter

Reivers Dustin
01/05/06 #921

What a great post!

I get a kick out of reading the water, but hadn't thought about the large system clues you've mentioned here. When we were approaching Chuckanut Isl. I saw a “williwaw” sucking water up off of the surface.

The other point you raise reminds me of some first responder training video's. These film clips showed many tragic examples of “tunnel vision”. The person's focus was very intense on the difficult task or mission. This would allow heroic efforts, but mask impending hazards. Since then, I've seen small examples in myself and others.

I think it's important to recognize this characteristic in ourselves, but beware pointing it out in others. There is usually caffine, alchohol, adrenaline, or worst of all, testosterone involved.

rd

Dale McKinnon
01/05/06 #922

Last…distance transmitted is seriously inhibited by the power and antenna height (you) Peter- 1) Can you give more specific information about transmitting distances for handhelds, and also, how faint a signal can the CG receive? I know I always hear Canadian CG from Victoria, and USCG from Seattle broadcasting securites and panpans on my handheld and I've heard them respond to Maydays, although I never heard the person calling the Mayday.

I've had Canadian VTS help guide me across Queen Charlotte Strait transmitting from Campbell River, not that that information is of any help to anyone in the San Juans. However, knowing the radio capabilities of the Canadian side of the CG is wise. Folks have had their kayaks blown across the international boundary before (Haro Strait… it's not that far from San Juan Island to Victoria).

Your advice re: reading the weather and water is right on.

I know you are not anyone's keeper, but there is more to being out on the water than interval training, and blade angle. Having accurate information and knowing how to use the tools of the “safety net” is not like having airbags in a car… and does not diminish the pucker factor in 15' swells.
–
lbussinger50 <lbussinger@…>
01/05/06 #932

The coastguard “repeats” its broadcasts from big towers located on the islands, thats why they come in so well. The handhelds don't transmit all that far because they don't transmit on that high of wattage. If they did the batteries wouldn't last very long. You should really consider them “line of sight”. I'm guessing that 3-5 miles would be the limit, especially since our antenna isn't that high.