Not a great weekend for new Kayakers & new on the ocean

My wife and I got back from a great week on the coast between LA and SF.

We saw two events which will probably set back kayak sales with new yakkers and those new to the ocean.

1. On Sunday, a yak renter was renting his yaks and SUPs at a fast clip. The problem was the size of the waves coming in at an angle to where the yak and SUP renters were told to launch their yaks and SUPS. The 4-5' waves were coming in striking the yaks on the starboard side at an angle. Then throw in an outgoing tide and flow from a small river at the launch site to really complicate any safe yak launching.

None of the new Yakkers got out into the ocean, their yaks were tossed around and turned upside down in the surf. The tandem yakkers got the worst treatment by the ocean, waves, tides and stream current. The SUP renters never got past the first waves, and many tossed their paddles and tried to use the SUPs as surf boards. The SUPs were too wide and didn't work.

The good thing was that everyone was wearing a PFD and didn't get banged up to bad.

Of course, there were no refunds.

My wife and I after watching this carnage for awhile went to another beach.

The waves were higher as the late afternoon wind had increased. A guy from a state at least a thousand miles from an ocean had a beautiful Hobie Mirage Adventure Island and was preparing to launch it into 5-6' waves. Another yaker/canoe guy, who was on the beach with his family was trying to talk him out of it. I suggested that he use his wide wheel trax and take his Hobie Mirage Adventure Island up the beach, a few hundred yards into a more protected area.

The out of state yakker has probably never listened to anyone, who might know more than he did, in his entire life. So he ignored everyone and rolled his Hobie Mirage Adventure Island out into the water/waves/wind and pounding surf. He removed his Trax wheels and pulled his Hobie Mirage Adventure Island out into some fairly deep water.

He immediately got hit by some waves and instead of backing back to shore, he waded out to where maybe his toes were touching. My wife asked how he could control his Hobie Mirage Adventure Island in the waves and get in.

I said he can't. About that time he and his Hobie Mirage Adventure Island got hit fairly hard and turned sideways. He was still trying to go out when a really big wave came up and hit him, knocking him under his swirling Hobie Mirage Adventure Island. The other guy and I hollered wave just before he got pounded by the wave. He came up between the yak and the remaining AMA.

At that point he started back into the shore and the other guy and his family helped him and his banged up Hobie Mirage Adventure Island get into shore.

One of the AMAs had been ripped off and half of his paddle. The other AMA rigging was damaged and other metal rigging was bent around.

He was banged/scraped up and had some bleeding, and he refused any first aid.

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

Thanks for sharing this story sir, good reminder to be careful out there.

I been fishing for years now, and I seen people do crazy things (did some myself), not anymore, no fish or or much I want to kayak is worth getting killed or severely injured, no fun in that

Those of us who live by or near the ocean, for the most part know how cruel and unforgiving the ocean can be.

Recently, we have had two different and sad/fatal accidents with professional and experienced sail boat racers off the coast of California.

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

Spent 28 years cleaning up after individuals loosing encounters with the sea.

"Boating gives the test just before the lesson" some never get to use the lesson.

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I'm right 98% of the time. The other 3% I don't worry about.

Just another chapter in the "natural selection process"

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

Your comment is very appropriate for the guy trying to launch his formerly "beautiful Hobie Mirage Adventure Island".

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder

Thanks for your service and "cleanup"!

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2009 Oasis
2012 Freedom Hawk Pathfinder