Scary story

choppers
PHD in Yakology.
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Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 17:56
kayak: prowler elite 4.5
Real Name: rob
Location: Korumburra

Scary story

Post by choppers »

So i launched inverloch boat ramp just after dawn and had decided to try and get offshore. A decent swell was running in against the out going tide. Covering water quickly i soon realised there was no deep path thru the surf and id have to go thru it. Two waves caught me harr on the chest with a wall of white and third one had me swimming.

Around now i realised id fuked up pretty hard. Long thick jacket under my life jacket immediately became a hinderance as did mysplash proof pants and trakkies.
Righted the yak between waves and remounted for a few breaths before next wave had me swimming again.

Now i realised i needed to be oh so careful and smart or id probably drown. Dont let go whatever happens if i lose the yak im stuffed here i thoughr. Managed to ditch pants in the water between my many remounts. My effort to remove a jacket from under the life jacket was crazy and at one time life jacket was undone while i was dumped. I focused and did life jacket up deciding this was safer.
Probably ten minutes in the surf zone geting absolutely smashed and finally i was back on top and seemed to be past the break.

I decided best to just keep on paddling out wide as i wanted zero part of the bar. I ditched my jacket and tshirt and paddled to flat rocks in my jocks. Some early morning sunshine warmed the body only slightly but kept paddling and stayed warm enough.

A nice couple on their walk offered a lift back to mr tangles and we went and recovered my kayak after a warm shower and dry clothes.

Lessons learnt include dont be a dickhead i mean what was i thinking tackling invy bar solo, needing proper water appropriate clothing, making sure my life jacket is done up tighter as this became obvious it was too loose.
More respect was needed in general and it did scare the S#!^ out of me a bit.
Staying calm relaxed and focused was what i did in my own favour as well as the surf training day helped my skill level and confidence that id manage thru it.

Im sore all over, arms especially from just holding onto my kayak.
Hope my mistakes and story can help others
"Ye old town" Yak captures - gummy (116) salmon (32) flatty (35) yakka (28) silver trev (25) couta (38) plus all the garbage fish

Prowler victims - squid (30cm) Gar (36) Snapper (80 :yahoo: ) kgw (39)
choppers
PHD in Yakology.
Posts: 2359
Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 17:56
kayak: prowler elite 4.5
Real Name: rob
Location: Korumburra

Re: Scary story

Post by choppers »

Oh lost items...
4 rods including 2 of angelos sorry bro bro.
Knife, pliers, knife pouch, milk crate and rod tubes attached.
Daily takcle box and leader spool.
A bag containing a house key and my wallet with 100 in cash.
Pair of redback boots.
Hat.
Ctug trolley again sorry bro bro i owe ya.
One mobile phone still got it but shes stuffed and a pouch of bloody tobacco yes im smoking again :cry:
Managed to find one rod floating past breakers and i still got that :roll:
"Ye old town" Yak captures - gummy (116) salmon (32) flatty (35) yakka (28) silver trev (25) couta (38) plus all the garbage fish

Prowler victims - squid (30cm) Gar (36) Snapper (80 :yahoo: ) kgw (39)
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laneends
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kayak: Quests 11 13 Adventure 16 Revo 16 ORSki epic k1
Real Name: Keith
Location: Melbourne, Bundoora

Re: Scary story

Post by laneends »

Glad you are ok. :thumbsup: Surfs a scary place when it goes tits up..

Sand bars are worse than beaches as you dont end up getting washed ashore.

You now have a restricted license to not venture away from the G where the worse that can happen is you get muddy.

Glad you posted this as a timely reminder :thumbsup:
choppers
PHD in Yakology.
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Joined: 22 Jul 2014, 17:56
kayak: prowler elite 4.5
Real Name: rob
Location: Korumburra

Re: Scary story

Post by choppers »

Haha exactly what i was just thinking keith back to the g next trip.. after i replace some missing items i guess
"Ye old town" Yak captures - gummy (116) salmon (32) flatty (35) yakka (28) silver trev (25) couta (38) plus all the garbage fish

Prowler victims - squid (30cm) Gar (36) Snapper (80 :yahoo: ) kgw (39)
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vicyak
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kayak: Hobie PA 14
Real Name: Brian
Location: Coburg

Re: Scary story

Post by vicyak »

Glad to hear your ok rob. At least it was only equipment you lost. I had a fall 6 months ago as well and you definitely grow more respect to conditions. Kept your cool which is great
Fish aholic
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Real Name: Michael

Re: Scary story

Post by Fish aholic »

S#!^ choppers, I'm glad you Manged to stay calm and make it back alive! Stuff the gear it can be replaced.
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Tim399
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Location: Bacchus Marsh

Re: Scary story

Post by Tim399 »

As everyone else said mate, glad you kept a cool head and got through it all. Must've been pretty scary though. Thanks for posting this up, it shows you would rather openly post up your own mistake and possibly help someone else from making the same mistake instead of keeping quiet, I respect that :up:
cotso
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Re: Scary story

Post by cotso »

When I comes to surf you never can be sure. I've surfed for 50 years and still get caught out at times.good on you for posting it up.
BAYSIDE WOOD TURNING & SELF STORAGE. New 20 foot vented shipping containers, CCTV security.24/7 access, your own main gate code and your lock. $200 per month. Ph 5981-8411
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Hvalross
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kayak: Yellow Hobie Pro 14
Real Name: Andrew
Location: Woodend, Victoria

Re: Scary story

Post by Hvalross »

Great post from an awful accident, really glad to read what you did and how you thought your way through keeping yourself safe. The fact that you get to write it up says heaps about how you handled it right and had the mind working rather than panicking.

Folks should be printing this and putting it up on the wall near where they store their yak as a constant reminder.

The things you have lost, are gone, but replaceable, you are not, and your yak would be a killer to replace......

Really smart to accept those folks kind offer, getting warm and sorting out the head after a real life event is critical.

So, tough one.......If you like PM me with an address and I will kick in a snapper rod I have sitting around to start off your tackle rebuild, sorry don't have a snapper reel to go with it

Cheers

Andrew
When all else fails........read the instructions!
Studies have shown that people who have more Birthdays tend to live longer...
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laneends
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Real Name: Keith
Location: Melbourne, Bundoora

Re: Scary story

Post by laneends »

An important issue here is "many remounts'. This is the difference between a surf capsize than a regular one. Firstly this takes fitness and stamina, made worse when it is cold, especially given lack of appropriate clothing. Secondly importance of a surf capable kayak, which the prowler is. A Hobie is not, they progressively take on water when rolled in the surf and repeated capsizes would end up with a kayak that you couldn't remount even if you had the energy to do so. Its one thing being washed up on the beach with a part flooded kayak and another being still out there trying to remount due to a sand bar with nowhere to land
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