| This series of safety tips are intended to inform paddlers
of important safety issues we keep in mind when paddling on
the sea in Alaska. These tips should help sea kayak rental
customers and owners (and borrowers) of sea kayaks that will
paddle on unguided adventures in Alaska inform themselves
of safety issues they might consider before paddling on the
sea in Alaska.
CAUTION:
THESE SAFETY TIPS ARE TO STIMULATE YOUR THINKING AND AWARENESS
"When piloting your own ship <kayak> at
sea, you are responsible for yourself and your craft"
Anonymous
These tips are not intended to take the place of:
1) Your personal skill and knowledge of sea
paddling (equipment, conditions, and skills needed to travel
safely).
2) A class or series of classes taught by professional
instructors,
3) Safe experimentation and practice leading
to: the choice of appropriate equipment (and the knowledge
to use it), the development of sound judgement and proficient
paddling skills that promote your safety and the safety of
your paddling companions.
Summary:
Know your abilities - be prepared for cold water & changing
conditions
Dress appropriately - always wear a pfd
Kayak and equipment in good condition - flotation attached
Know how to rescue yourself and others - be prepared for a
capsize
Carry a First Aid Kit - get first aid training
Carry signaling devices (marine VHF best) - know how to use
them
Carry extra clothing, food, water, and shelter
Carry sea kayaking safety and rescue gear - know how to use
it
Have a paddle plan, get weather forecast, know tides, currents
Leave a paddle plan - have compass, map, & chart, know
how to use them
Paddle in a group
Cold Water preparations
Get some training - practice your skills
SEA PADDLING - THE HAZARDS
WATER - COLD WATER - WIND - WAVES - TIDAL STREAMS
OTHER BOATS
-----------------------------------------
SEA PADDLING ALASKA - THE SAFETY TIPS
- Know your abilities - if you are about
to paddle in wind or waves, are you sure you have the skills
to handle the conditions? If you're not sure, and there
isn't a support network along to help you (or help you decide
if you have the skill), the conditions are probably over
your head. Pick a different location with easier conditions,
or postpone the trip and re-schedule.
How are the conditions going to change during
this paddling trip? Can you predict what you'll
go through as the day/trip changes? Might be good to know
that if you paddle up Sadie Cove in the morning in its
still glassy wonder, you'll probably bust a gut getting
back to the mouth of the fjord paddling into the predictable
day breeze if you paddle back out in the afternoon. And
many other simple sea nuggets ….. Local
knowledge is always golden, get some.
-
Dress appropriately - Because you are
in close proximity to the water (always cold in Alaska)
and could easily end up in it and out of your boat, its
always good to have a plan for what to do "when"
(not "if") you fall in.
1) Always wear a personal flotation device (PFD).
2) Protect yourself from shock drowning by wearing paddling
jacket/pants and hat, dry suit OR wet suit and
3) Be ready to rescue quickly and
4) Get changed into a dry set of clothes (if your pee
zip is left open on your dry suit, you'll need dry clothes
also)
5) Continue on your merry way (much quicker if you're
wearing a dry suit).
6) Read the Cold Water Primer for Sea Paddlers in this
guide.
Dressing for paddling is a balancing act, much like dressing
to go skiing - you're balancing your heat production (from
paddling and bodily functions) with your insulation and
protection from cold water (clothing to keep you warm
and dry), but you must be able to "cool" as
well. Nothing worse than over-dressing and over heating,
it often leads to sweating and clammy, cold clothing,
and potentially hypothermia.
Conditions can change - Sunny days can
quickly turn rainy and windy, so be ready and be adaptable,
keep the warm and water-proof layers handy even on a sunny
day. Wind brings waves, and waves washing across the deck
of the kayak are definitely WET, and COLD. Even on sunny
days.
Sun protection - Long days make for
long hours out in the sun (on sunny days), so have hat,
bandana, sunscreen and long-sleeved tops to keep sun off
…… ok I'll keep dreaming …..
-
Make sure your kayak (or the kayaks you are
renting/using) and other important equipment are in functional
condition.
Flotation attached - For any paddling
where you will be more than a few yards from shore, you
should consider selecting a kayak with attached flotation
(air bags) or waterproofed compartments at each end. This
will displace water from the interior of the kayak and
make it easier to rescue. The kayak could also act as
a raft in the water, and you could climb up on it to await
rescue, if needed. Without flotation kayaks can simply
sink to the bottom, and are NOT easy to rescue nor do
they make great rescue platforms.
Sea-worthy kayaks should have: water proof hatches (or
attached flotation at each end) and waterproof spray skirt,
toggles or handles at the ends, deck lines that run around
the perimeter of the kayak (but not around the cockpit
to prevent entanglement of the paddler), and no significant
leaks. Rudder mechanisms (cables, rudder, pedals) and
adjustment all in working order, Skegs free of rocks and
with full range of motion.
Carry a repair kit appropriate to your
kayak and its condition and materials. Rudder cables,
extra hatch covers, epoxy ding stick, etc. Duct tape is
the universal repair material - may not stick to wet kayaks,
but might stick to a dry kayak (or itself). Some cord
always comes in handy.
- Know how to rescue yourself and others in your
group - must be able to do so in the conditions
you expect to need to do the rescue in - calm, rough, or
storms. If you choose to paddle, know how to rescue!
Here's a Safety and Rescue Quiz: (answers
at end).
What is the one essential kayak safety and rescue skill?
What are t-rescues, x-rescues, cowboy scrambles, paddle
float rescues, H-I rescues, scoop rescues, sling-assisted
rescues, Eskimo rescues, all-in rescues?
How long should it take to do an efficient assisted rescue?
Or … how long are you willing to leave a victim in
cold water while you conduct an assisted rescue?
What is the most efficient sea kayak rescue?
What is the safest size for a sea kayaking group and why?
What is the quickest/safest sea kayak self rescue?
- Carry extra <dry> clothing, food, shelter,
and the means to make a hot drink all in waterproof bags
(dry bags) or dry boxes..
- Sea Kayaking Rescue and Safety gear -
decide what you need, learn how to use what you need, and
make sure you have it when you need it. What would you bring?
Bilge Pump
Spare Paddle
Tow line
Sea Knife
Kayak Repair Kit
Contact Tow/Paddle Park
Paddle Leash
First Aid Kit
Emergency Flotation
Extra Food
Extra Clothing
Thermos-hot drink (stove-fuel pot drinks)
Shelter (tarp)
Insulating sleeping pad
Sleeping bag/bivvy bag
Signalling devices - VHF Radio, cell phone, flares (several
kinds, signal, rocket, pencil, flare gun, whistle, smoke,
reflective tape, dye, laser signalling device, signal mirror).
- Get a weather forecast, tide and current information
for the area you'll be paddling in. Is the forecast acceptable
for your group? Can they all paddle and do rescues in the
conditions you are expecting that day - "15 knots of
wind from SW and 3-5' seas" is a common summer forecast
for Kachemak Bay. How will the wind interact with the tidal
streams on your trip? Are there any tide rips along your
route? When will the ride change so that there will be tidal
stream flow against the wind creating steeper waves? Can
you and your group handle bigger, steeper waves that might
break later in the aftermnoon?
- Carry a compass (in your PFD), and a map and or
chart in a waterproof case/bag, and KNOW how to use them.
Plan your route, examine the route in relation to weather,
tide, currents for the day …… is the trip plan
still acceptable? What are the bail out points and safe
havens If the weather changes and the plan needs to be changed?
What compass heading should you paddle to keep out of the
shipping channels in Kachemak Bay if the fog rolls in (like
it does so many times every summer)?
- Leave a paddle plan with someone who
cares and could do something about it if you are overdue.
Plan should include names of participants, expected times
and locations of put in/take out, colors and descriptions
of kayaks. Possibly who to contact in an emergency. State
police and families of paddlers.
- Paddle in a group - If you stay together,
you can easily communicate, support and rescue each other.
Paddlers in the front of the group should look back often
so they can react quickly if their help is needed. If you
can't communicate among the group by talking, you're probably
too spread out.
- Cold water preparations - see Cold water Priner.
Make a plan for what you will all do if there is
a capsize, probably stay with the rescue.
But just decide. During a rescue, if you're sitting still,
not paddling, you're probably moving (with wind and or current),
so pay attention.
- Carry a first aid kit and know how to
use it. Carry a medical kit that is right for your level
of medical training. First aid and CPR are important skills
to have as paddlers.
Carry signaling devices appropriate to
your level of remoteness and expertise in their use, in
other words, know how to use the stuff you carry.
Marine VHF radios are great (espcially
submersibles) - you cab call for help from "all"
nearby vessels at once, and may be able to stay in contact
to help rescuers locate you, and inform them of your situation.
Cell Phones - can be useful in areas of
good coverage, but only reach one party at a time. If their
not in a waterproof bag, might be useless. Sat phones are
becoming affordable!
Brightly colored kayaks and clothing/tents/tarps
will help rescuers see you.
Whistle on every PFD (must be water proof)
Signal mirrors day time only
Smoke signals (day time only)
Flares (great at night), signal-hand held,
rocket-parachute, flare gun, pencil
White Light for your kayak (for night paddling)
Laser Signal - day and night
Fog Horn - could come in handy in foggy
conditions
- Get some training and practice your skills.
There are lots of ways to learn: take a class, go with friends,
go on your own, read books and watch videos. But in the
end, realize you can have safe practice in the conditions
you will need to use your skills from taking properly designed
courses aimed at helping you become and independent paddler.
- If you're going to play in surf or in rock gardens
(or sea caves) in your sea kayak, or are going to practice
rolling or wet exits - WEAR A HELMET. You deserve it, and
so do your family and loved ones.
Happy Paddling!
© AlaskaKayakSchool.com
ANSWERS TO QUIZ:
- Wet Exit
- T-Rescue - assisted rescue, usually 1 rescuer, 1 victim,
its fast!
- X-rescue - kayak must be emptied by forming and X and
rocking back and forth over rescue kayak to empty water
from cockpit.
- Cowboy Scramble - solo self rescue - no paddle float
- Self rescue using paddle float - easy in flat water, harder
in bumpy water, practice needed in both.
- 2 rescuers 1 victim, victims kayak is rocked back and
forth over a bridge formed between the two rescue kayaks
to empty it.
- Scoop rescue - victim too weak to re-enter kayak, rescuer
holds kayak on its side and victim floats in to the cockpit.
- Sling assisted rescue - a sling is used to provide a tired
or cold weakened victim a stirrup to get up on the kayak
and out of the water.
- Eskimo Rescue - is a practiced maneuver, in which the
victim stays in their boat and a rescuer presents their
bow or stern to aid the capsize victim in "rolling"
up their kayak.
- All in rescue. Often, the conditions that might cause
one member of a group to capsize, will cause all members
of a paddling group to fall in simultaneously. The all-in
is a rescue that helps all victims get back in their boats.
Get one boat rescued quickly and then use it to rescue another.
Now there are 2 rescuers, and it can all go quickly.
- How long to do an assisted rescue - FAST. Try for a minute
or less!
- The most efficient sea kayak rescue - answer 1: "the
one that never happens", because a brace or hip roll
saved you from being rescued. Answer 2: takes place quickly
without consequence, and allows the day's activities continue.
- Safest Sea Kayaking Group Size -
- One is suicide, if in trouble, you will have no outside
help and will die more quickly if in serious trouble.
- Two can only help each other if both are rescuers, but
if 1 becomes sea sick and loses balance, the second paddler
may not be able to get the seasick victim (or shoulder dislocation
victim) to safety.
- Three is a good number. One to rescue, one to keep track
of the rescue and to assist if
needed, 1 is the sorry victim/swimmer. 3rd person to help
if the rescue goes badly, this is sweet.
- Four is ideal, especially of there will be any towing
of a sea sick or disabled paddler:
• 1 person to tow (tower),
• 1 person (2nd paddler) to support the victim (in
case they are seasick or can't keep
their balance,
• 1 victim (3rde paddler),
• and an extra rescuer (4th paddler) to relieve the
tower or to help with any problems
that should arise.
- Quickest Safest Sea Kayak Self Rescue - Eskimo Roll.
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