Happy Easter, everyone.
With warm weather, a long weekend and school holidays rolled into one, there's bound to be many of us heading for the coast. I have noticed a few kayak deals here recently and I can see the hundreds of kayaks on the roofs heading down to my local beach.
For many, these kayaks will be used purely for paddling in the shallows, for some, it will be for fishing. If you've picked up one of the fishing kayaks posted here recently, you will want to read on.
I've written this post multiple times on fishing and kayaking forums but not everyone frequents them. Kayaks have become stigmatised in watercraft circles due to the high incidence of fatal mishaps.
Here are the principles of not dying at sea.
Don't go alone.
Always have a PFD (life jacket). It doesn't matter if it is a legal requirement or not.
Know where you are going, and let someone else know too.
Check the weather before heading out. (Fun fact - Graphite is an excellent conductor).
If you/company are feeling nervous, don't push yourself.
Port Philip bay (and infact many of the bays) have seen kayakers go missing or washed up dead because the deceased ignored one (usually all) of the above.
Common sense right?… but wait, there's more. There are niche knowledge that many get away without knowing or are lucky enough to have been rescued.
Know your vessel. There is a difference between a flat water kayak and a sea kayak. The main difference would be it's ability to steer through swells. It is tricky enough to stay upright in a sea kayak when you're parallel to the swell. There is absolutely no chance in a flat water kayak.
Tether your means of propulsion. I have had to rescue someone 7km from land because they capsized and lost their paddle.
Practice re-entry. If you've never capsized and completed a re-entry by yourself, you're not ready to be in deeper than knee height.
Sharp knife on body. Have very sharp and/or serrated knife securely holstered on your PFD or somewhere accessible, preferably a fixed blade knife for quick single handed access. If you capsized and you're tangled, you need to be able to quickly and reliably free yourself. A knife on the kayak or the ocean floor is useless.
Know your depth. Know your signage. Know your anchor. If you don't know how to check your depth, learn. Your anchor line should be approximately double your anchored depth. Don't anchor where there is debris and current - you'll get pulled under. Tie your anchor line to the bottom tip of the anchor and use a very small cable to to secure the line to the eyelet - this allows you to free an anchor if it is stuck. Bring a spare cable tie so you can continue your day.
If you're going offshore, have an EPIRB, flares and radio.
When taking refuge on islands, bring the yak at least to the nearest non-mangrove vegetation. The tide rises.
Feel free to add to the list. I am sure there are many more subtle but important considerations for kayaking at sea. I always advise anyone taking up kayaking to join a forum and at least read the pinned safety discussion.
Stay safe and tight lines.
Good advice. I purchased my first kayak over Christmas and enjoy using it on local rivers and creeks, but won't take it out onto deeper water for precisely the reasons you state above. Being 30m from land at all times is radically different than 300m and having to share the water with much larger vessels.
I would add one more item to the above list: a set of basic tools like a screwdriver for any fittings on your kayak. I leaned back too far on my seat back and had the mounting pop out of its holder. Getting it back in without a screwdriver required a lot of work.