[dsafety]

I have been a waterman, (person) all my life, starting with years of competitive swimming and in my youth as a San Diego beach lifeguard for many more years. For as long as I can remember I have been in or on the water, diving, sailing, swimming or surfing. In my youth, I never considered that wearing a PFD something that I should consider doing.

Fast forward a few decades and now I am on the water again, this time sitting a little piece plastic, often miles offshore. The first time I went out in my kayak, I forgot the PFD. A mile or so off LJ, I realized that if I went overboard and could not get back on my yak, I might have to swim to shore. It made me very uncomfortable.

I used to swim a mile or two every day as warmup before swim practice. These days, I might still be able to swim that distance but there is a very good chance that I might not have the strength. Add to that that I would probably be in cold water, wearing clothes and probably in some stage of shock, the prospect becomes iffy.

After that one lapse, I never go out on my kayak without a PFD. Some people follow the letter of the law and simply have a PFD on board. Not me. I wear mine the entire time. Yes it is a bit uncomfortable but you get used to it.

As a final point, I would like to remind everyone who reads this that even the best of us often perform less than perfect landings in the surf. When it happens to me, I gain a little comfort knowing that if my 60 pound kayak lands on my head and knocks me for a loop, I will at least float into shore rather than sink to the bottom. It could mean the difference between life and death.

Bob