Are you prepared?

[wiredantz]

Stayed up a bit tonight to write the events that unfolded this past Saturday.

I hope someone out there can learn from my mistakes.



Are You Prepared?



“You need to spend more time with your children.”

Those of you with children have heard that phrase many times, coming from your significant other, especially in this sport.

What better way to spend time with your children than fishing?


Most of us, who have a passion to kayak have shared it already with them.
In the same way, I have taken my children many times.

But this time, it was very different.

Now most of you who know me personally, know that I am the boy scout of kayak fishing. At all times, I carry my VHF radio on my vest, a tourniquet, a water proof cell phone, and a whistle.
My son had his Type 1 life vest on.

On my kayak, I carry a flare gun, first aid, outriggers, a compass, manual bilge pump, and automatic bilge pump, and GPS.



The date: June 4, 2016
Conditions: Flat, high 90 degrees
Objective: To spend time with my son kayak fishing.
My son’s age: 7 in October
Time: 7am

The morning started with a blanket of fog at Cabrillo Beach, San Pedro. My best buddy was already on his way to the bait barge. I loaded up my son on the gator hatch and started paddling toward the bait barge.

My son starts up a conversation. “Dad how many times have you fallen off your kayak in the middle of the ocean. None, I answer my boy, but I do practice getting on my kayak just in case.”

After we loaded up with bait, we started trolling toward the break wall, and fished for bass at the wall. After a few short ones we decided to fish the markers.

Time: 10:30am
Wind kicks hardcore up to 25mph+ gust.

Daddy, I need to go to the rest room. No problem son, we start trolling back to the boat dock. Wakes and wind waves are not only crashing over the bow, but also to the starboard side.

Now while on the way back to the boat dock. Trolling rod goes off….Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz the reel starts spinning.

Daddy we got a fish. My son says.

I immediately open the hatch and reach for my gaff, and close my hatch.

This was no halibut just a regular old contaminated 15-inch Sand Bass.

O well….


We continue to the boat dock….

Tragedy Strikes:

Time: 10:45am

Dad, we are riding low.
I open up the same hatch, and now its filled up with water.
(I start panicking; I scoot up towards the bow of the kayak to flip the switch on the automatic bilge pump.)

NOTHING!!!!!HAPPENS (OMG) this has now escalated to a code 1 emergency

Time 10:45:15secs

My son Says: “I don’t want to sink!”

Plan B:

I grab the yellow hand bilge pump, and I start pumping so hard.
Up, down, up down, up down up down……. This thing its not getting us no where

Try to imagine it:
Just imagine that a lion is after you, and your trying to push a fat man into a tiny hole.
That is the exact feeling I had, when I was pumping for my life to get that water out.

Time 10:45:30secs A WAKE REACHES us. Its over….
Kayak completely waterlogs….

Time 10:45:45secs
My complete Bow is pointing almost straight down into the water; my stern was 75degrees up. My outrigger acting a pendulum for the kayak. I immediately picture the Titanic when my stern was completely up in the air.

Time 10:45:50secs

I try to find my wallet and keys as my hatch was wide open as it went under water

Time 10:45:55 sec

I look for my son; he is already swimming toward a fishing boat that is anchored 100ft away.

I look at my son, I look at my kayak, I look at my son, I look at my kayak.

If I was Lots wife (bible account) I would of already be turned to salt.

Scared, I start swimming after my son. In horrid fear I imagined Davey’s Jones locker taking my kayak down. I unzip my vest and grab my whistle, and start swimming and blowing my whistle to get the boaters attention.

The Fisherman pulls up his anchor and start motoring towards us.
My boy turns around and says DAD they see us!

I swim after my boy and grab him as I pull him ever closer to the boat.

Time 10:50

Two unknown fisherman come to our rescue. We get up onto his boat and they ask us…. What happened….???? (how the heck do I know I was in distress)
Kayak got waterlogged, nothing I could do to save it. The fisherman gives my boy a red towel to dry off.

I look back at my kayak, and its completely capsized, all my rods and go pros and batteries are facing Davie locker…


How fast the ocean can take it away I said.
I was immediately reminded of Ryan story when he got over flooded in the back side of Catalina.




The boater pulls up to the kayak and grabs what was floating around. Kayak had to be towed upside down for over a mile. Completely water logged.


There comes a time in every mans life, where he has to make a decision to call his wife.

That time had come….


Call to the wife:
Hi sweetie, there has been an emergency. We had to get rescued, I think I lost my wallet and keys. Bring the spare and extra clothes for Jonah.


My wife said, she had to drive home to get the clothes and spare as she was out doing chorus.



I am so dead, I told myself.

My son, told me “DAD that was crazy, as I was swimming I was thinking where the sharks were.”
Not one tear in his eyes, my boy was filled with adrenaline. He was in survivor mode.



We finally get to the boat dock, and thanked the boater for coming to the rescue.
It took 6 men to pull the kayak out of the water.

Thank you everyone for your kindness and help.


IT’S A miracle.
One, two, three, four, five… ALL MY RODS AND REELS ARE HERE….

My wallets and keys didn’t float away.

I called my wife not to come, that I still had them. She was relieved and my son spoke to her.

My son finally went to the rest room. It took almost 30 mins for the automatic bilge pump to pump all the water out or so it felt. (what failed a connector had disengaged)


Cost of accident $85.00

Lost a pelican case with a 12v 10amp battery in it, and some weights.

No cracks, no holes in the kayak. Did a complete water test for over 2 hours.


How did the water get in looking at the video it dawned on me…..



I will tell you…

I recently purchased a memory foam cushion for my butt, which blocks the two scupper holes behind my butt. The other two? My son put his feet on them and slowed the drainage of the water. Where did the water go…. Into the middle hatch that was not closed correctly.


My son arrived home and jumped into the swimming pool, I asked my phone if he wants to go again. He said yes, but not tomorrow i need more time.

Mother in law arrived and told me to leave my grandson and for me to get out.


washed my stuff for like 4 hours ....








Are you prepared… I wasn't.