# kayak trip turns fatal as Kayakers blown across Long Island Sound



## captbill2209 (Feb 16, 2016)

crazy!

Evening kayak trip turns fatal as boaters blown across Long Island Sound | Fox News


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

Very sad...

It was blowing like stink all weekend.


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## krisscross (Feb 22, 2013)

Very sad.  
They must have set out when the weather was still decent.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

The weather wasn't really decent at all, all weekend, rather the winds were over the top (weather was nice!). Pretty much blowing stink from Thursday till Monday. Started off with winds about 20 knots... gusts to 30... Sunday winds were steady at 27 knots, gusts were measured well over 40. All this with clearish skies and sunny.

I've found that small craft don't really understand what small craft advisory means.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

SHNOOL said:


> The weather wasn't really decent at all, all weekend, rather the winds were over the top (weather was nice!). Pretty much blowing stink from Thursday till Monday. Started off with winds about 20 knots... gusts to 30... Sunday winds were steady at 27 knots, gusts were measured well over 40. All this with clearish skies and sunny.
> 
> *I've found that small craft don't really understand what small craft advisory means.*


I'll agree with that. Sunday was blowing dogs off chains all day long. I had gusts to 30+ kts in my sheltered cove, yet I watched entire families set off in 15 foot skiffs with inflatable tow-behind toys all day long.

I called out to one family- "There's gale warnings today, be careful." and the father/driver gave me a "thanks" with barely concealed hostility that I should dare question his judgement.

F- 'em. I'll let Darwin handle it.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

It's not just the young who are foolish. Seems age is not a determinant of wisdom. These two guys where in the 70s. The left from a marina and apparently were warned not to go.

Two bodies pulled from water where Bluffers Park boaters went missing | CP24.com


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## davidpm (Oct 22, 2007)

I taught an ASA 101 class last sat and Sunday.

We use a 32' Ericson and stayed in the Thames river except for about 5 minutes just to show them what "blue" water feels like.

And yes I measured 31 knots on my little hand-held meter.

Most wind I ever taught a class in. Pretty sure it was the most wind I will intentionally teach a class in.


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## Zarathu (May 26, 2014)

Sailing in the ocean without a full drysuit, and a PFD, makes one a candidate for a Darwinian Award. And if the forecast is yucky, then a double award.

Coast Guard Auxilliary Course is really clear on these things.


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

I didn't even go down to the club Sunday and went to the pool instead. That was mainly due to wind direction (NW) which means our open harbor on Long Island's North Shore is going to pounded with waves. Where they left from was in the lee, and I suspect they got caught by the wind as they ventured out a bit. Still no excuse for taking a chance is such conditions.


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## Lakepapa (Jul 21, 2015)

Lost two men (brothers) in Canyon Lake early this year in a similar incident. Set out on kayaks, wind howling, found on the opposite shore the next day. Very sad.


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## SHNOOL (Jun 7, 2007)

I'll be honest, I'll sometimes go out in stink like that to hone skills. But that's mostly because we rarely get conditions like that on our little puddle. I also would do it ONLY in a very measured way, providing my own exit strategy.

This unthinking moment is most certainly NOT an age thing... it CAN be an experience thing though which was more where I was coming from.


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

I think there's quite a difference between an 8-10,000 lb. enclosed, ballasted boat with extensive de-watering capability and a 15-20 ft open skiff jammed up with a whole family and floaty toys.

There's also a difference in judgement where the same skiff and family go out into 30kts with expectations of calm, flat water and the 8,000 lb. boat goes out *knowing full well* that conditions will be challenging, and his purpose is to improve his skills. They skiff family is not going out to improve skills, they're going out to play and are not prepared for the conditions. The skiff family has probably not listened to the latest NOAA all-hazards advisory on the WX channels but the sailing skipper has.

I have a 10,000lb. blue water capable boat and I exercised my judgement and decided not to venture out-
a) alone and unassisted.
b) also because the boat is new to me and I am still unfamiliar with it.

As I learn the boat and gain experience, I will no doubt do as Schnool does and go out into the high 20's to gain proficiency.


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## Nancyleeny (Jun 2, 2014)

davidpm said:


> I taught an ASA 101 class last sat and Sunday.
> 
> We use a 32' Ericson and stayed in the Thames river except for about 5 minutes just to show them what "blue" water feels like.
> 
> ...


Two summers ago, after a summer of ASA 101 class and sailing the Soling with friends and racing, my husband, daughter and I signed out a boat for a Saturday. On that day, it was 30 knots of wind. We decided to go and we hired an instructor from the school to go with us. As pretty inexperienced sailors, we would never have gone out with just us. We had a reef or two in, and our jib up and it was a blast because while my husband sailed the boat, the instructor was right there with him, literally showing him the ropes. But we were in a bay, the Soling has a very deep, heavy keel and I don't think it was 30 knots. 
There were lots of boats in, but most of them only had one storm sail up. A big, gorgeous 45 footer had full sails, but they had a full crew and looked like they were having the time of their lives. But again, this was a more protected cove. There was no way we would have gone out into the main part of Lake Champlain and NO WAY I would have gone out with just my husband sailing. We wanted some fun, not to die that day. 
I don't know what goes through people's minds. Maybe because I was raised near water, the Atlantic ocean, I have seen first hand what happens. When 11, a boat crashed off our beach. When 12, a man was killed by lightning washing his feet in the water on our beach. Over the next ten years, we saw many people saved by lifeguards who would have drowned without them. Boogie boarders pushed out to sea by strong west winds. This all taught me to have a deep respect for the ocean, lakes, rivers and really, any body of water. 
Common sense doesn't always seem so common.


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## Nancyleeny (Jun 2, 2014)

Ajax_MD said:


> I think there's quite a difference between an 8-10,000 lb. enclosed, ballasted boat with extensive de-watering capability and a 15-20 ft open skiff jammed up with a whole family and floaty toys.
> 
> There's also a difference in judgement where the same skiff and family go out into 30kts with expectations of calm, flat water and the 8,000 lb. boat goes out *knowing full well* that conditions will be challenging, and his purpose is to improve his skills. They skiff family is not going out to improve skills, they're going out to play and are not prepared for the conditions. The skiff family has probably not listened to the latest NOAA all-hazards advisory on the WX channels but the sailing skipper has.
> 
> ...


Story today about a family off of Sarasota, missing. They were out in a 29 foot boat. I pray they are found.


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

I don't get how people do it without some reliable form of communication.

Most humans can't take a dump without a cell phone in an Otterbox.

If you can afford a two kayaks, a paddleboard, oars and a car to drive them around,then you can afford a handheld.


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## krisscross (Feb 22, 2013)

Nancyleeny said:


> Story today about a family off of Sarasota, missing. They were out in a 29 foot boat. I pray they are found.


Another short trip that went terribly wrong.:|


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## pdqaltair (Nov 14, 2008)

Zarathu said:


> Sailing in the ocean without a full drysuit, and a PFD, makes one a candidate for a Darwinian Award. And if the forecast is yucky, then a double award.
> 
> Coast Guard Auxilliary Course is really clear on these things.


I assume you meant paddling in cold water.

I've paddled in winter in conditions that would be tough in my cat--winds gusting over 40 and big waves--but I am also skilled in reboarding and wear a dry suit. This winter, as part of a product review, I purposely spent over 3 hours swimming, bobbing, and reading a book among ice flows, all to demonstrate that I could function and stay quite comfortable in all conditions. Survival time in a dry suit is days rather than hours. In fact, I've taken to wearing a dry suit on many nasty, windy, rainy days (temperature below 60F) instead of foul weather gear, as it is generally more agile, comfortable, drier, and more versatile.


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