Never Too Old (or Good) to Learn

It's funny, last week I was asked at a seminar if I had ever fallen out of my kayak into the water. No, was my answer. I'm pretty careful on the water. I don't normally take risks, and I always have adequate safety gear with me. The Predator kayaks I paddle are so stable, I couldn't imagine tipping one over. Well, I've never met anyone who was exempt from complacency...including myself.

Yesterday was an incredible morning of flounder fishing with my good friend Mike Baker and fellow Tim Moore Outdoors guide (and close friend) Chuck. We absolutely crushed the winter flounder from our kayaks. I had a limit of nice fat flounder in my catch bag (over 20 pounds worth) by late morning and was ready to call it quits. I lifted my catch bag out of the water and turned around to swing it into the very back of my Predator. As I went to swing it, the extra weight, coupled with my leaning out farther than normal, caused my kayak to tip. By the time I realized I was going over it was too late to do anything about it and I was in the water. I distinctly remember thinking, I can't believe I'm tipping my kayak over right now, as I saw the water surface racing toward my face.

I no sooner popped up and grabbed hold of my overturned kayak, than I realized that all but two items of gear had gone to the bottom. As shock, embarrassment, and fear began to subside I felt myself wanting to cry. There was over $1000 of gear sitting at the bottom and at that moment I considered it all lost. The worst part? It was an act of my own stupidity that caused it.

Mike had already left, but Chuck was still on the water with me and witnessed the whole thing. He was almost as shocked as I was and paddled over to see how he could help. He collected the couple of floating items while I got myself up on top of my overturned kayak.

Normally I would have flipped it right there, but I was only about a hundred feet from shore, so I caught my breath and paddled to shallow water to flip my boat. While catching my breath we realized that it was low tide and we could see a lot of my gear sitting on the bottom. We spent the next two hours dragging jigs on the bottom and were able to retrieve all except three items, my GoPro, net, and a rod holder.

This incident was a wake up call. Replaying it in my mind I realize that it was complacency that did me in. I leaned over the side as if I could do so with impunity. It was ridiculous to think I could lean that far over without tipping and I have learned several lessons as a result. All kayaks, regardless of their design, have their limits. While it is good to know first-hand what the limits of the kayak you're paddling are, this was a costly lesson. I will also secure gear better than before. I'm out a GoPro, expensive fishing net, rod holder, and my iPhone case leaked. My phone currently sits in a bag of rice, and I sit with hurt pride hoping my phone can be salvaged. In the end, I will be more conscious as a result of this experience, which will make me a better angler and guide. No matter how long you have been doing something, or how good you think you are, you're not exempt.

In case you are wondering, yes I was wearing my pfd...I always do.