Safety plan a necessity for paddlers

Eastern Penobscot Bay seems still to be a popular yachting destination, at least that’s how it appeared last weekend. Sail and power boats were plying the placid waters east of Islesboro on a relatively calm Saturday morning as I got a chauffeured tour across the bay courtesy of Castine Fire Chief Randy Stearns.

He had graciously volunteered his boat to give me and my paddling mentor Karen Francoeur a first-hand look at the northern and eastern side of the island south to the narrowest portion where I would guide a future kayak trip.

We had to thread our way out of Castine Harbor between a few luxury yachts, including a chartered beauty called Big Play, a 142-foot fiberglass castle on the water that accommodates 12 in fine comfort (that includes a stable of water toys and a Jacuzzi) you too could rent for $75,000 a week. Check out your favorite Internet search engine under Big Play and you’ll see how I’m not spending my weeks (and never will be able to). I couldn’t help but think of the dichotomy of me in my little kayak bouncing over the waves and these 100-plus footers languishing in the harbor, their passengers kicked back sipping coffee. Hey, whatever floats your boat!

And speaking of floating your boat, particularly your smaller boat, it pays to know a few things about your boat and the water in which you plan to float. With the increasing popularity of sea kayaks comes the responsibility to learn how to paddle safely.

Last spring, at the Paddle Smart from the Start paddling symposium at the YMCA in Bangor, the overall theme was safety, and the components of that involve knowing the water and dressing appropriately, knowing self-rescue skills, checking the weather and wearing your personal flotation device.

Castine Kayak Adventures, Cadillac Mountain Sports, the Coast Guard, IF&W and the YMCA and a several others sponsored the free symposium to spread the message about paddling safely. Some 250 folks showed up to watch and learn.

I participated in some of the planning and presentation and came away with a good feeling that those who attended took home some valuable information. It was heart warming knowing that more people heading out on he water would do so carefully.

Fast forward to two weekends ago. I was at Dennett’s Wharf in Castine talking to three folks about kayaking and over their shoulder, some 200 yards from us, is a man clinging to the transom of a moored boat, his legs desperately trying to hold onto his overturned kayak in the incoming tide’s current.

This is just seconds after I had been asked if people ever overturned their boats. I had answered, “No, seldom.

The man’s paddling partner was trying unsuccessfully to help. She wound up tying the overturned boat to her kayak and being dragged down current, away from her partner who was still clinging to the moored boat.

I threw a kayak into the water and went to help. The man had managed to get aboard the moored boat, so I went to the woman’s assistance, since the guy was out of immediate danger. I emptied and righted the overturned boat and towed it up current to the man, then helped him back into his kayak. He was able to paddle to shore where he could compose himself and warm up.

Apparently his unexpected dunking happened after he got sideways in the current and pushed up against a mooring ball. He must have leaned up current (instead of down) and was overturned by the current. He was able to exit his boat and grab the transom of the moored boat and eventually clamber to safety before the cold water sapped his coordination. His paddling partner could have met the same fate had the overturned boat tied to hers become tangled in another mooring.

I tell this story not to embarrass the couple, but to illustrate the point that paddling in pairs may be a good thing, but both people should know how and be able to perform a rescue.

And knowing that tidal currents in any given location can be treacherous is useful information. In Castine, for example, what appears to be a benign bay is often roiling with currents. And at mid-tide these currents can be impressively swift. You need to know this and work with them instead of fighting them. Francoeur, who owns Castine Kayak Adventures, told me she has watched inexperienced people attempt to paddle against currents in the harbor and go nowhere or maybe backward.

If you are planning a trip to a place you’ve never paddled before, ask around, observe the surroundings, watch moorings to see how they’re being tugged by currents and check the tide charts. If there’s a harbormaster around, ask him or her about the currents. Study a chart of the area. Know as much as you can about where you plan to paddle. Carry safety gear such as a pump and paddle float, and always wear your PFD. Attempting to put on a PFD after you capsize robs you of time you could be rescuing yourself. And in cold water that margin of time could mean the difference between living or dying. Think about it.

Jeff Strout can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.