2015 EC Race Report for OneEyedJake and Calypso

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2015 EC Race Report for OneEyedJake and Calypso

(12 posts) (6 voices)

Started 5 years ago by BeastOarman
Latest reply from feralcat

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BeastOarman
Member

I have been asked to support OneEyedJake (Andy) and Calypso (Mary) as they wind their way South and then East this year in the EC 2015. Looking back at the detailed race reports of Scareman 2014, the bar is set very high!

On this the last full shopping day before launch, OEJ and Calypso are in final preparations. OEJ notes:

Heartbeat is picking up as the race gets nearer. Gear gathering and checks continuing. Last minute purchases. Route planning.

He relates that Mary has been making the rounds as a valued speaker after her record setting paddle of 1600 miles, consistently getting rave reviews. Smart Tribers will corner Calypso Thursday or Friday night! Even smarter ones will choose her as a paddling partner ; )

Drumbeats no longer drift with changes in the wind, they are consistent and unmistakable now - soft but getting closer . . .

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

The quiet hours. Newbies excited and a little unnerved by Chief's tales. Veterans introspective and wondering if they have it within them for another year. They have their whole lives ahead of them, crammed into a week:

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Following on Spot Buddy since the Tracker Map is not updating, a half hour into the race our team is moving steadily at 4 knots. Looks like a nice breeze from the NNE, gusting to 15. No sails this year, but good to have that on your back rather than the nose.

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Might be an issue in the group. OEJ sent an OK mesage at 7:53 shortly after a change in direction, heading for Anna Maria Island at about 1 knot. Might be someone has a swamped boat and they are limping to the nearest shore to dump out. It's a long way at this pace, might be a couple of hours to shore.

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Back on track, making 2 knots towards the ICW. Issue must be resolved, at least well enough for now.

Posted 5 years ago #
BeastOarman
Member

Looks like they are making a bee-line towards the shelter of Bimini Bay on Anna Maria. Will peak on this webcam in case they pass by:

http://www.goff-club.com/510A/webcam.html

Posted 5 years ago #
OneEyedJake
Member

Such fun to be had! Exciting times on Tampa Bay!

Smack dab in the middle of Tampa Bay we watched as Rebdog and CaptainMorgan leak-tested their submarine...we thought.

It turned out that the submarine really was a tandem kayak and wasn't really supposed to be sitting several inches under water. After 45 minutes of manuevering and pumping we managed to get the submersible slightly above water and cold guys back aboard. Blue means cold, right? CaptainMorgan on ice?

After a few (quite a ) minutes of chasing down stray paddle floats, paddles, pumps and hats the four of us began moving in the direction of land.

The submersible wasn't done with us yet and began slowly heading for the bottom bow first. About 30 minutes of hard paddling a half submerged kayak and Rebdog and CaptMorgan went for another swim. While trying to right and pump the sub, we noticed our friends The Three Amigos (TideRider, SwampG8tor and JammerJim assisting another paddler (their second rescue of the day). JammerJim and TideRider broke off from theit group and were headed our way. We thought help was on the way! But nooo! JammerJim was taking on water at an alarming rate in his rear compartment and headed for shore in a hurry. OldSeaBee joined our group as we decided that it was time to radio for outside help. I made the call to the Coast Guard and directed them in. Happy to see those guys!

As the Coast Guard arrived and took over, SwampG8tor and OysterSlayer drifted by headed for shore. OysterSlayer believed he had a compromised compartment and his kayak was unstable. SwampG8tor had rafted up with him and they were headed for shore and to check on JammerJim The five of us rafted together to escort OysterSlayer into Bimini Bay on Anna Maria Island.

Shortly after landing we got the word that the Coast Guard had shut down the race and was telling paddlers to head for the nearest safe harbor. What a disappointment! Spent the night camping in place.

Lots of discussion in camp and on the way home about what went right and what went wrong. Learning from adversity!

Posted 5 years ago #
Chief
Coastal Vagabond

That is an interesting account. I know some of the folks mentioned and they are experienced kayakers. The biggest question I have at the moment is why did the kayaks fill with water? They are supposed to have forward and aft bulkheads. All equipment placed in the bow and stern is supposed to be in waterproof bags.

I certainly can understand having the cockpit section full of water, but the kayak would still float and should be able to be pumped out.

So what happened? Why did the kayak's bow and/or stern fill with water?

Posted 5 years ago #
Cwolfe
Member

I believe in belt and suspenders...... after reading the Deep Trouble series, two great books looking at Sea Kayak tragedies and tragedies narrowly averted. One of the scenarios brought up more than once was a compromised fore or aft compartment leading to a kayak bobbing like a buoy. Since then I have followed their recommendations to have floation bags inside the fore and aft compartments. Granted, on an EC, most of the space is filled with gear, but I still have it there and partally filled to take up remaining space in the far bow and stern.

This post is as much of a suggestion for a good read (Sea Kayaker, Deep Trouble and More Deep Trouble) as it is a advocation for floatation bags in bulkheaded kayaks.

Cwolfe

Posted 5 years ago #
Ekim
Member

Cwolfe, I agree as bulk heads have been known to fail and hatches leak.

Posted 5 years ago #
OneEyedJake
Member

Chief,

I will send you an email with more details.

Posted 5 years ago #
feralcat
Blocked

An additional benfit to having sometype of floatation bag in the bow and stern is that they fill the voids and keep what gear is packed from shifting around in rough conditions. Our cheap solution was to use inflatable punching bags (I think simple beach balls would work as well) that filled the voids and kept our gear tight and would have provided good emergency floatation in hatches were compromised. Anyway the cats had a great crossing and cruise to CP1, glad we were ahead of the carnage and were ahead of the USCG. The cats are safe and looking for a place to have a vacation paddle, maybe cystal river.

Cheers, hope everyone is safe!

Posted 5 years ago #

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