Homer kayaker found dead?

This was posted today ADN... not to scare you but let's help each other out guys...11/15/16



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Geez, that's really tragic. My sympathy and condolences to the family.  It sounds like he was quite familiar and comfortable with the sea from his background so I wonder if there was an issue with a health situation that may have been the true cause of the accident. All the more reason to always buddy up whenever possible.

I ALWAYS have my SPOT personal satellite tracker on and family members following my location in real time on the Internet whenever I'm on any body of water. I can hit one button and within a half hour have emergency rescue teams headed straight to my exact location almost anywhere on this planet. For $150 a year for this service its the best life insurance I can buy with all the associated risks you may encounter in Alaska.

Here is the newspaper article link for those who want to read it.

http://homernews.com/homer-news/local-news/2016-11-14/homer-fisherman-dies-in-kayaking-accident

Here is a screen grab of part of my real time tracking of my location every ten minutes last Friday while trolling at Homer on Veteran's Day. Each point has exact GPS coords posted on the Internet Google map. Even in the event of a heart attack I could activate the 911 signal literally in a heart beat. Many Alaskans would still be alive today if they had only had this simple device with them. We spend tens of thousands on recreational "toys" to enjoy the outdoors yet overlook the most important thing to keep you alive and safe that you can buy with pocket change.

No immersion wear and no radio. I hope he had a stringer or bagful of whatever he was after and had a great last day. Sad.

Thanks Klondike kid for the links..
Can you share with me or us the toy which you have and tracking you? Many thanks!

I have the original Gen I SPOT personal tracker bought just 2 months after they announced this product many years ago. I've used it on many dozens of outings of all kinds; hiking, hunting, boating, road travel including tracking every minute of my trip from Oregon up the Alcan to my home in AK. Its never failed in all that time. SPOT now has the Generation III versions. And right now they are offering the SPOT tracker for 50% off for the holiday season. That brings the price down to $75. The real time tracking service is $150 a year for my device.

Here is SPOT's page that you can find the details and features for this device. There are other competing companies out there now but these people are the original innovators of this device and service and there are very few locations on Earth that this doesn't work. Even in foreign countries....they too have rescue units and law enforcement offices which SPOT Central can notify immediately (whoever is the closest to your location) and initiate a rescue in life threatening situations. Every time I read about a pilot, hiker, berry picker, angler, boater, hunter, snowmachiner, atv rider, or skier that encounters some kind of accident and doesn't return I think about how many would be alive this very day had they had a SPOT with them.  As I mentioned, for mere pocket change each year I'm giving myself the best chance to survive a worst case scenario. And you can't put a price on the comfort and peace of mind given your family members who know exactly where you are even when out of cell or radio range.

https://www.findmespot.com/en/

I see Cabela's and REI are also honoring the big discount on SPOT units for the holidays.

Based on the details provided from the article this appears to be Ken's float plan and destination. Just a short little paddle around the corner, taking advantage of the huge tides the Super Moon was creating over the weekend.

Horrible and tragic news for his family. At the very least I am glad they found the body so that the family could have closure on the situation.

I had looked at the SPOT device in the past and never gave it much thought, however I can see how it could be hugely beneficial, especially for those that like the paddle and fish alone. I will have to think some more on it.

I carry a satellite phone, as I prefer to be able to contact a specific person or public safety department and tell them what the problem is or isn't.  "I broke my leg, here's where I am, I need some people to haul me out pronto because it's going to get cold tonight."  "The water came up at night and washed my kayak downstream. I have all my gear and plenty of food, but need to figure out how to get off the river."  "The fishing was so good that I fished until dark, so I'll be getting home late, don't worry."

When I was riding in the mountains and doing solo long paddles my wife asked me to use the SPOT so what she considered stupidity didn't delay insurance benefits.  They work very well and there's a non-emergency message you can send out if you're delayed but not requesting assistance, another if you weren't in an emergency but would like help and the third called in the choppers to the last coordinates.  A friend on a motorcycle ride up the Alaskan Hwy had one fall of the bike in route.  They had the last GPS site and a year later another group stopped and found it.  I laid tracks from Nisqually to Alki beach on a one-day solo paddle so she knew if I was on schedule and where we had agreed (I think) of takeout points if I got into trouble or just couldn't make it.  Cretes a nice set of tracks on a PC, 
If you decide to go alone it's a lot cheaper than a satellite phone and works well enough with the basic signals.

I carry a satellite phone, as I prefer to be able to contact a specific person or public safety department and tell them what the problem is or isn't.

The major drawbacks for a satellite phone or any other 2 way communication device is: 1) You must be conscious, 2) you must be physically capable of operating the device, and 3) the device must remain within arm's length or closer to serve its purpose plus maintain battery life in a potentially wet or dunked condition.

Many scenarios of life and death involve severe trauma to a person often incapacitating them or rendering them unconscious. The SPOT, when on tracking mode provides family with your current location no matter whether you are alive, dead, or in between when it becomes apparent you are overdue. So they can give your exact position to authorities. And this is most important if you are drifting on the tides or floating down a river where your location is constantly changing.

So even if you fell and broke your back, got severely mauled by a brown bear and bled out, crashed your plane, got buried in an avalanche, or even had a heart attack in your boat and was just drifting around, someone knows exactly where you are or your last valid reported location in the event you fell down a canyon or are under heavy tree canopy or snow cover blocking the signal. Rescue or recovery is guaranteed.

Here is something for everyone to think about regarding Sat phones, radios, & cell phones:  Emergencies involving life and death are never text book perfect conditions that benefit or favor the victim. Be prepared for the worst case scenario which will frequently be the one that occurs that can make you a statistic.

If you read the features of the SPOT:  I can send a pre-programmed CHECK IN/I'M OK EMAIL & TEXT message to my family & friends on my list as a periodic check in of assurance to those getting worried. I can also send a "Non-Life Threatening situation" pre-programmed EMAIL & TEXT message to my family and/or friends informing them of a situation that may be a break down, stranding, equipment/engine failure or other minor problem requiring the recipients to "come get me at my location." And of course there is the 911 button for a life-threatening scenario that emits a signal until the batteries die which can be up to 2 weeks depending on the current condition of charge level.

Trident 13 thanks for the additional confirmation on this incredible device.  Your wife was wise to consider insurance payoffs require a body! I consider my SPOT my guardian angel.

If a bear attacks me when I'm at sea, someone already decided my time was up...

I carry my SPOT whenever I'm going out in the boonies.  It's very easy to send the I'm OK message to reassure folks that, indeed, I'm OK.  Makes my wife happy, so that makes the expense well worth while.

It even saved us this year from getting SAR called out unnecessarily.  When we checked in at the KOA this year for our elk hunting trip the girl working there recounted how she nearly called out the cavalry for us the previous year when we didn't return at a sensible hour.  We had gotten an elk and didn't return until after 5AM the next morning.  So this time I got the personal cell phone number of the campground host and added that to my SPOT message list.  When we got the elk this time he got the text message and knew to tell that girl not to worry about us.

So this time I got the personal cell phone number of the campground host and added that to my SPOT message list.  When we got the elk this time he got the text message and knew to tell that girl not to worry about us.

On the last moose hunt my cousin and his buddies went on, we came up with a communications "code" using the SPOT he had.  ONE Ck In/OK in the evening meant a non-productive hunt day. TWO Ck In/OKs in a row meant "Got my moose." THREE Ck In/OK messages in a row meant "We are heading out and heading for home."  Kinda like a SPOT version of Morse Code.  Works!

The only issue I have with the SPOT is I have to decide what messages to send before I go out.  95% of the time that's plenty good enough.  But there are times that I wish I either had at least one more distinct pre-programmed message I could send, or the ability to send a custom message from the device each time.  While it would still be 1-way communication, that would be a nice feature.  But it would probably significantly jack up the price too.

That pseudo-Morse code method Klondike Kid mentioned though might be a good alternative.

E.g. for my elk hunting I have it set up to send the I'm OK message, a message that we got an elk, and that I have a non-emergency need for help.  Plus the SOS button of course.  But there are times that being able to send just one more message like I'm heading for home or whatever would be nice.

Oh, and don't forget to at least consider signing up for the rescue cost coverage.  $18/yr for $50k in benefits.  I know most states don't bill people for rescue services, but not all SAR is conducted by .gov agencies.  Apparently though they usually don't OR does allow for billing people that are rescued.  And even if you don't get billed for SAR, you could still get billed for a helicopter ride to the hospital which your health insurance may or may not cover (and if it does, your co-pay might be rather hefty).

If a bear attacks me when I'm at sea, someone already decided my time was up...

[emoji23]


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One thing to be mindful of with the "I'm okay" messages is that they don't always go through successfully.  I read one account of a test where only 60% of messages sent successfully. Remind your support folks of the limitations of satellite technology, and that no "I'm okay" is not necessarily the same as "I'm not okay".


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