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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Ocean Safety  (Read 3591 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Leon1980

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Olympia, WA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2020
  • Posts: 27
So I really like the idea of fishing in the sound as I’m obsessed with lake fishing so far ( even though ive caught nothing from it. Lol) I’m at the Olympia/Lacey  border so it would be the south sound. However I’m pretty hesitant as I don’t even know if I would consider myself an average swimmer. I would wear a dry suit of course(what with the nasty water temps I have heard about), have a coast guard radio (just in case) and a PFD  of course. However, would it be recommended that I just stay out of the sound if I’m not a strong swimmer???


SHullin

  • Krill
  • *
  • I once marathoned Star Wars at a theater for 24hrs
  • Location: Seattle
  • Date Registered: Jun 2020
  • Posts: 18
Don't do anything you aren't comfortable with. Rule 1 is know your limits. Get to know your kayak and learn to be one with the boat before testing something dangerous like the sound. Once you're comfortable in still water, use boat wakes to test yourself with some pseudo-waves. but again, know your limits. If you're worried about water temperatures, try testing yourself in shallow waters without a kayak. This is so if (and hopefully don't) fall in, you have experience with the ocean temperature. Just because one is a good swimmer doesn't mean they can beat the sea. Michael Phelps can't swim against some currents Puget Sound has. Always know what the water is doing where you are planning to kayak. NOAA has some GREAT info on this. The more knowledge you have, the more comfortable you'll be! You got this! I'd be willing to head out with you once you choose to head out, I'm in the Seattle area.


workhard

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Get off your computer and fish
  • Location: Bellingham
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 712
So I really like the idea of fishing in the sound as I’m obsessed with lake fishing so far ( even though ive caught nothing from it. Lol) I’m at the Olympia/Lacey  border so it would be the south sound. However I’m pretty hesitant as I don’t even know if I would consider myself an average swimmer. I would wear a dry suit of course(what with the nasty water temps I have heard about), have a coast guard radio (just in case) and a PFD  of course. However, would it be recommended that I just stay out of the sound if I’m not a strong swimmer???

You certainly can wear a drysuit out near Olympia, but honestly in the summer heat stroke from wearing one would be a pretty big concern for me. Go out and try it man, there's plenty of sheltered areas you can launch from to get a feel for it. Oly has the best weather for kayaking fishing anywhere in Puget Sound, it's a great place to learn.


Leon1980

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Olympia, WA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2020
  • Posts: 27
I thought the water is so cold it causes you to freeze up And hypothermia in minutes?


workhard

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Get off your computer and fish
  • Location: Bellingham
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 712
I thought the water is so cold it causes you to freeze up And hypothermia in minutes?

You should wear a dry suit.


Leon1980

  • Herring
  • **
  • Location: Olympia, WA
  • Date Registered: Jul 2020
  • Posts: 27
Ok. You’ve confused me now. You say heat stroke is a concern if I wear one but I should wear one still?


rockhammer

  • Plankton
  • *
  • Date Registered: May 2020
  • Posts: 8
I don’t wear my drysuit in nice weather, or on short trips in the sound. Right now the water temps are a little better and the air temps are high enough that I feel comfortable. Before going out on open water I recommend learning how to renter your kayak.


sherminator

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Location: Tigard, OR
  • Date Registered: Jul 2011
  • Posts: 844
Ok. You’ve confused me now. You say heat stroke is a concern if I wear one but I should wear one still?

Heat exhaustion comes before heatstroke, and as someone who has suffered heat exhaustion on a couple of occasions, I wouldn't worry about that possibility. The cases I suffered heat exhaustion were during maximum exertion (running track events) in 85 degrees and 85% humidity. You are not likely to encountering conditions like that, especially since you can determine your amount of exertion, and you have plenty of cold water around you to splash on yourself. Putting a wet bandanna on your head works well to cool yourself down. Buy Gore Tex suits - it really is more comfortable in warm weather.

I am another one of those guys who sweat while shoveling snow, and don't like wearing a drysuit in warm termperatures. You won't die of hypothermia in cold water in a few minutes without a drysuit. The immediate danger is becoming too chilled to function properly, but you should be able to get yourself back in your yak well before that happens. You have to decide for yourself the level of risk. I won't go in the ocean here in Oregon without a drysuit (or equivalent), but I will go on the Willamette or Columbia rivers in the Portland area without one, even though the water temperatures may be similar. The sea state, currents, distance to shore, and available help from other boats are among the things factor into my decision. It's up to you. But don't wear cotton on the water, no matter whatever else you wear - it never dries out and can chill you to the point of danger when it gets wet. Also, wear a PFD. If you do get hypothermia, you don't want to drown. You can recover from hypothermia - recovering from drowning is much harder.
15x tournament loser
2011 Hobie Oasis (yellow)
2014 Hobie Revo  (red)
2017 Aquaglide Blackfoot HB Angler XL


workhard

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Get off your computer and fish
  • Location: Bellingham
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 712
Ok. You’ve confused me now. You say heat stroke is a concern if I wear one but I should wear one still?

Really, it's a personal decision on risk of getting heatstroke vs falling in the water and being unable to reenter the kayak. I've never worn a drysuit in South Sound in the summer, and I log hundreds of miles per year and frequently cross large bodies of water. Fell off the kayak for the first time in 12 years last summer landing a Chinook and definitely was not cold. If you can't reenter the kayak or feel like you'll panic if you do fall in, you need to be in a drysuit.


RoxnDox

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Native Propel
  • Location: Gig Harbor, WA
  • Date Registered: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 674
And you can always dangle your feet in the water to cool off, or dump water over yourself.
Junk Jigs "BEST USE OF ACTUAL JUNK" category - "That tape should have been a prized possession and not junk. That will be a collectors item in 30 years!” & “There sure is a lot of junk in there.”


HuyFishin

  • Perch
  • ***
  • Huyfishin Youtube page.
  • Location: Alberta/British Columbia
  • Date Registered: May 2020
  • Posts: 60
And you can always dangle your feet in the water to cool off, or dump water over yourself.

Do you guys ever have the fear of something big that can come up just to take a taste out of your feet?


micahgee

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: W. Seattle
  • Date Registered: May 2011
  • Posts: 1337
I basically agree with Workhard. Surface temps in the summer are pretty warm. But on a windy or rough day even in the summer I would definitely recommend wearing a drysuit. I run warm and have used a drysuit all year long without getting heatstroke. Sure I jump in and get some extra re-entry practice.

Honestly a big reason for me to wear the drysuit is that is covers so much of your body from the sun and also to keep ones butt/crotch dry. I hate being soggy all day. It only takes one wake or wave and you get uhhh swampy
« Last Edit: July 13, 2020, 01:06:50 PM by micahgee »
“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

www.heroesonthewater.org


workhard

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Get off your computer and fish
  • Location: Bellingham
  • Date Registered: Sep 2015
  • Posts: 712
I basically agree with Workhard. Surface temps in the summer are pretty warm. But on a windy or rough day even in the summer I would definitely recommend wearing a drysuit. I run warm and have used a drysuit all year long without getting heatstroke. Sure I jumped in and did some extra re-entry practice.

Honestly a big reason for me to wear the drysuit is that is covers so much of your body from the sun and also to keep ones butt/crotch dry. I hate being soggy all day. It only takes one wake or wave and you get uhhh swampy

Yeah 6-12 hours on the water with 12+ miles at 85 degrees and no wind with periods of going uphill in 2.5knts of current, a drysuit is not even thought about. I always forget most people don't fish like to do, be the judge of your own safety.



RoxnDox

  • Salmon
  • ******
  • Native Propel
  • Location: Gig Harbor, WA
  • Date Registered: Sep 2013
  • Posts: 674
And you can always dangle your feet in the water to cool off, or dump water over yourself.

Do you guys ever have the fear of something big that can come up just to take a taste out of your feet?

Nah, not in the Sound.  These guys out in the big wide open salt, perhaps.  I would be more excited to see something than anything else (that's just me though)!
Junk Jigs "BEST USE OF ACTUAL JUNK" category - "That tape should have been a prized possession and not junk. That will be a collectors item in 30 years!” & “There sure is a lot of junk in there.”


micahgee

  • Sturgeon
  • *******
  • Location: W. Seattle
  • Date Registered: May 2011
  • Posts: 1337
You do you, I do me and let's all catch em! Let's all at least wear PFDs though
“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

www.heroesonthewater.org


 

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