A Disturbing Trend

  NWKA has been getting a lot of new members recently. I certainly think that's great to see the sport of kayaking grow and get more people involved in what most of us think of as a great recreation. However....

  I am seeing a trend that I find a bit disturbing.....
  Seems that too many --new to our pastime -- will go out and buy the best boat they can afford and think our water is a piece of cake. They must feel invincible cause it's only water or something. But I often read on this forum of newbies wanting or just going out on the saltwater in particular, with little or no training or expirience concerning the many hazards that exist. I do believe that for most of us--safety is uppermost on our minds--our safety and others as well. And I agree with a recent thread that we are not the police and that natural selection has its place..........

  Maybe I'm just ranting......but is anyone else noticing a similar trend ?

I seem to remember it's always been like that, at least in the semi-short time that I've been around. I think I was, to some degree, reckless in my first few attempts at kayak fishing. I received some great mentoring on safety from Mr. Spot and other more senior members of NWKA along the way. I've tried to pass that along to as many of the newer guys as possible. I feel a certain responsibility to repay the favor or pay forward the great advice and mentoring. That being said, you can attempt to steer guys in the right direction but people are still going to make that choice on their own.

Hi Mark, while I may or may not be one of the newbies your are referring to. I can say coming from personal experience that involvement in this forum is at least a positive step in the right direction. I am sure that many folks who kayak fish in our waters are blissfully unaware that this forum even exist. Personally I think that it is those folks that may be the most "at-risk" group.  Before I spent anytime on the water be it fresh or salt I went to seminars and immersed myself in every post in the safety discussions section and utilized the years of experience that others on this forum have to offer.  I may be the exception to the rule but I do feel that at the very least recognizing that this type of forum exist and all of the resources that are available here is a very important first step. I am by no means an expert at this but I have found the tools and connections to both feel safe on the water and have those around me who i fish with know that I am not going to but them in jeopardy by making foolish decisions or acting reckless.  For that I thank the members of this forum whether they be experts of novice.   Just my two cents 

-Bernie

It's always been like that. Best thing to do is offer good advice, and try to help.

Sometimes I find posts painful to read.  The hard part is trying to write in a way that sounds positive and helpful, instead of sounding like Bill.  But some times sounding like Bill is the best method.

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  i hear you Mark. I am not a terribly experienced kayaker  but I am always cautious about handing out saltwater location advice to people whom i don't know. When I say try this spot or that I always have to remind myself that they may not have the same knowledge of tides/weather that I do so I try and put lots of caveats in any location info I give out.
T2

Self rescue..

Kayak fishing in the Northwest is in its infancy when compared to the rest of the country. Due to this we will, for the foreseeable future, have a high volume of new comers to our sport.
It is great to pass on information and hold classes preparing people for safety on the water but, I for one do not want to morph into the certification checking safety Nazis that the sea kayaking community has become.
Water is dangerous... It will kill you if you are dumb. Don't be dumb or you could die.
That's my safety speech.


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Eh, maybe.  Everyone on here (or mostly everyone) is an adult and can make their own risk assesment.  That said, the offers of mentorship and clinics and whatnot is a good thing. 

Not disturbed.  I think people in general know water is dangerous.  And most kayak fisher folks I know have or had other water related hobbies like surfing and boating which add a nice dose of respect.

Kayak fishing in the Northwest is in its infancy when compared to the rest of the country. Due to this we will, for the foreseeable future, have a high volume of new comers to our sport.

The issue is not limited to the NW.  It's the same all over.  Like any sport with a lot of newbies, there is a learning curve to go through.  But that's part of the allure, isn't it?  Still, IMO it an issue, and has the potential to be a big issue should we start seeing more "incidents".  Like Bill said, I don't want to be a safety Nazi, but none of us should be shy to ask questions, and more importantly give frank answers.  If you don't belong on a piece of water at the skill level you are at, I'm certain I won't be the only one to tell you so.  Nothing personal, ok?  We're just looking out for you.  That being said, I'll be right at the front of the line encouraging you to expand your horizons and learn.

-Allen

Thanks for the reminder.  I'm debating how to handle the bottom fishing clinic next month.   Safety is a big part of the talk and hopefully that will help inform some good decision making.  If the weather cooperates and we end up doing an on the water follow up clinic, the last thing I want is a dozen newbies that are unprepared for the ocean thinking I'm there to keep them safe.

Any suggestions?

I'm thinking some sort of questionnaire / waiver at the clinic..
How long have you been kayaking?   What other experience do you have with ocean water sports (scuba, surfing, free diving, etc..)?  How far can you swim?  Which of the following pieces of safety equipment to do own?  Which form of immersion gear do you plan on wearing in the ocean?

Maybe limit the number of spots to a predefined ratio of experienced members to newer members.

Thanks for the reminder.  I'm debating how to handle the bottom fishing clinic next month.   Safety is a big part of the talk and hopefully that will help inform some good decision making.  If the weather cooperates and we end up doing an on the water follow up clinic, the last thing I want is a dozen newbies that are unprepared for the ocean thinking I'm there to keep them safe.

Any suggestions?

I'm thinking some sort of questionnaire / waiver at the clinic..
How long have you been kayaking?   What other experience do you have with ocean water sports (scuba, surfing, free diving, etc..)?  How far can you swim?  Which of the following pieces of safety equipment to do own?  Which form of immersion gear do you plan on wearing in the ocean?

Maybe limit the number of spots to a predefined ratio of experienced members to newer members.

I'd say 1:1 ratio.  And let the experienced member make the decision whether to go on the water with the newbie and state the reasons why or why not.  That way everybody learns.

-Allen

Kayak fishing in the Northwest is in its infancy when compared to the rest of the country. Due to this we will, for the foreseeable future, have a high volume of new comers to our sport.
It is great to pass on information and hold classes preparing people for safety on the water but, I for one do not want to morph into the certification checking safety Nazis that the sea kayaking community has become.
Water is dangerous... It will kill you if you are dumb. Don't be dumb or you could die.
That's my safety speech.


Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

This is quite possibly the best post of yours I've read. Well said.

I received some great mentoring on safety from Mr. Spot and other more senior members of NWKA along the way. I've tried to pass that along to as many of the newer guys as possible. I feel a certain responsibility to repay the favor or pay forward the great advice and mentoring. That being said, you can attempt to steer guys in the right direction but people are still going to make that choice on their own.

This sums of some of the best that the forum provides, IMO. It puts us in touch with people who have greater experience, and who share the benefit of that experience with those eager to learn. Sometimes that leads to opportunities to fish with an old hand and learn from direct observation to incorporate safe habits on the water. That's a wonderful thing. There's a community ethic here that values safety and promotes it as normative. To me, that's a far cry from a safety police state. I'm not too worried about jack-booted authority taking over the forum.

Not disturbed.  I think people in general know water is dangerous.  And most kayak fisher folks I know have or had other water related hobbies like surfing and boating which add a nice dose of respect.

I am going to respectfully disagree about the part that in general people know water is dangerous.  I guess I agree with the statement "they know its dangerous", but what they think is NOWHERE near the real magnitude of danger.  I was one of them.  LOVE the water, been near the water all my life, been fishing in powerboats in the worst conditions.  But until I started kayaking AND exposed myself to the frigid cold water unprepared, stood purposely in front of crashing 4 foot waves getting pummeled backwards and pulled forwards by the undertow all at once, got deathly cold after a few minutes earlier been sweating hot...I had NO Clue the "real" dangers of water.

Honestly, how many of you can say that you have tried swimming fully clothed in a cold pond or ocean where there was some element of real risk?  I am a really good swimmer, but I know I was amazed at how poor of a swimmer I was with a hoodie, jeans, and tennis shoes when someone shoved me off a dock for fun. 

Having said that, I usually mind my own business when on the water.  But more than once I have seen people in waders and no belt or drytop.  I have said before , "wow you are a stud, I fell out of my kayak dressed liked that and almost died!"  One person I recall glared at me.  The other asked a few more questions about my story and then went on his merry way.