How would you handle a Tsunami?

Say you and your buddies are kayak fishing out no more than 1/2 mile from the Oregon Coast shore. Then your VHF radio screams of a Tsunami in your area. 

What would you do? 

What's a kayaker's options in this scenario?   

Head straight off shore.  You don't need to be in very deep water to avoid a Tsunami.  It would be important to watch out for the back wash after the Tsunami hits shore, since it would likely be more disorganized. 

That's my two cents.
-Jesse

I've thought of this, too, and agree with Espiga about the basic technique. (Head offshore.) I'd be worried about not just the backwash off the shore, but being caught up in a surge into and through trees or other obstacles.

You know, a half mile off shore isn't really that far - until you have to paddle in real quick and then get to high ground!

Here in OR, due to the expectation of where the tsunami's will generally come from, you might get as much as twenty minutes before it hits land.  If you think about the reactionary time of Emergency Services to judge an episode and categorize it as a tsunami threat, you'll have less time.

I get an alert on my cell phone every time there's a possibility of one in the PNW.  You can get to it on this webpage (very top) http://www.nwsteelheaders.org/chap/mc/mc_Resources.htm.  Still, I don't know anyone that carries their cell while on the water.  I know I don't but maybe I should.  Even these messages are somewhat delayed.

Espiga is spot on.

Head out not in.  Tsunami's tend to have an incredibly long period.  Sometimes a mile or more.  This means that they tend to act more like a surge than a breaking wave.  (there are exceptions of course).  If you're well away from any sharp decreases in depth, you might not even notice that one has passed under you.

A couple of months after that giant Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami took out Ache in 2006, I was on a trip to an island group about 100miles south of the epicenter.  A 7.8 hit while we were surfing and everyone took off for the boats.  We didn't have to head very far out to not even feel the small tsunami it generated.  The only indication that anything was amiss was the horde of sea snakes trying to board our boat.  
By contrast, the staff at one of the land camps didn't get to their motorized dugout quickly enough and were left on dry reef when the water receded to feed the oncoming wave.  

I think I saw/heard/read something about some divers that were offshore in the Indian Ocean during the tsunami that slapped Asia in 2006, and they didn't even know anything had occurred until they came back to shore and saw the destruction.

Makes sense to paddle out instead of in.   Doesn't the Maritime Safety Information Broadcast VHF channel 22 have some kind of direct link to the NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center? 

That reminds me, I was going to make a small laminate of the VHF channels for my big boat, but now I should just make two of them and have with me in my PFD.  I can never remember which channel is what, and what channel I can/can't talk on while on the water.  http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/vhf.htm

I was thinking bend over and kiss your butt goodbye, but heading as far out as you can get is about the only option you have. Like other's said most tsunami's are just a swell until it hits shallower water

If you have a VHF radio and it is set to scan the WX channels, you should get tsunami warnings. 

If you have a VHF radio and it is set to scan the WX channels, you should get tsunami warnings. 

Is that the normal practice for you veteran salty dogs, or do you just take your chances?

If you have a VHF radio and it is set to scan the WX channels, you should get tsunami warnings. 

Is that the normal practice for you veteran salty dogs, or do you just take your chances?

I don't have a VHF radio so i guess i am just taking my chances. All i think about when i'm out there is how to catch the biggest ling i can

If you have a VHF radio and it is set to scan the WX channels, you should get tsunami warnings. 

Is that the normal practice for you veteran salty dogs, or do you just take your chances?

There are places you shouldn't go without one.....  Didn't stop me before I got a VHF though.    But then, I am just an asshat.

If you have a VHF radio and it is set to scan the WX channels, you should get tsunami warnings. 

Is that the normal practice for you veteran salty dogs, or do you just take your chances?

I don't view it as taking chances.  A tsunami is not on my list of things to worry about.

-Allen

I don't view it as taking chances.  A tsunami is not on my list of things to worry about.

-Allen

Interesting....

I don't view it as taking chances.  A tsunami is not on my list of things to worry about.

-Allen

Interesting....

Why?

-Allen

Beingst that just about everything else related to playing in the ocean can be prepared for one way or another.  Whether it be reading tide charts, weather forecasts, or packing supplies and dressing for the time you will be on the water in the event of an accident or a situation arises.

Tsunami's are one item that have limited options for prep other than warnings from a center that has detected the quake in the first place.  Granted major tsunami's don't occur too often off our coast, they are still a threat and are generally unpredictable.

If tsunami's are not on your list of things to worry about while out in the ocean/salt, what items are on that list?    And we know you aren't afraid of sharks.