VIC
4501 posts
Guys went out in calm conditions in the bay. weather changed, 2m waves and they got into problems. I don't think we'll ever know more than that.
VIC
5127 posts
It says they "...were very inexperienced."
I am curious about that. I am very very experienced with pushing 50 years of experience at surfing, diving, etc, etc.
Being a crap surfer I have spent waaaaay more than my fair share of time stuck on the inside in big surf (proper big, not just kook big).
Even as a little kid who could barely swim, we'd get stuck in rips down the coast and bob around until we got washed up on the beach,
My strategy when getting in the poo in the water is "to not die". I don't do anything particularly clever. Just hang in and stay alive and get myself out of whatever situation I am in.
So, what do inexperienced people do that kills them? Panic? Probably. With a life jacket on? And not particularly bad weather? And a kayak? With a motor?
VIC
710 posts
There will be a Coroners Inquest - but that will take a while to run. Could be a year or more away. It was reported as their "first trip on the kayaks" and they were motorised. If it was calm they could have got out 500+ m quite quickly.
I think the day in question had strong northerlies so when it blew up they would have got blown further out and may not have been able to make headway to get back in. And there would have been no kiters out at Hampton in that wind.
I am guessing that more experienced sea kayakers would probably have coped with the conditions - but more likely would not have gone out given the forecast.
Once they were tipped in they must have succumbed to the waves even though they were wearing life jackets.
A tragedy all round.
VIC
54 posts
I was at the beach most of that day till 5pm
It was calm in morning wind gradually strengthened to 20 knot north wind till 3pm,
Dropped out for about an hour very calm and inviting
At 4.30pm 35 knot west kicked in very quickly with big swells ( i suspect this may have swamped them both ).
VIC
2777 posts
It still doesn't add up for me...... They were both wearing lifejackets
I would not be at all surprised to learn that they were hit by a boat...( one of the kayaks on the news seemed to have a large scrape on it)
There would have been quite a number of boats out fishing as it was a calm morning once the weather turned all these boats would have been heading back in to Sandringham, Patterson lakes, mordy etc.... Probably in quite a hurry
When it is 35knots the chop in the bay can be 2m+ with a squally sea mist spray making visibility quite difficult if they were in kayaks in a trough of a wave they would be quite hard to see particularly as they were not using paddles ( which may be more visable above the waves) but electric motors.....
If you were in the boat you would think you would hear or feel something if you hit them.... but even a medium sized trailerable boat would be pounding each wave hard + the engine sound an the spray they may not hear anything.
Or .....and I would hate to think this was the case ..... The boat driver could have been pissed I know there are plenty who fish an drink all day and they may have kept going like some drunk drivers do.
Inexperienced or not...... it just seems very strange that they could die when they had lifejackets and kayaks.... Hypothermia is a possibility but unlikely as they bay is already 18+ degrees.
VIC
112 posts
Most likely hypothermia was the cause of death.I have done alot of kayaking around the world from six month in Alaska to a trip to Tasy and W.A.I heard that they were new to kayak fishing.its unfortunate that they hadnt joined a kayaking club to learn the right skills for the sport.Its a bit like kite surfing without getting lessons.If these guys had gotten the right skills then this wouldnt have happenned.The fishing shows are showing kayaking alot.but they dont show you what to do when the **** hits the fan,they dont advise you to go to a kayaking club.There will be a change in the laws to do with this sport and im guessing that this might spill on over into kite surfing as well.Maybe that we will all have to carry a epirb if you are travelling more than 400 mtr from shore.(yes that would have saved both these blokes lives)food for thought..Time will tell..all in all, a total waste of a life..
VIC
37 posts
It was a very tradjic thing that happened. As someone that spends alot of time fishing in the bay from a kayak and have done for around 10 years now there are a couple of scenarios they may have found themselves in.
One is as said hypothermia , once your thrown out of one in rough weather you would be in trouble. The jackets arent pfd 3's they are 1's & 2's so the boyancy isnt there and it they were inflatable they may have been manual actuation ones.
Also one of the huge factors whilst fishing on a yak is that if you fall off and it's windy unless you are tethered to it then say goodbye to it cos it will take off at a rate of knots you have no hope of ever catching up. Again you are on your own.
There really isnt a kayak club that caters for fishing yet but there are huge forums around that will and do look after new yakkers. The people there will happily meet up with newer players and help them along.
I really think that the sellers of kayaks should offer some info in the form of flyers maybe with the basic safety issues and what to maybe do''s in times of trouble. At least supply them with a boating handbook, it has the regs in there regarding kayaks etc.
I hope they RIP and their families are doing ok.
