This one is an eye opener ! Do you carry means of communication on your person ?
Safety precaution during exercise : l Kayaks tethered to the team leader l Safety kayakers in the vicinity
boxes ( self-check , distress call , remain visible , and keep in contact ), which significantly alters the chances of survival .
Once in the water , I pushed my boat away from my position for the wind to pick it up . Even with very tiny waves , I could not see my sea kayak after a few minutes . Of course , my team was snooping around to keep an eye out for everything . I first made sure that I was OK and that I knew my position . This is what we call the self-check and cannot take longer than a minute . Take a few breaths , make sure what you are going to say during the distress call . The distress call must be made as soon as possible , with the intelligence available at that moment . My GPS was left in the kayak adrift , so no chance of giving an exact fix ( geographical location ).
There were no buoys or beacons in the area . With the distress call , which I used my VHF for , I gave my estimated position . I could still remember the distance to the shore . This was almost not visible once in the water . And I could remember some landmarks and the village . Always make sure that you know where you are at any given moment . Once things go south , it is of the utmost importance . If you carry a PLB , make sure to activate it first ! Your position will be sent through , which makes it easier for the SAR services to find you .
No PLB during this exercise ; we wanted to see how long it takes to be found without that exact fix on my current position . By the start of the exercise , I was not in visual range of the lifeboat , as realistic as possible . Again , I came to the same conclusion as with the rescue training with the RHIBs from the Coastal Rescue Services ; I see the lifeboat before it sees me ! This may sound weird as the lifeboat crew has the visual advantage of being higher above the surface than I am . But they have to look for a needle in a haystack . I ’ m just looking for anything that isn ’ t a wave and doesn ’ t block my view . So , there it was , at about 400 metres distance , looking for me as a guardian angel : the R6 ORKA lifeboat !
I gave proper directions via VHF to guide them towards my position . This works well but maintains a calm and straightforward way of communication via VHF . Once they established visual contact , I put away my VHF radio and waited for their arrival . Keep waving and attracting attention as you never know a wave suddenly hides you from their view . Upon arrival , stay put !
Once close enough , a rescue diver will go in the water . In this rescue training , I was not hypothermic . This is important as the lifeboat crew can winch you up in a vertical way . If there is doubt about the victim ’ s status , or if the victim is hypothermic or unconscious , the crew will winch you horizontally . This is to avoid cardiac arrest during or right after the rescue . That wasn ’ t the case with me ; I wore a good quality drysuit and good layers underneath ( insulation ). I have never been winched before , certainly not on a rescue boat , but this was the fun part ! Once onboard , the crew will ask further questions ; were you alone , where is your craft ? If possible , they will also salvage the sea kayak , but as always , the casualty ’ s life goes before your equipment .
Top tip : make sure your kayak is labelled ( or registered like here in Belgium ).
THINGS TO REMEMBER ! Although the weather and sea were calm , the light amount of wind picked up my kayak . By the end of the rescue training , the lifeboat had to sail for about 500 metres to bring me back to my sea kayak . So , imagine that there is even more wind , which is mostly the case when things go south . Also , the tide was going against the wind . The swimmer is always affected by the tide , the kayak mainly by the wind and waves . If you are not successful in grabbing your kayak after capsizing , it is lost . So again , make sure to carry a means to call for help on your person .
AWAITING ARRIVAL SAR SERVICE In the previous edition , we talked about what you should do awaiting rescue services ; we specifically pointed out using your safety equipment and increasing your visibility . This chapter will highlight the mental aspect of requiring help when your life