depends on it . The sea is the most dangerous environment on the planet one can survive in . We are not made to live or survive in the water . Therefore we need to adapt to certain situations when needed or when we are pushed . Nobody chooses to be the victim in a distress situation .
REACTING DIFFERENTLY Depending on your own experience , skill level and the always-changing conditions at sea , we all will react differently when in distress . During the years , and thanks to the numerous rescue training we conduct within our NORTHSEAKAYAK team , we can point out a few important things to avoid panic and name the levels of stress and anxiety that can overwhelm you from the moment things go wrong .
We are trained to be self-reliant . Most of us can perform a swift self-rescue in the conditions they paddle in – the same counts for performing an assisted rescue . The more you are trained in these self-rescues , the less tendency to panic there will be . When external help is needed , your heart will start pumping in overdrive . Something in your head makes a click from the moment you realise that you cannot solve the problem on your own .
One of the most practical scenarios we conduct is the following : I paddle out with a group , and when we are far away from the shore , I tell people we will perform a safety exercise . I make sure that at least one safety kayaker keeps an eye out for everyone for the training area and other shipping . I ask everyone to go into the water and hand over their kayak .
I ’ m also going in the water and clipping all kayaks together with my long tow line . My tow line is about 10 metres , and I let go of all the kayaks . Of course , we all know that the kayaks are not drifting away . But this already gives people an idea of what it is to lose their kayak . I tell everyone they just lost their kayak , and there is no way they can reach it again by swimming .
The look on some people ’ s faces starts to change . We are all in a circle , in the water . With some low waves around , we can ’ t even see our kayaks anymore . I ask each individual what they carry with them to call for help . The look on some ’ s faces changes again . When everyone gave their answer , we noticed that a few people were not able to call for help for themselves . Now and then , we also have someone that is saying he ’ s cold . It is during these scenarios that people learn to think for themselves .
We see that after a while , most of the sea kayakers joining us for rescue exercises have bought a decent means to call for help ( VHF , PLB , waterproof pack for cell phone ) and upgraded their kit . We also see that the sea kayakers who can call for help on their person tend to remain much calmer when conducting rescue exercises . It sounds so logical , don ’ t you agree ? In an actual life-threatening situation , this will emerge even more .
We were also noticing a difference during rescue training when everyone was still in their boats . Less chance of becoming hypothermic , the group can raft up and stay together . Anxiety will go to the next level as soon as the group becomes dispersed and people are in the water . The highest level of anxiety is reached when the kayaker is in the water and becomes separated from their craft . This isn ’ t the case when surfing : people are at swimming distance of the shore .
There are two main reasons we stick to performing rescue training , whether it be self-reliant or with rescue services : it alters the level of safety within the sport , and it is fun . We sometimes have other paddlers who are not fond of getting in the water for this , mainly because their kit is not good , or they haven ’ t found pleasure in doing this kind of training . So , we always try to make things fun ! It ’ s a win-win situation !
We love to share our experience with as many other paddlers as possible . The more knowledge is passed on , the safer we all will go on the water . We have some more stories and top tips for you in the next episode of RESCUE TRAINING !
CONDUCTING THE EXERCISE If you want to see how we conduct this exercise together with the R6 ORKA lifeboat , have a look at the video on the NORTHSEAKAYAK YouTube channel on the left
Have fun and take care of each other on the water !