What are your biggest concerns while fishing offshore? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Salty · 05-21-2021, 10:50 AM

About the same for me as others have posted and any combination of them:

-Ignorant/Arrogant boaters
-Unexpected bad weather, especially fog+boaters
-Hull failure/sinking
-Landlord/Taxman/Grey Suits

Been in some very sketchy situations offshore in the boat, but the worst so far in a kayak was while at Dana Point, fishing solo about 5+ miles out chasing a massive cloud of diving birds. Payed more attention the the fishing than the weather changing around. Wind had shifted offshore with strong gusts. The swell and wind chop got huge and was coming from mixed directions like a washing machine. The part that made it really sink in was almost getting hit by a sailboat because the swell was so big, I was completely hidden in the trough, even with flag and rods up. Took almost 3 hours using the pedal drive and paddles together to get back to the harbor. Was exhausted, soaked, sunburnt and crusty as hell.

Another sketchy moment was when the rudder line on my Passport 12 broke outside the harbor wall at DP making me spin in portside circles as some significant swell pushed me closer to the rocks. That kayak does not have a retractable rudder control and I couldn't safely reach it from the topside. Fortunately I was able to get my friend on the radio to help pull the rudder up for me. Otherwise, I'd have had to get wet... I was very close to the rocks to begin with, so that could have gotten dangerous real quick.

Stay safe out there!

05-21-2021, 10:50 AM	#19
Salty Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 427	About the same for me as others have posted and any combination of them: -Ignorant/Arrogant boaters -Unexpected bad weather, especially fog+boaters -Hull failure/sinking -Landlord/Taxman/Grey Suits Been in some very sketchy situations offshore in the boat, but the worst so far in a kayak was while at Dana Point, fishing solo about 5+ miles out chasing a massive cloud of diving birds. Payed more attention the the fishing than the weather changing around. Wind had shifted offshore with strong gusts. The swell and wind chop got huge and was coming from mixed directions like a washing machine. The part that made it really sink in was almost getting hit by a sailboat because the swell was so big, I was completely hidden in the trough, even with flag and rods up. Took almost 3 hours using the pedal drive and paddles together to get back to the harbor. Was exhausted, soaked, sunburnt and crusty as hell. Another sketchy moment was when the rudder line on my Passport 12 broke outside the harbor wall at DP making me spin in portside circles as some significant swell pushed me closer to the rocks. That kayak does not have a retractable rudder control and I couldn't safely reach it from the topside. Fortunately I was able to get my friend on the radio to help pull the rudder up for me. Otherwise, I'd have had to get wet... I was very close to the rocks to begin with, so that could have gotten dangerous real quick. Stay safe out there!