ayong Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Gang At 5 PM I contacted the Coast Guard. Gene is safe, and his wife was en route to pick him up. Whew! Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 Tom, I stopped at the gate to the Refuge where the ranger told me that Gene's wife had just picked him up and they were going to get his car and would then return for his boat. Glad he's OK. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopefloats Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Very odd trip report! Glad it sounds like all made it home safe. What happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I'll post a report tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Gene! What the hell happened? Barry called me for a report.... Ern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyson Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Great day on the bay! I'm still a bit sore. Thanks for allowing the new guy with a barge for a boat to join you. My pictures from the trip can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/tyson.sawyer/2...feat=directlink Cheers! Ty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Gene! What the hell happened? Barry called me for a report.... Ern As I sit and write this I'm aware of sand and salt water that has taken up permanent residence in my ears. We all left Pavilion Beach and headed out around Castle Neck looking for excitement. While donning a helmet I was still a little sore in my back from an earlier paddle and thought better of joining the fun. The tide as reasonably low and with the myriad sand bars there was plenty of surf for all. I saw Bill Quinn brace in a broach position and do an incredible bongo slide. Several capsizes and rolls and then Doug was out of his boat in the surf zone waving off assistance and doing his Cowboy Scramble to get back in. Tyson was surfing and rolling like a champ! Wow- these guys are all above my pay grade! Larry, Tom and I were outside the surf zone paddling back and forth and observing. Right in front of us was the entrance to Essex Bay with little action and I decided to go in and landed on the backside of Castle Neck. I communicated via ch72 that I was going in for a break and some nourishment. I asked for and received a confirmation. After 15 minutes tops I circled back around and tried to communicate with the group via ch 72. All messages were garbled and after several attempts said that I would return to where I had left and look for the pack of paddlers. Paddling northwards I didn't see any other kayaks and continued to try and reach them via VHF. Again garbled messages and I finally announced that I would head back to our put-in and they could look for me in that direction. The tide must have been coming in at that time and there was a southerly wind. There were still breakers and surge coming in from a ways out. I plotted my course to go outside them thinking I was alone and didn't want to look for trouble. As I continued to move further off shore from Castle Neck I kept looking for the entrance to Pavilion. Breaks in the landmass from a distance in a kayak often look continuous; the landscape seems to flatten out. I paddled right past the entrance never seeing it and continued to scan the beach for the break. I thought to myself; am I that slow and tired that it's taking so much time and effort? Now I'm paddling north about ¼ to ½ mile off Plum Island still thinking its Ipswich. At some point I was aware of how warm I was but couldn't chance a roll given my tiredness and state of mind. Running out of water and increasingly fatigued I made a beach landing and got fresh supplies from my hatch and hoped to rejuvenate myself. The surf was moderately strong but I got in and out without too much difficulty. Back on the water the beach seemed to endlessly move into the distance and I can see the Newburyport water tower. Seems a bit far but again I'm thinking isn't there one near Pavilion. Almost seven miles north of Ipswich and now clearly exhausted I put my pride aside and called the CG and requested assistance. Perhaps they could reach any vessels in the area that could give me a tow to my destination? They were immediately reassuring and said they were at the mouth of the Merrimack but actually called the Harbormaster who was in the Raleigh River and could come out and look for me. Forty-five minutes later after frustrating attempts to pin point my location they tried to pinpoint using some technology that had me counting backwards and forward from 1 to 10. (Don't ask!) I kept telling them I was just south of the entrance to Pavilion in Ipswich Bay when in reality I was close to 10 miles further north. The water was moderately rough and required paddling. Trying to speak and respond on the VHF, which required at least one hand made my condition more enervating. Finally I could see a beach with plenty of bathers. Wow this must be Cranes Beach. In reality I was just three miles south of the mouth of the Merrimack. At this point in time really exhausted and frustrated with the CG I decided to bail and hit the beach with all the bathers. (Why could they not find me? Maybe giving them totally bogus clues as to my location had something to do with it?) No one was in the water and as I approached the beach I could see a wall of white that represented the flow back from the breaking waves that hit the beach. A little closer and it was obvious that this wall was steep and these breakers were dumping rather angrily. I decided to go for it and when I got close to shore my stern was lifted high by a wave and I noticed almost in slow motion that my bow was pearling. It never popped up and I found my self doing an endo in this dumping maw. After landing upside down without incident (there seemed to be enough water to break my fall, I was window shaded 2 or 3 times half in and half out of the boat. Luckily, the boat wound up beach side and I wasn't knocked around much by the boat. Thankfully, I was wearing the helmet I brought to surf with. It was fortuitous I hadn't taken it off all day. Lying in the still dumping surf several bathers helped drag me to shore. I asked the lifeguard on the beach to call the CG and call off the search and was helped by the wonderful Rangers who work at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. They also had called the EMT's who arrived to survey the scene and asked whether I knew the date and day of the week. I guess I passed since they left soon after that. All in all I did about 20 miles yesterday, lost my day hatch cover in the beaching event, did my first endo and survived. Oh, yes my wife is pissed! Lessons learned: VHF is problematic, more often than not even with a clear signal communication can be garbled. Stay with at least one other paddler even if you want to do something else. After all you did decide to paddle with a group and not solo. My judgment which seemed reasonable at the time coupled with several other negatives like the VHF not helping, like missing the entrance to Pavilion, having no chart, not having my GPS with me which could have given the CG my location and no flares which could have helped as well. Even though I've paddled this area many times in the past I should have had a marine chart that I could read. Finally on a personal note I often paddle with others because it lets me challenge my self in areas that maybe I wouldn't attempt on my own. That still doesn't excuse myself or anyone else not having what may be needed to survive on your own. Rely on others but be prepared to solve your own problems if they occur. Since I recognize that I am partially at fault for leaving the group without a lot of discussion and planning I apologize to my fellow paddlers that day that may have been concerned and worried about my safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Photo no. 25's great? Rogue or just surf zone? Ern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hazard Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Gene, first of all, I am glad you got back safely. I have read and re-read your report and as far as I can figure, you must have landed on the back side of Plum Island, mistaking it for the mouth of Essex Bay. We never got that far down Crane Beach. In fact we were within sight of Pavilion Beach the whole time we were out there! You must have gotten badly turned around. Well, meanwhile, the rest of us had a jolly afternoon surfing the offshore sand bar. The surf, as you can see from Tyson's excellent photos, were 2 - 3 ft, changing size and direction as the tide rose to cover the bar. I was thoroughly "surfed out" by the time we got back to the launch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Gene, first of all, I am glad you got back safely. I have read and re-read your report and as far as I can figure, you must have landed on the back side of Plum Island, mistaking it for the mouth of Essex Bay. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my report Rob. I may not have known where I was going but I certainly know where I wound up! I landed on the small beach managed by the Parker River Refuge on the Atlantic Ocean side. I was two miles south of the mouth of the Merrimack. I'm glad you had a fun day, see you on the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Millar Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Photo no. 25's great? Rogue or just surf zone? Ern Waves always look bigger in pictures, but they were pretty much running that size yesterday. Great snaps, Ty. What kind of camera are you using as they are so sharp and clear. Deb M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyson Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Photo no. 25's great? Rogue or just surf zone? Ern There were waves coming in from at least two directions. Some where large, some small. The largest where from the two sets getting in phase and making a peak that wasn't very long. These tended to rear up tall and scary and then disappear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyson Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Great snaps, Ty. What kind of camera are you using as they are so sharp and clear. It is an Pentax Optio W60. I love it! Obviously I didn't post them at full resolution. I'd be happy to send full resolution copies to anyone who wants them. Cheers! Ty P.S. Annoying message board wouldn't let me reply to two posts without a 1 minute break between them. I understand the purpose, but the implementation seems a bit draconian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyson Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 Great snaps, Ty. What kind of camera are you using as they are so sharp and clear. Deb, I rather liked the picture of you climbing a wave. I rotated it to make it level and recropped it a couple of times. I like the new crops better. Take a look. :-) http://picasaweb.google.com/tyson.sawyer/2...feat=directlink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayong Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 It was a terrific playday! I thought it was hilarious when the body surfers stood up in the surfzone, revealing that we were kayaking in about 2 feet of water. Missed getting a pic of that... Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glil Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I'm confused. When did people realize that Gene was missing, not where he thought he was or potentially in trouble? Gene couldn't hear other people on his radio, but could anyone hear him? Gay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdkilroy Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 This is the question that has been running through my mind since reading the post earlier... When was it that Gene was noticed as missing? What was done at that point? Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leong Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Forty-five minutes later after frustrating attempts to pin point my location they tried to pinpoint using some technology that had me counting backwards and forward from 1 to 10. (Don't ask!) I think they were just trying to keep you transmitting long enough to triangulate your position via two receivers in two locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leong Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my report Rob. I may not have known where I was going but I certainly know where I wound up! I landed on the small beach managed by the Parker River Refuge on the Atlantic Ocean side. I was two miles south of the mouth of the Merrimack. I'm glad you had a fun day, see you on the water. Gene, I think Rob is referring to the location of your first landing (i.e. he thinks you mistook the inside beach of south Plum Island for the north beach inside Essex Bay). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Gene, I think Rob is referring to the location of your first landing (i.e. he thinks you mistook the inside beach of south Plum Island for the north beach inside Essex Bay). If you are referring to where I first landed to get a bite while others were surfing it was behind a sand bar on the south tip of Castle Neck. I know that for sure because I had to enter Essex Bay a little and could see some boats anchored off the back of the neck in the Castle river. My first landing after traveling northwards was on the southern part of Plum Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Millar Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 If you are referring to where I first landed to get a bite while others were surfing it was behind a sand bar on the south tip of Castle Neck. I know that for sure because I had to enter Essex Bay a little and could see some boats anchored off the back of the neck in the Castle river. My first landing after traveling northwards was on the southern part of Plum Island. Gene, With all due respect and in referral to your trip report where you state: '"Larry, Tom and I were outside the surf zone paddling back and forth and observing. Right in front of us was the entrance to Essex Bay with little action and I decided to go in and landed on the backside of Castle Neck."', I think you are mistaken as to where you, Larry and Tom were. We were surfing off the sand bar which is parallel roughly to the south end of Plum Island and almost directly across from the north end of Crane Beach. The Great House atop Castle Hill is clearly visible from the water. The entrance to Essex Bay is almost 2.75 NM SOUTH, no where near where we were surfing. It is most likely that where you'd actually had gone in for a bite was probably the north end of Castle Neck, which is south of Pavilion Beach and the put-in. Deb M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Gene, With all due respect and in referral to your trip report where you state: '"Larry, Tom and I were outside the surf zone paddling back and forth and observing. Right in front of us was the entrance to Essex Bay with little action and I decided to go in and landed on the backside of Castle Neck."', I think you are mistaken as to where you, Larry and Tom were. We were surfing off the sand bar which is parallel roughly to the south end of Plum Island and almost directly across from the north end of Crane Beach. The Great House atop Castle Hill is clearly visible from the water. The entrance to Essex Bay is almost 2.75 NM SOUTH, no where near where we were surfing. It is most likely that where you'd actually had gone in for a bite was probably the north end of Castle Neck, which is south of Pavilion Beach and the put-in. Deb M There is a sand bar or tidal flat at the southern tip of Plum Island, the backside of which would have been shallow and calm and looking further north and behind in the Plum Island Sound it is possible that a pleasure boat could have been anchored there. If so this would explain why thinking it was the tip of Castle Neck I headed out and north to find you. I'm still not clear if you were in the spot you say I could have missed you or if you all headed back to the put in why you wouldn't have seen me. It certainly clears up why I travelled up to Newburyport thinking I was leaving Essex Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 There seems to be some confusion about where we were surfing so here's a photo and a chart. -- assorted landmarks as seen from our location. -- chart showing our approximate location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhunt Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 This is the question that has been running through my mind since reading the post earlier... When was it that Gene was noticed as missing? What was done at that point? Jon I'm still wondering this, too. -Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I'm still wondering this, too. -Lisa My question -- was there a designated or understood leader (or anyone taking an interest in the status of more than just themselves) at any time during this trip, and if so, who and what times, and how did that overlap with Gene's departure and failure to return. (I have my guess, but certainly could be wrong, and would like to hear from the group.) CAM is not "no leader", not "no structure", but as it's been told to me, the "leadership" may rotate and "structure" is by group agreement. I guess it's also possible that there indeed is no leader and no structure at a particular time, or for the entire trip. In fact, that seems to be the usual way it's implemented on the CAM trips I've attended. Another, more practical question -- was anybody counting the group and/or taking census at any time, leader or not. I am absolutely not being accusatory here, of the group or of anyone in particular. I just think that this is an excellent opportunity to do some work on CAM. Let's not ignore the elephant on the table, or the perhaps the walrus on the deck. Maybe it should be another thread, however. --David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.