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thank GOD for PFDs
went out in my 7' featherlite sit in side kayak tonight because i was too LAZY to take my 14' sit on top yak. Was out for about a half hour as the sun went down and scored a couple of 8 lb blues on top water. then i switched to eels. I hooked up with a nice 25-30 lb fish. when i got her boat side i tried to pull her up onto my lap but due to excessive gear and what nots i leaned a little too far towards the fish. the water found it's way in. I realized it and leaned back..... way too far back. now water is filling up the cockpit superfast but yet slooooow motion at the same time. I did the slow roll and watched all my gear disapear(leashes were home in the s.o.t.yak.) after collecting myself i realized i could not find my bailing bucket. so i tried to hold the yak above water and swim.. my line was still connected to the bass and to a plug and around my legs. i managed to grab my dive knife and cut myself free before dropping the knife out of sight. so now i am free of lines trying too figure out what shorline is closest???? can't really tell so decide to swim towards my parents house. All of a sudddon i realized my phone should be ok in the zip lock baggie. i reach for it but it was gone. so i'm swimming for maybe 45 miinutes trying to hold the nose of my yak above water so i don't lose it as well. getting colderr and really having trouble controlling my breathing and swimming as well. now i kick off my sneakers but it didn't seam to help much, than my rain pants came off. it helped a little i finally made it to a mooring or conch pot or something and wrapped the line around my yak handles as i could not tie a knot. limbs were'nt working as they should. THE COLD IS DEFINATELY TAKING IT'S TOLL ON MY LOWER BODY so i hang on to the bouy for a few minutes to catch my breath. when i decided it was time to swim on i realized that my legs were cramped up and would not do what i told them to do.. so now i bite the bottom eye of my lami, rest my cabo on my groin and do the back stroke for what seemed like an eternity with the wind and fuLl moon's current controlling my progress. finally well over an hour and a half into it i can touch bottom. as i walked up the bank i soon figured out that my legs were barely under me and hypothermia is setting in. i walked about a half mile to my parents house and woke them up. they through me in the shower and gave me dry clothes. i lost MY DAUGHETERS BRAND NEW PENN SQUALL, HER BOAT ROD, ALL MY GOOD PLUGS, EVERY BIT OF TERMINAL TACKLE, MY KAYAK AND OAR, MY PHONE, WALLET, AND MY TWO BLUES I SAVED FOR THE SMOKER. BUT BECUASE I NEVER YAK WITH OUT MY LIFE VEST I WAS ABLE TO BACK STROKE LONG ENOUTH TO HIT THE SHORELINE. .........................I LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS THE HARD WAY TONIGHT.....
NEVER YAK AT NIGHT ALONE, SIT INSIDE YAKS DO NOT BELONG IN THE OCEAN WITHOUT A SKIRT, pfdS ROCK! AND MOST INPORTANT
I AM NOT INVINCIBLE.
Later i called the police to report my yak out there so they do not call for a search and rescue at sunrise when someone sees my stuff out there.
SORRY FOR THE LONG WINDED POST BUT THOUGHT IT MIGHT HELP SOMEONE OUT OF MAKING BAD DECISIONS JUST FOR A FISH
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