Pic of DJ's 17ft Glide (5.00 pm today)
Just to keep the suspense and speculations going !
DJ will have a great story to tell
Main thing is DJ (+ the others) made it back safely.
Now hang on... Phill saying DJ was just "here". How did a Point Cook to Sandringham downwinder in a fierce westerly find DJ in Ocean Grove? That's the complete opposite direction. This just got Twilight Zone weird.
(edit) Oh wait... it was Oliver who said DJ was just "here". So cancel that call to the Ghostbusters.
Hey Woody,
I think you had too much Red with the cheese and greens
Oliver said DJ was just there!
I cant see any grey crock here anywhere?
But i'll keep looking.
Phill
This is fun though its a bit like playing cludo: DJ did it off Altona with the 17ft glide
got a wave sail in at mount martha today!!!!,, some nice wind, waves today,,,,
wind chill with driving rain must have been fun in the middle of the bay....
.
Just to keep the specualtion running ... I was kiting at Hampton on my trusty 7m Crossbow. The waves were huge by bay standards with gusts over 40 knots at 2:30.
I saw Pete paddle in strongly about 1:30.
15-20 minutes later I thought I saw three more SUPs. I cruised out to them and saw two boards approach the breakwater. One paddler kneeling, the other standing but then took a fall before climbing back on. Both looked shagged.
I rode around searching for the other SUPer but could see no sign of him. I may have imagined the fourth SUP or mistook a yachting buoy ... or some other interesting story ...
DJ said When we cross the shipping chanel do we give way to the right.. or the left.. if a big ship is coming..
An old saying which I am sure you have all heard before is that it was right of way "dead right". Actually I think recreational watercraft have to give way to all commercial shipping. The yachties will know. The old red and green tape on the boom doesn't work on a paddle to know which is right and which is left.
You guys are gutsy. That wind was howling today.
OK a few more!
Another pic of DJ's board at 5.00pm today.(Don't worry DJ it's a close up, it's not that bad)
???
I wont be able to sleep tonight worrying about my 'beautiful thing'.. Sheesh!.. At least I still have it because it could be gone forever or broken into many bits.
I saw my Naish 17 flipping through the air today and it went at least 50 feet on its first flip.. and soon after landing in the water it flipped again.. and again.. spinning through the air like a feather.. a 16kg feather.
My leggie attachment point broke because of my own stupid modification and I was on a down-winder in winds gusting over 40 knots.
I had no hope of catching it.. and I did try till my arms felt like they'd fall off.. and I had to swim forever to a nearby shipping channel buoy.. Hang on to it for my life and wait to get rescued... BUGGER!!!
I took this quick pic on zoom once I realized that I had no hope of ever catching it... A big lesson was learned today and I hope others also learn from it..
I've got some great pictures and vid.. Right now I need sleep.
DJ
Good to know you're okay, with just a few scrapes to the board. Now we can all get some sleep. Definitely lessons to be learned I expect.
DJ, did you have a PDF?
What you mean history will be made? Haven't you, Jonathan and Dave paddled from
Sandy to Point Cook and then back again?
It looks like the Police shouted you a nice lunch at the sailing club so not all lost.
Glad you're OK mate.
**** happens.
Since DJ survived almost unscathed, can we start the jokes yet ??
DJ waiting for rescue ....
We probably need DJ to give us all some safety precautions for going forward !
Well guys, it's obvious we are all glad to hear you are ok.
But I dont think I would be first to think that was a stupid thing to do.
If your going to play in the water far from shore when weather has been forcast as it was, sooner or later the odds will go against you.
Squally westerly winds are NOT predictable...but then what winds are in Vico?
A point that few people consider as the wind speed gets up, is that it's power is proportional to the square of its speed. Sh1t can be avoidable
The way I see it......you guys were lucky not to create history alright.....as the first to die on the bay stand up paddling!
Have to agree with piros phill(DW) and lsd you boys are lucky.
plenty other stuff ide love to say,hopefully DJ you have had a big reality check and will hopefully be more observant of conditions and your ability in the future.
good thing your safe
Woogie
To get some positives out of this for everyone, what are your thoughts for the future?
My suggestions:
The personal epirb is a great back up is fully waterproof (we used them in offshore diving to 120ft) and these days they have built in GPS and each beacon is logged with the users details in case of an emergency.
Waterproof hand held marine VHF radio we used them in support RIBs etc for diving the smaller units now fit into a PFD.
People have already suggested support vessels
what else?????
Phill
Glad to hear you are ok DJ, what an experiance. I would've crapped myself watching my board fly away!
Xx angie
Waterproof Pouch for the mobile phone would be good too... You get reasonable reception around the bay.... near shore... I think 112 in AUS is the emergency number. You phone will find any available network.
Plus water and 2 snack bars!
Yes, stay in a group....
Still without knowing the full details.... Ability did not seem to be a major contributor.
1 - snapped leg rope / leash - the problem...
2 - if the group paddled together, they could have self rescued, with 2 people on 1 board, if the lost board was not retrievable
3 - yes, conditions contributed to the lost board
But yes, support boat is a good safety plan. But 1 boat for the group.... Or if there was a bigger group, 1 boat behind the front runners, and another boat for the rear group.
Wow, sounds Epic. But those bay storms always are.
I kinda agree with Piros but pretty sure I woulda been there with you anyway if I was in town. As they say whatever doesnt kill you makes you stronger (and hopefully smarter)
WITHOUT RISK THERE IS NO ADVENTURE !
Happy to offer my yacht or tender (RIB) for support vessel, next time.
I really don't want to cast aspersions on any individuals involved or not in this adventure, especially as I have always found DJ in particular to be supremely safety conscious and to look after those of lesser experience or ability. Even on this paddle, after I made a casual enquiry, DJ PM'd me to say that I probably didn't have the right tools, skills or experience to handle it (honesty and truth for which I am grateful).
Having said all that, and again, without wishing to judge or cast aspersions, it does seem prudent that the various state clubs or perhaps this forum immediately establish some self-policing safety guidelines so that one or more of us do not make headlines for the wrong reasons. Because once something like that happens, you know the authorities and legislators will kick into nanny state mode (cheers Oliver) and then the laws will be far more restrictive than they need to be.
For starters, PFD's, support vessels, and secure leg ropes have been mentioned, as well as paddling as a group. I would take that last point a step further to establish a buddy system on every organised paddle, much like scuba diving. Perhaps Phill can explain how that system works in greater detail.
However each of these items requires a trigger point in terms of the risk level of the paddle. For instance, how far from shore and how strong do the winds need to be before PFD's are mandatory?
In those conditions once a person is down you cannot see them, especially if you are sitting down or kneeling on a SUP.
If you are ahead of the person there is no way you can paddle into wind to get to them.
Presumably DJ would be a long way ahead of the others being the most experienced.
I guess you could have a buddy system where two people of matched skills stay right next each other (we have done this in the past). It makes it fun to share the experience and a touch safer.
Don't forget that the whole point of the exercise is to catch the biggest and faster runners you can. This works against staying together as a group.
Support boats aren't going to be a lot of help. Once the wind gets above 30 knots the support boats are going to be at risk too. You need one for each paddler and it will be hard for the boat to shadow the paddlers closely and maintain safe navigation speed.
EPIRBS and Spot trackers and mobiles will get you rescued but you don't really want to need to be rescued. You want to have fun and an adventure.
The number one rule of outdoor adventuring is to have escape routes and maintain them at all costs. This usually means going out no further than you are able to swim. Doing a crossing means your only escape route is to make it across. You get just as many adventure points paddling 20km along the coast as you do making a crossing.
BTW. I sold my long SUP and I am holding off getting another or downwind capable board. Downwinding is fun but kiteboarding in extreme winds is more practical.
