Editors Comment: I would like to commend Chris for his forthright recount of the story below.

We often do things that in hindsight we think "What the heck was I doing?"

Most of the time we come away from them relatively unscathed - but the level of personal embarrassment we perceive there to be stops most of us from recounting those stories to others so that others can learn from our valuable "Hands On" experience.

Hopefully Chris's article, combined with Kevin's analysis will encourage others to send their "oops" experiences in and we can all have a little insight into some important issues that will keep us safer on the water.

The Dobroyd Head Incident
August 2001

Location : Middle Head, Port Jackson

Weather : Clear blue sky, air temperature warm

Water temperature : estimated 18 to 19 degrees

Wind : 10 Knots ESE

Swell: 2 to 3 metres, probably from the southeast. A good-sized swell was rolling in through the Port Jackson Heads

Paddler : Chris James, a male paddler, aged 35 in good health and fitness.

Kayak: Single sea kayak in excellent condition, fibreglass construction, standard configuration with separate front, rear and day-hatch compartments, fitted with manual and electric bilge pumps.

Safety Equipment : PFD, Waterproof VHF hand held marine radio, mobile phone, smoke and rocket flares, sea dye, strobe light, EPIRB, spare paddle, helmet

Experience: Chris James had paddled solo extensively in open and closed waters.

The Trip : Chris James left Clontarf in Port Jackson at 8.00 am. He paddled eastwards through the Heads then north to Curl Curl. He returned then to Port Jackson without landing.

The Incident :

At the final stage of his journey, Chris detoured to North Harbour to surf the swell between Forty Baskets Beach and Fairlight. After surfing, he paddled southwards towards Dobroyd Head to finish the journey at Clontarf. A good-sized swell continued to roll in through the Heads.

Chis continues the story:

“ The sea had been relatively calm for a while and I found myself paddling over a shallow rock shelf, approximately 25 metres from the base of the cliffs below Balgowlah Heights. A set of big wave came towards me, standing higher and higher as they passed over the rock shelf below. The first wave started to break when it was fifteen metres from me and I started to turn into it. But too late.

The wave carried me and the kayak sideways over the top of a car-sized boulder at the base of the cliff. The hull of the kayak scuffed the boulder on the way over and the kayak rolled (with me still in it) before being dumped into the crevice between the boulder and the cliff base.

The paddle shaft snapped on impact with the rock face. However, at this stage, the kayak was still intact after the 2 metre drop to the base of the cliff.

I was still sitting in the cockpit. I started to scramble out of the cockpit until the second and third waves broke over the boulder. With each wave the crevice partially filled from above, then drained as the swell dispersed around the boulder. Each wave lifted then dropped the kayak stern first onto rock ledge.

On the third drop, the kayak hull cracked & parted across a line roughly through the middle of the rear hatch. The spare paddle strapped to the rear deck and equipment stored in the rear hatch in a duffle bag washed away in the surge.

I pulled the skirt and abandoned ship, crouching behind the boulder as intermittent waves broke over the top. I had cuts and bruises to my hands, feet, knees, and elbows, the result of big sets buffeting me between the boulder and the cliff base. The swamped kayak was sustaining continuing damage on rocks in the breaking waves.

Between sets, I left the shelter of the boulder to recover equipment from my kayak: helmet (put straight on to minimize injury), hatch covers (stuffed down back of paddle shorts to minimize injury), talk-through waterproof bags with phone and radio from day hatch and the like.

I peered over top of the boulder to assess the situation:

•  Buffeting by intermittent large breaking waves likely to continue.

•  In possession of all PFD-stored safety equipment: smoke & rocket flares, epirb, food, water

•  Physical condition deteriorating (losing ability to cling to boulder)

•  Passing boating traffic (300 to 400 metres away).

I assessed that within 15 to 20 minutes I would need an improvement in circumstances! I considered placing a VHF radio call to Coast Guard or Coastal Patrol (given my proximity to bases), but decided to hold off in favour of self-reliance (and to avoid the inevitable “yes I had no business paddling so close to the cliff” conversation.)

Between waves, I clambered to the top of the boulder to see if the swell would subside to the point I could confidently swim beyond the break and around to nearby Half-tide Beach. On one clamber, I caught sight of two sea-kayakers paddling within sight. They spotted me and with a series of hand gestures I was able to communicate my need for assistance.

To my tremendous good fortune, they were experienced kayakers. Al Bakker, one of the kayakers, was well able to negotiate the swell to get close enough to fine tune the “escape” plans. On the heels of a big set, I scrambled atop the boulder and jumped into the receding wash, getting sucked out to within swimming range of Al's kayak. I clung to the rear deck of his boat & paddled surfboard style while Al paddled around to Half-tide, where I swam to shore.

Al did a quick lap of the nearby harbour and gathered my duffle bag and scarred spare paddle. I dropped the gear that I was holding then swam in my pfd out to Al for the second load.

To my amazement, Half-tide is apparently a nudist beach. I was greeted by half a dozen friendly & well-tanned punters sipping white wine who queried the helmet and offered a Chardonnay.”

What went wrong?

The Bureau of Meteorology gives this warning with its forecasts: “wind gusts may be a further 40 per cent stronger than the averages given here , and maximum waves may be up to twice the height.”

The waves that swamped Chris were clearly well above average height. Also, big waves begin to break further out than average size waves; these big waves caught Chris unawares. Chris said, “ I was caught too close in to Middle Head for the conditions, and was very lucky not to have been seriously injured.”

Recommendations:

Chis has provided these recommendations:

•  Paddle with a safety margin: Be very aware of the size and shape of waves outside your paddling line. Look for surface clues to changes in the underlying depth and contours.

•  When paddling in risky conditions, carry safety equipment on your person, for example in your PFD. Wear your helmet when paddling in or near surf or shore.

•  Choose brightly coloured safety gear. When spotted by the passing paddlers, I was wearing a yellow helmet and yellow-orange PFD. Blues, whites and greens are hard to spot against an ocean backdrop.

•  Take steps to increase your likelihood of survival when you recognize the likely need. A rescue will not happen immediately. It can take quite some time for a rescue to take place because of the time required for each of the steps in the rescue (contact, organization, co-ordination, mobilization, travelling to the rescue location). If you are exposed to continuing risk during the wait, the sooner you blow the starter's whistle, the greater your chance of survival.

Chris James

Chris James has paddled extensively over the last four years throughout New South Wales and Tasmania. He is rumoured to have more kayaks than furniture - which in my opinion is just as it should be. Currently his focus is on kayak racing - but I am sure he will get over it soon.