The sun was just starting to set and we were heading back to launch site. All I had were a couple of ‘takes’, while my buddy didn’t even managed any hook up. There were big luxury and commercial boats fishing boats around us and they were just as quite.
It turned dark as we paddled home. As visibility was low, we paddled close to the breakwaters while trolling our lures behind for a potential last minute special.
Both of us were enjoying paddling in relatively calm water and the wind was coming from behind us, it was just perfect.
Suddenly my buddy lure got stuck onto some coral. I stopped paddling and waited on the drift for him to sort out the stuck lure. The wind and the tide was leading back towards the direction of our base so I just drifted and waited. As I drifted further, I could hardly see my buddy.
As he took longer than usual to paddle towards me, I shouted for him but to no avail but I could still see the tiny headlamp he had on .... So he should be fine. I was just drifting further and further away from him. He is usually the strong paddler and should be with me in no time, I thought.
Then my phone rang, I thought that it could be Ian calling me for to ask for my location or maybe he caught something. It was my wife ..... "Are you coming back for dinner? What time? We have got ...... Blah blah blah." I had taken out the phone from my arm band and holding it.
Suddenly, a series of big waves came crashing onto my yak as I was distracted by the call, I turned my head and the back of my yak was already rubbing against the break water and I could see more waves coming towards my direction! "I have gotta to .... I am gonna crash onto the rocks” I shouted over the phone, dropped my iPhone onto the deck .... Grab hold of my paddle and paddled out toward the direction of the waves.
I paddled and paddled .... But I was not moving away from the rocks ... My transducer below my kayak was struck between the rocks and I can't get out! They waves began sending my kayak sideway against the rocks and I could feel that it's gonna flip me over onto the rocks anytime, I had lost all control of the yak!
I looked up and I could see bigger waves coming towards me. I had to abandon kayak or risk losing everything or at worst .... getting flipped over and crashing my head against the break water. I hopped out of the kayak. As I stand on the rocks the kayak floated up naturally with my weigh removed and dislogged itself. I turned the kayak and faced the incoming waves head on. Then I realized thet my iPhone was still lying on the deck! I had to picked it up and held it with my mouth as the waves hit! "Boom .... splash ....... Boom splash" ....and Bigger "boom splash" as I tried to prevent it from flipping over .... The waves was probably 4ft high as it rises up to my neck with each burst. My foothold slipped on the final wave sending my leg into a deep hole between the rocks.
As the waves calmed down ... I could see my 'all round white light' floating away. I wondered what else I have lost to the waves .... "Nevermind ... It could have been worst.”
I got back onto my kayak and paddled away from the breakwater. As I was taking account of what had happened, I found out that I had some really nasty deep cuts on my right leg and smaller cuts around my left ankle. I was bleeding badly as a layer of skin was torn off. Ouch!
I can't see my buddy anywhere, could he have paddled passed me already? I made a call to his mobile and he was still stuck in the same area. His lines was all messed and tangled up in the darkness. Updated him of my situation that I needed to paddle back to base asap. I do not know how bad the cut was and I wanted to make sure I am back in civilization just in case the bleeding does not stop. I don't wanna pass out at sea and there was still at least 15-30 minutes of paddling needed.
Ouch ouch!
I was glad I was wearing divers footwear that had relatively good grip on the slippery rocks. It could have been worst. I would like to advice all to wear proper footwear when out kayaking at sea from now on.
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