When to call it quits?, what are the things that make you go in?

Hey everyone!

I was out on simcoe early this morning. I paddled from the north shore and headed towards bbp. Once i hit my target depth i dropped anchor and went to work. Lost track of time and befor i knew it the wind was whipping up and my paddle home was quite a workout.

So i have learned a really good lesson. Not only wind speed but direction can make your day a long one if you dont watch closely.

So my question to you more experienced kayak anlers out there, what do you consider to be send home signs?

Thanks!

I just keep checking windfinder.com for wind speed, direction and wave height. Usually pretty accurate.

If the wind is at your back on the way out likely to be paddling into a headwind on the way back. Lakes especially with no islands to tuck in behind can be brutal as nothing stops wind. Rivers and creeks can get out of the wind. Last week in only maybe 20-25kmh headwind I was stopped and drifting a bit sideways while paddling flat out. I was in the wide open marsh of a creek and would not consider that much wind on Simcoe. I check the weather/wind reports and look at the tree tops on land for an indication how much wind. Reading weather well usually results from big water experience when its more of an issue.

Good tips!i just have to be so much more vigilant.

Check windfinder and chose your time frame carefully.
Never challenge the mother nature.
For winds guts over 15-20km/h forget going out.

It may not always work the best for catching fish but I always go into the wind or up current first and slowly make my way back to my launch. Even if I have a break down I will be able to get back safely.

I am recently finding the windfinder is off, especially for remote locations.

Check ebay for a litte device called the "drill paddle." As the name implies it's a propeller shaft you put into the chuck of a cordless drill. For about $90 cdn in total you have an emergency trolling motor for when the wind kicks up. They dont take up too much room and work quite well. There are some youtube videos so you can see them in action. Now your ice drill can be put to use during soft water season, no motor mount or marine battery required.

When I am out kayak fishing, I always carry a VHF marina radio with me. The VHF unit I have includes Environment Canada 24-hour non-stop weather report (and marine/lake weather/wind report in particular) for the area where I am fishing, and includes DSC (Digital selective calling) which (when in emergency) at a push of a button would send digital signal to coast guard and to other boats nearby (if those boats also carry a VHF radio with DSC), and the DSC signal includes my current GPS co-ordinate, etc. If DSC is not available, there is still Channel 16 for emergency voice calling to coast guard and other boats nearby, etc.

Though to operate a VHF radio or more precisely if you talk/transmit voice/signal to others, you must have Canadian Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime). You don't need this certificate if you only listen to others (that is, if you do not transmit anything to others)

And did I mention board member "Berger" (who also replied to this thread ealier)? He and I took the full-day course in the same classroom on the same day about one and a half years ago, and then at the end of the day took the exam and passed the exam and got the certificate!:-)

And I must say this is no joke. About 4 years ago, one guy that I know of was kayak fishing off Lefroy, Innisfil for perch (in October 2016), and in the middle of nowhere the brutal wind and waves started, and his sit-in kayak got filled in water (or flipped over) , and he must be in water then, and unfortunately he didn't make it. I together with several other buddies searched for him a couple of times in that area and around Cook's Bay, until a few days later when his body was recovered by marine police. Here is a news report at the time:

https://www.simcoe.com/news-story/6925017-p...en-in-innisfil/

(I have many many photos of our search, of police search, and of the memorial service of this guy. Yes I attended this guy's memorial service, too)

Great tips xiaolu, I was wondering if you could share your experience here.

For some reason this device makes me laugh

For some reason this device makes me laugh

I don't have this "drill paddle", so I don't know if it works well or not. I assume it 's like a cordless drill plus a "home-made" propeller, and you just hold the drill in your hand to drive your kayak, which is a bit awkward to operate, but shall help I am sure.