Introduction to Sea Kayaking - July 19, 2026

Celebrating a successful assisted rescue

We had a great session for RICKA’s Introduction to Sea Kayaking – 8 participants, just about the right size.

The session was held at Wickford Harbor, which gave us a lot of options to find different conditions. We reviewed the gear you need for sea kayaking, worked on strokes (efficient forward and backward strokes, sweep strokes for turning the boat, draw and pry strokes to move the boat sideways, bow and stern rudders to hold the boat on a line or turn into the wind, edging, bracing and stopping), and rescue techniques (towing, assisted rescues and self-rescues). Everyone did great.

The crew

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My Pictures

Gaging Wave Height

A visual reference of wave height while on the water:

• if your paddling partner's kayak disappears behind a wave, but you can see the rest of the paddler that is 1 feet waves 
• if you can see just the head of your paddling partner, that is 2 ft waves
• if you don't see the partner, but you can see his/hers paddle tip, that is 3 ft waves 
• if you loose sight of your partner/group that is 4 ft+ waves
• if you have a distant horizon, the waves are less than 3 ft
• if your horizon is the crest of the wave immediately in front of you, the waves are over 3 ft

Wave heights on the NWS Marine Forecast site are reported as "significant wave height", which is the average of the highest third of the waves. Individual wave heights may be more than twice the "significant wave height".

Deep Water Rescues

Swimmer out of the boat

The deep water rescue is a fundamental skill for all sea kayakers. It should be practiced until it is quick, efficient and can be done in a variety of conditions.

For the swimmer, the rescue starts with a wet exit – tuck forward, pull the grab loop to release the skirt, and push yourself out of the boat (hit the deck, pull the skirt, show the moon). Hopefully you can do all this while still holding onto your paddle. If for some reason you can’t find the grab loop, run your hands along the sides of the cockpit and release the skirt from the sides of the combing.

Rescuer empties the boat

Once out of the boat you need to keep hold of your boat and your paddle. Flip the boat over and move to the bow waiting for help, yelling “swimmer” or raising your paddle if necessary to get the rescuer’s attention. At this point the rescuer will come in to make contact with the swimmer's boat. It is usually best to come in at an angle, hook the boat with the paddle, grab the deck lines and once stable stow your paddle under the deck lines.

Once the rescuer has stable contact they need to empty the boat. The swimmer will move the rescuer’s bow or stern while the rescuer turns the swimmer's boat perpendicular, pulls the boat up on the deck and rolls it over to empty. Once the boat is empty, the rescuer needs to lift the boat slightly so the cockpit rim stays over the water as they roll it back upright. You usually only need to pull the boat up on the deck to about the front hatch.

Swimmer reenters the boat

Once the boat is empty, the rescuer will use the deck lines to move the swimmer’s boat alongside their own. It is usually best to orientate the boats bow to stern, but bow to bow is fine if that is easier. Either way the rescuer needs to hold on to the deck lines on the front deck to leave the rear deck free for the swimmer to enter.

With the boats in position, the swimmer moves into position to reenter the boat. If they still have their paddle, now is the time to pass it to the rescuer who can stow it in the deck lines or hold it across both boats to increase stability.

Swimmer back in the boat

The swimmer reenters the boat by pulling themselves up on the rear deck, reaching over to grab the deck lines on the rescuer’s boat, sliding their feet into the cockpit and scooting down into the cockpit, and rolling over to the outside of the rescuer’s boat back into the seat. You can also use a heal hook with the outside leg to roll up int the cockpit.

Once the swimmer is back in the boat, the rescuer will wait until any remaining water is pumped out, the spray skirt is attached and the swimmer has their paddle and is comfortable before releasing.

Rock Rescues

If you spend enough time playing in rocks you will eventually come out of the boat. How you respond depends on the conditions you are in and the availability of help.

The first order of business if you come out of your boat in the rocks is to get yourself into a safe position. You never want to be in between the rocks and the boat, so position yourself with the kayak between you and the rocks. Once you are in a safe position, you can begin to think about how to get out.

Swimming out is a proactive way to get yourself to safer water. If the distance is short, you can simply grab the boat and go. Flip the boat over, swim to the end of the boat furthest away for the rocks, grab the toggle, and aggressively swim out of the feature. You can either stow your paddle in the deck lines or hold it in your hands as you swim.

If the distance is longer, it may be easier to attach your tow line. Once again, get to the end of the boat furthest from the rocks, clip on your tow line and go. Once in calmer water you can pull in the boat, unclip and tuck the towline in your PFD to prevent it from getting tangled in the rocks, and do a self or assisted rescue.

If someone is nearby and the distance is short you can do a toggle tow. Flip your boat over, and move to the toggle at end furthest from the rocks. The rescuer paddles in and presents the bow or stern toggle for the swimmer to grab, and paddles out of the feature. Once in calmer water you can do an assisted rescue

If conditions are rough it might be better for the rescuer to use the tow line. The swimmer gets in the safe position on the rescuer’s boat while the rescuer clips the tow line on the swimmers boat and paddles out. Once in calmer water you can pull the boat to you and do an assisted rescue.

Once the rescuer has the swimmer out of the rocks, it is often helpful to have a third member of the team clip on to the rescuer’s boat for an anchor tow that prevents them from drifting back into the rocks during the rescue.

Launching and Landing - September 7, 2024

I had some repair work done on my sea kayak (skeg and bulkheads), so I decided to check it out at Lincoln Woods. I also decided that I would spend some time on launching and landings.

Being and open boater, I find one of the hardest parts of kayaking is getting in and out of the boat. I am OK launching and landing using the paddle as a brace, but that doesn’t work so well in surf. Mike tried to explain a surf launch at the RICKA Meeting on the Water,  but it didn’t work out so well.

I knew I needed to get better at a surf launches and landings, so I practiced today. Here is what I came up with for launching:

• Pull the boat out into the water – it should be floating, but the stern can rest slightly on shore for support.
• Straddle the boat, and drop into the seat - I found it easier if I didn’t settle all the way down in the seat.
• Using the paddle as support, bring your first leg in – not the leg on your paddle side.
• Continuing to use the paddle as support, bring your other leg into the boat and slip all the way into the seat.

I didn’t have the skirt on, so I’ll have to try it with the skirt next time. Landing is similar:

• Paddle in to shore bow first – bow can rest slightly on shore for support.
• Pull one leg up and out of the boat – I find it easier if I push myself slightly up and out of the seat.
• Using that leg as support move the other leg to the center of the boat.
• Holding onto the cockpit combing push yourself up to a standing position.

I paddled around Olney Pond stopping anywhere that I could to do a landing and a launch. I got pretty good at it by the time I got all the way around. I did cheat a little by have the bow and stern resting slightly on shore for support.