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Galen Hekhuis
 
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Default Safety gear for using your kayak in the open ocean?

On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 06:12:59 GMT, "suds" wrote:

I scuba dive from my Ocean Kayak here in Hawai'i. The wife and I are
advanced divers but relatively new to diving off kayaks. Lots of folks talk
about how they dive off their kayaks here but nobody wants to actually show
you how it's done so we are learning the ropes on our own. We are slowly,
carefully, starting with shallow, near shore dives but working toward more
advanced, open ocean stuff. We find that we learn something new with each
dive. Safety is always the #1 concern. As we slowly learn and accrue
knowledge and our gear, what should be the order of priority? Here in
Hawai'i, it is very easy to be swept out into the open ocean. We carry a
gps, cell phones, and a vhf, along with extra water but obviously need more.
What is the group's opinion on various singling devices such as mirrors,
dyes, flares, strobes...? One person I spoke with went ballistic about a
first aid kit but it seems to be that if they don't find you, the band aids
won't be of any value.


suds


P.S. Flame away McDuff. ;^)


One of the things I have noticed is that if you want to be "found" it
really helps to have someone know you're missing. That someone may be at
the local yacht club (yacht clubs often have staff on 24/7) or it may be
just a friend, but it is often a good idea to have someone a bit worried if
you don't call by such and such a time.

Galen Hekhuis NpD, JFR, GWA
We are the CroMagnon of the future