Close encounter of yet another kind

[nickcrowhurst]

As a lifelong crag rat and kayaker and sailor I'm thoroughly ingrained with the "what if" approach to training, equipment, tactics and stategy. So, I aim, like most of you, to have practiced, trained and rehearsed for all sorts of eventualities. Except the one that occurred yesterday................
I was solo paddling my sea kayak in open water, in daylight, here in the USA, heading straight into a gentle 5 knot breeze and negligible sea state, when I saw a low flying light aircraft heading on a reciprocal course about half a mile away. The aircraft was rapidly losing height, and I spotted the floats under the wings. It touched down about 200 yards away,(a downwind landing), and was rapidly approaching. This was not one of the better moments in my life. I had perhaps ten seconds before a possible impact. It wasn't clear to me whether the plane would go to my port or starboard, or score a direct hit.
So, a quiz. What would you do? (BTW, my choice of action was hopelessly wrong.)
You can assume you have your usual very full range of emergency equipment, including a change of underwear.
You will also be correct in assuming the aircraft missed me.
Nick.

[MarineMammal]

1) Turn so the bow is facing the plane, instead of being beam-on, so as to present the smallest possible 'target'.

2) Hold my paddle up high and vertical, and wave my red blades around so the pilot would see me and (hopefully) steer clear.

3) All the above failing (i.e. looks like he's going to hit you anyway), roll to upside-down, wet exit, and swim straight down.

Does sound like quite a fright.

[Jim]

Nick, that can be a worry on my local patch because we have a seaplane operating here (just one though).
My understanding is that a sea plane is required to make a low level pass to check the landing area is clear before coming back round to land, kayaks are hard to see but you may have a case against the pilot if he didn't do the first pass (assuming FAA and CAA have similar rules of course)

As to how I would avoid it, the only option I can see is to capsize and wait - hopefully you will be able to tell when it is past if it doesn't hit you, if it does it will probably wreck your boat but since there is no prop in the water you might get away with less personal damage than Nigel did after the RIB incident.

The charts here do mark seaplane operating areas so at least we have a chance to paddle around if necessary, America has much more open space - can they just land where they like?

[Graham T]

As the pilot was making a down wind landing I would not have much faith in his modus operandi The suggestions already made for action to take make sense but a rudder strike while not as bad a propeller would still spoil your day glad it turned out okay this time, did you get to have words with the pilot ?

[nickcrowhurst]

Well, my chosen action in those few seconds was a complete waste of precious time. I whipped out my VHF, and squawked on channel 16 "Sea plane, sea plane, sea plane, this is blue sea kayak, blue sea kayak, dead ahead, Do you see me, do you see me?"

No reply, of course, but the aircraft peeled gently to one side, and taxied past about 30 yards away. I called again. No reply, and the pilot was looking straight ahead, and didn't seem aware of me. The aircraft turned through 180 degrees, and immediately took off, this time reassuringly into the wind.

My subsequent internet research indicates that seaplane pilots here have no requirement to monitor VHF channel 16, and are solely required to use the Air Traffic Control frequency. In this State they are required to keep a minimum of 100yards from other vessels, unless the layout of the waterway maks this impractical. (It didn't). If I was piloting a sea plane I would appreciate the ability to warn other craft of my inteneded landing.

On reflection, if this situation recurrs, I think I would go with waving the paddle vertically, as I did on one previous occasion in the Inter-Coastal Waterway in the Florida Keys when a mass of power boat racers roared round a bend at about 80 knots towards me. On that occasion I also switched on my strobe, and hid behind a navigation marker post, the size of a telegraph pole.

I don't know if a seaplane pilot would have seen my black Werner Kalliste paddle. Many light aircraft are "tail-draggers", and can see very little ahead when taxiing, but seaplanes seem to have a good view ahead. However, if a collision was inevitable, in the last two seconds I would probably aim to capsize.

I went back to base for a large strong coffee.
Nick.

[nigelhatton]

I have a bit of experience with a similar incident from last year but can't really think now what I would do at the time or in the future if something like this happened. I certainly would never try to turn my kayak to face the hazard, if I had time to do that I could use it better to paddle forwards or backwards as fast as possible and hopefully avoid a collision.

I would definatly have my usual hi-vis gear on even though it never helped me last time.

God help us all, some will need it.

[andre]

Very little time.

Would igniting a Flare prior to capsize,exit and dive been feasible ?

[MarineMammal]

I certainly would never try to turn my kayak to face the hazard, if I had time to do that I could use it better to paddle forwards or backwards as fast as possible and hopefully avoid a collision.

If your current heading is taking you across the pilot's probable landing path, or if he seems a bit 'squirrelly' and it's hard to predict precisely what his landing path is, then turning may be a good idea. At the minimum, I'd rather be a 2' target than a 17' one. o_O

Though I agree, if there's no time, then forget that and paddle-signaling, and just cut straight to capsize, wet exit, and swim downwards. Problem is, it'd be hard to think quickly and rationally for such an event, considering that almost no one ever practices for something like this.

The most 'natural' reactions are probably frantic paddle-signaling and then jumping the heck out of the boat. Oh, and perhaps something involving involuntary bodily functions.

...

[canoegnu]

Hi Nick,

Did you manage to get the registration number of the aircraft ? If so, you should report it as a near miss to the FAA. You can probably do it via their website. They will then take it up with the pilot, to make sure he takes greater care in future.

Cheers,

Ian

[Ken_T]

Hi,
It is actually very difficult to swimm straight down if you are wearing a buoyancy aid. I doubt that you would have time to remove it.
Ken

[nickcrowhurst]

Did you manage to get the registration number of the aircraft ? If so, you should report it as a near miss to the FAA. Ian

Ian, I didn't take the number, but without a good independent witness I wouldn't report it, especially when not in my home country. However, I agree with you in principle. A pilot landing down-wind and heading straight for another water user needs some advice.
A mention was made, above, of the use of flares. I carry a packet of red smoke and light flares in my top left BA (PFD) pocket, but deploying one would have taken too long. If I'd been in my sailing boat I would have had my Very pistol with white "steamer scarer" cartridges. That would have been ideal, except that the time would have been too short even to get to the pistol.
I had a similar incident a couple of years ago in the Florida Keys, when a power boat came fast towards my starboard side, towing a paraglider on my port side. Clearly the tow wire was across my path, and approaching fast, perhaps at neck height. I called on Channel 16, again with no response. The outfit passed. I never saw the wire, and have no idea how close it came.
Maintaining a listening watch on 16 is clearly not always enthusiatically embraced.
Nick

[MarineMammal]

Hi,
It is actually very difficult to swimm straight down if you are wearing a buoyancy aid.

What if you're trying real hard? It's an emergency, and you'd only have to be down for a few seconds.

My curiosity now piqued, I'll have to try it.