Another Wednesday evening practice is in the books. All week I mused about the previous week's practice of the heel hook assisted rescue. I found it difficult and time consuming to try and grab the rescuer's deckline because, in holding my kayak, the rescuer tended to dip the edge of their kayak down and away.
I redid the rescue this week with Brian. Instead of grabbing decklines I grasped his wrist as he held my kayak and pulled myself into the cockpit. No problem. I would just grab a hold of anything close at hand as there isn't as much torque on the kayak climbing in as in some other rescues.
Brian suggest one impediment to doing this rescue with someone not familiar with it. As luck would have it Ryan, a novice paddler, joined us for the first time and was the perfect "guinea pig". He was reluctant to jump in the water but I convinced him it would be good practice. He wanted me to explain the rescue first. I said I'd coach him step by step once he was in the water. He got out of his kayak and with a couple of simple instructions we completed the rescue in good order.
Just outside the cove we encountered a swimming porcupine.
I spent the most time tickling the dragon, paddling and sitting next to the rocks to ride the waves crashing ashore. Good practice edging the kayak into the incoming wave and quickly the other way as the water rebounded off the rocks.
All good fun and time spend in the kayak.
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