After signing the release forms, and a short chat on the beach we launched from Hobie beach at CIH on the dot at 11am. we proceeded to the pond just behind the breakwater for a review of the t-rescue and the paddle-float-re-enter-and-roll in calm water first. Chuck and Wayne demonstrated a t-rescue that was done under 1 min - apparently a requirement for bcu 3* certification. For the 4* level, it is 1 minute in rough water. After the demo, the six of us paired up with partners and did the t-rescues with each person being the rescuer and rescuee. Wayne was timing us as we did it and all of us could do it within 1.5 mins.
About half of us had never done the paddle float re-enter and roll, so we proceeded to the beach behind the pond and Wayne worked with Jim to show how it was done. All of us practiced with Wayne and Chuck giving us pointers and help as needed. I myself had never been able to do it and was very happy to have finally done it with help from Chuck. The trick I think is to commit to fully going upside down in the water and to think of pulling the kayak down to touch the butt. This time, I carried along my swim goggles and it made a big difference to be able to actually see what I was doing wrong or right under the water.
While we were practicing by the beach, Wayne made the observation that the bow of my boat was lower in the water than the rest of the boat and wanted Chuck and me to check out the front hatch on the beach. We opened it and lo and behold: it was full of water! No wonder that it felt really heavy when I landed and dragged it up the beach earlier. Wayne took a look and found a leak in the seal of the bulkhead on the side of the front hatch. Luckily, Chris had an inflatable flotation bag that I borrowed to put into my front hatch.
Soon after, we headed to the back wall of the breakwater. Wayne had us all get within a 10-15 feet of the rocks, capsize, tow our boat away from the wall and do the quickest solo re-entry we could. although, I had just learnt how to do the re-enter and roll, I thought I would give it a try instead of my tried and tested regular paddle-float re-entry method. And, it worked! I was elated!! Now, the paddle-float re-enter and roll has become my new primary self-rescue method! At least until I learn how to roll - the goal for this summer.
After that, all of us paddled around the breakwater and headed to the front side of the break water wall of rocks. Each one of us paired up again to do a self-rescue and t-rescue. Wayne had each of us paddle in toward the wall and had us capsize near where white foam was forming - about 15-20 feet from the rocks. For the self rescue, after the capsize we had to swim away from the rocks and then try the re-enter and roll. For the t-rescue, he had us hang onto the bow of our partner's boat while they back paddled us to a safer place to do the t-rescue. I learnt that if you do things methodically and deliberately and without rushing, the rescues work just as fine in the rough water. Only when I let the conditions make me rush through something - especially the re-enter and roll - did I fail. Like Chuck said, it is better to do it slowly and right once rather than to do it quickly and fail multiple times.
All in all, it was a very useful class. after three hours of playing rescues in the water, we headed back to Hobie beach for clean-up and the traditional after-paddle meal at Daddi-o's. Many thanks to Len for organizing the class and to the participants for a great time on the water and to Wayne and Chuck for a great class.
Kiran Nimmagadda