healthdetective
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Kayaking Advice
Hello all. I will be down in a month or so for the winter and have decided to take up kayaking. I have two concerns. Being eaten by a shark and
being swept out to sea. The plan is to launch from the playas in Bahia Concepcion for a few hours of recreational kayaking. My questions are 1) How
realistic are my fears? 2) What should I be on the lookout for in general other than the beautiful views? Thanks!
�The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.� � Mencken
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Ateo
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Shark attacks are very rare. I would worry more about driving down Highway 1 before I started thinking about shark attacks.
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BigBearRider
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Your fears are far-fetched. Ateo's point about Mex 1 is a much greater concern, but we tend to discount it over more fearsome events like shark
attacks.
There are sharks everywhere. Very rarely do they "attack" or eat people. I'm not sure that I've heard of an attach in the Sea of Cortez, although
there are sharks there.
I think you are very unlikely to be swept out to sea in Bahia Concepcion. There is little wave action there. Wear a life vest. Bring a radio,
personal locator device, or similar, and you don't have to be concerned.
What type of kayak are you going to use? Composite or plastic? Sit on top, or sit inside?
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bkbend
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Wind will not be your friend. Spend a little time watching how the prevailing wind for your location blows and what kind of waves it kicks up. Talk
to folks who have spent more time at that location about the wind. Mornings are calmer (generally) than afternoons. Paddle out in the direction the
wind will blow from so you can come back with the wind. On a nice calm day paddle out and exit the kayak and practice getting back in. On a nice
windy day go out close to shore and practice in the wind and waves. Learn your limits so you know what to avoid when you are not close to shore.
Then practice getting back into your kayak when there are waves. Then you can paddle around, enjoy the views, and I wouldn't waste any thoughts
thinking about sharks.
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healthdetective
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Ateo Thanks for alleviating my concerns
BigBear Plastic, sit on top, fishing yak
BK Great advice, thanks!
�The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.� � Mencken
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BigBearRider
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You will have a blast. Don't worry about a thing. Watch some youtube videos from Bahia Concepcion. Many have kayaks in them. You'll see that it's
normally a very calm area.
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willardguy
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Quote: Originally posted by Ateo  | | Shark attacks are very rare. I would worry more about driving down Highway 1 before I started thinking about shark attacks. |
thats what they told Bethany Hamilton! love that barrel kick-stall she perfected! 
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bajabuddha
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Don't kayak alone, especially if you're a novice. Try to buddy up with someone with more experience and learn from them. You'll find many kindred
spirits around you just about everywhere you go.
Learn which way the winds generally come in from, and learn to watch the horizon for 'the black line' in the distance on a calm day. You have a half
hour to get your butt back into shore and safety, especially in winter before the waves hit.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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sancho
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Saw her here in SC recently, I've been surfing since balsa boards, what she does is nothing short of impossible.
Maybe overkill, the sit on top isn't going to sink, but throw in
a pfd if handy
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woody with a view
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After the shark knocks you into the deep how are going to crawl back on?
Hint: not from the side like with a surfboard. Crawl up from the tail on past the seat then sit upright.
Now you're ready for battle!
[Edited on 9-20-2016 by woody with a view]
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Maderita
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Try to plan your route so that upon return you will be paddling downwind.
If you leave the beach with the wind at your back, you will likely expend significantly more energy upon return. Don't underestimate the difficulty of
paddling into the wind.
Use a paddle leash if conditions are rough, or any time for a novice. If you fall off, the boat will be blowing away from you, downwind. Hang onto the
paddle (leashed to the kayak).
Always have a PFD.
Practice getting back onto your sit-on-top from each side, and also from the stern.
Have fun.
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AKgringo
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If you think you see a shark, don't stand up to get a better look! 
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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willardguy
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lol...probably not fair to healthdetective......but who caught this today on grindtv?
http://www.grindtv.com/paddle-sports/shark-pursues-kayaker-t...
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healthdetective
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Good stuff guys. I appreciate it.
�The average man does not want to be free. He simply wants to be safe.� � Mencken
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Pescador
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I have kayaked from San Felipe to La Paz and on the mainland side extensively. Go at your pace, learn how the wind effects the boat and the water,
go with experienced people when possible, know your limitations, wear a life jacket, and go slowly as you learn this wonderful way of interacting with
the water. The little beaches that are almost boring in a power boat, take on a wonderful perspective and you can explore each little nook and
cranny, which would be impossible on a power boat. I spent two weeks one time exploring Danzante Island and found new interesting things almost
every day. Fishing is also a magic time since you can get really up close and personal with the fish. Use a paddle leash so that when you get busy,
you do not have to worry about losing a paddle. A two pound trigger fish seems like a world trophy when caught from a kayak. Imagine the intensity
when you take out a friend and he hooks a 30 lb. yellowtail.
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wilderone
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Let someone know when you're going out, and tell them when you expect to return. At least read a book about kayaking. The wind is the main concern,
and get some fingerless gloves so your hands don't get blisters (cycling or weight lifting gloves work well).
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Ateo
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I saw one on YouTube the other day as well........a hammerhead.
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Marc
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All good advice posted. I have kayaked all over the world so I can say start out on Conception Bay. BOLA can have life threatening conditions for the
beginner, and Gonzaga is not very interesting IMHO.
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Alm
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In Concepcion it probably blows into the bay, towards the sandspit, most days. At least, it was, every time I drove by - never stopped there, places
like this make me claustrophobic
SOT kayaks are slow and heavy. Your propelling capacity will be limited. But at least you won't get (much) tidal current in that pond.
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BajaMama
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Paddle in the morning when winds are calm. I always try to get off the water by noon. You may even see a couple of whale sharks, but they won't eat
you!
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