kayaker missing near Newport
 

Hope he is found safe...

NEWPORT BEACH – Coast Guard crews are continuing their search Friday morning for a 53-year-old man who told his family he went kayaking near Newport Harbor.

The U.S. Coast Guard got involved with the search at about 2 p.m. Thursday when Newport Harbor officials asked for assistance, officials said.

According to a Coast Guard statement, the man told a family member Wednesday that he was taking the kayak out for a few hours. That was the last time the family has heard from him, officials said.

Two helicopters and two boats were dispatched for the search near the harbor, said Adam Eggers, a Coast Guard spokesman.
"We have a lot of assets searching around that area," Eggers said.

A family member told the Coast Guard that the man almost never wears a lifejacket when kayaking, officials said.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/guard...officials.html

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — The Coast Guard says it has suspended the search for a 53-year-old kayaker who went missing several days ago off Newport Beach.

The search was suspended late Saturday after crews spent 52 hours looking 2,446 square miles without finding any signs of the man or his green kayak.

The man told a relative Wednesday that he was going to sea for a few hours but never came back.

Family members told the Coast Guard that he is an experienced kayaker and rarely wears a life jacket.

The Associated Press

God help his soul.

Wow scary. I hope he turns up.

Why do people always have to learn this lesson the hard way. Not much hope for him at this point so I just hope others can learn from his mistake.

I'm surprised at how many yakkers you see out there without PFD's. For me, a PFD is like a car seat belt, I don't go anywhere unless I have it on.

A radio, gps, whistle, compass and a few others should always be on the PFD as well.

Here in norcal, a windsurfer had a PFD and radio, but the battery ran out. She ended up spending overnight in the bay waters. Another lesson about having equipment that is fully charged.

RIP.

FYI, another hard lesson i learned like the stupid worthless 5Watt powerless VHF...
during that rescue with erinoo aka Eric N. a few months ago, I was wailing on my rape whistle to Darkhorse and he couldnt hear me in a motoring skiff from -75 Yards away....i almost passed out from lack of oxygen....saw thousands of stars i blew so hard....i asked him once yakside during the rescue, and he confirmed he didnt hear my whistle till -40 yards or closer..

PFD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...BePrepared.jpg

PFD's are a must!! I wouldn't be typing right now if it wasn't for my PFD.....BE smart OTW and be sure to have your safety equipment ready and within reach when the stuff hits the fan

just my .02

Definitely a personal choice issue.

If you choose not to, and need rescue, you should pay for it. OR, if rescue is not an option, you pay for the fare across the river Acheron.

This is all kind of like if you choose to catch the limit and keep them....heaven forbid. Personal choice. I am not a fan of the nanny state or of telling someone else how to live their life (aside from those who post too soon...I have no problem saying something then. :D)

I do not wear one. If something were to happen to me, I would not want a candlelight vigil, nor you the taxpayer to pay for my rescue should I be found alive. I should and would foot that bill.

Well put Whizz.

Also, the assumptions here are interesting. A family member said he rarely wears one and all of a sudden that's the verdict. Sure there's a good chance a lack of PFD may have sped up his demise (if that is even the case), but the chatter is too 'matter of fact' for what we do not know for certain.

From all the time I have spen on the river and scuba diving, I also have a rescue knife on my PFD. Had a buddy who got himself wrapped up in fishing line when a canoe ate it. Luckly I was able to get him and the canoe to the bank. He would have been drug under by the canoe in the next series of rapids. The PFD I was wearing at the time was rental crap. Did not float me at all. I now bring my own PDF to the party....

I am sorry for the loss of a family member for those that still remain. This is an unfortunate accident. Who knows what the cause was and all that transpired. A life vest maybe could have saved his life or caused the loss of it. I have been on the water my whole life and have had a life vest save my life and almost take it. Once again i am sorry for the loss of a person a human being.

Good point. I think for most everyone a PFD is a good choice. The one boating accident I was involved in, not wearing a vest likely saved my life as I was able to narrowly swim down and away from the spinning prop as it went over my head. Had I been wearing a vest I would have likely been diced up good by that prop.

Nothing scares me more on the water than a fast moving boat bearing down on me, big surprise..eh?