Inside The Sabtang Triangle (7/14)

Giving a finger to the Sabtang Triangle. Photo by Moira.

"That was unfair! Breaking waves in the middle of the sea!", Moira was spot on, again!

"Bail Moira! Bail quick!", I shouted above the din of winds and waves.

"Where is the bailer?", she asked.

During the capsize, both the bailers had floated away. I ripped her bottle from her kayak deck and unclipped my knife.

"Can I have a sip before you destroy the bottle?", she asked.

Good sense…. here is your sip…now give me that bloody bottle! I cut and tore the bottle into half and passed them to Moira as bailers. I pulled hard on the sea sock to empty it of water. 

"I need you to get between the kayaks, put a leg on the cockpit, get the balance, and slowly slide yourself in. Wait for the correct wave.", I slowly repeated the same instructions as last time. 

I was shivering from the cold sea and my legs were being pulled by the strong waves. Once Moira was in, I immediately jumped back inside my still flooded kayak. I did not want to be in the water.

"Bail bail bail!", I shouted as the 2 of us jabbed at my flooded cockpit with the cut bottles.

"Bail, but don't pushed down my kayak. Moira, keep it still!", wave after wave continued to flood the kayak despite our constant effort.

It was clear the bailing was not working. It was also clear to me I needed to get out of the kayak, empty it, float it, before I should climb inside again. But there was no way I was going back into the freezing waves.

I thought of asking Moira to use a T-rescue to drain out the water, but it is not quite advisable to use this technique on a foldable. I kept on the useless bailing, hoping to see a decrease in water level. But wave after wave continued to smash into our kayaks. 

"This is not working. I need to think. Let me think. Keep bailing.", I told Moira.

You dimwit Huey! This time you have really crossed the line… going out without a sprayskirt… who do you think you are to break the cardinal rules of expedition kayaking? What would you have said if one of them went out without a sprayskirt. 

The problem was not whether I could think. The problem was whether I could do what was required, to swim into the cold waves again to drain out the kayak. The solution was clear as light. Bailing the kayak was just making excuses against reality.

It would be uncomfortable but it works, do it!

"Moira, I need you to listen to me carefully. I want you to completely dry out your kayak and seal your sprayskirt tight. Are there any water inside the sea sock? If so, pump them out now."

"I am going to jump inside the water and re-float the kayak. So I need you to be very buoyant and hold on tight to 3 things: my paddle, GPS, and radio. Do you understand? It is very important you stay upright, buoyant, and hold on to these 3 things."

"OK, got you.", she nodded her head and I jumped out of the kayak into the water. 

Immediately the force of the waves attempted to separate me from the kayak. I deliberately capsized the kayak again. Now I just need to turn the kayak on its sides to drain out some of the water. 

"Moira! Push! Help me!", I kicked hard to lift up the flooded kayak to its side.

Water rushed out of the cockpit and the kayak slowly turned. But a big wave flooded it again. I tried again and again, until I managed to just empty out half the water. 

"Now bail, quick quick!"

I let Moira bail as I held on to the stern of the two kayaks. I could feel the impressive strength of the waves underneath on my legs. Each time a wave passed, we were cupped up high and left to slide. 

I could not wait a second to get the back on the kayak.