I took the (really not-so-) new scupper pro out for the first time over the holiday.
Right after launch I was rigging everything up and scooted up to the hatch to grab something... That's a surprisingly narrow kayak...
I barely shifted to one hip and it *tossed* my ass in.
Didn't flip. Didn't lose anything.... Well, maybe a bit of dignity.
You can always count on a friend to have their camera out at the right time
It was a good reminder though-
That was my first time having to get back in a kayak in deep water...
Mind you, I swim over a mile every other day. Days I'm not swimming, i'm lifting. I'd like to think I'm in decent shape.
I also know to belly/butt/legs/feet.
It also took me *seven* tries to get back in. Most times I just ended up getting thrown over the other side once I was bellied up. This was also with a friend holding the bow line to stabilize the boat.
NRS chinook with full pockets and a radio attached is basically a grappling hook, and it's remarkably difficult to get the life vest past the side of the boat. Paddle bungeed on the kayak is a great place for it to find purchase. As is a gaff.
I had read it here a few times. I see it in Kayak Angler magazine regularly.
I didn't think it was that big of a deal until it happened to me.... when I'm on the ocean, it's hard for me to remember to even sip some water or eat a snack, as I want to get as much fishing time in as possible.
Just a reminder that it's a great idea to intentionally flip your kayak a time or two just to know what it's like. My spill was under ideal circumstances, and even at that it was both disorienting and challenging to figure out.