Just read this... which freaked me out a bit considering i was sailing my AI at Cap Naturalist by myself in 25knot winds over Xmas... Anyone not familiar with the location, distance and conditions, from Cape Naturaliste to Rottnest Island would be Approximately 300km and is one of the windiest and what can be wildest places on Earth with what is known as the Roaring 40s.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/dunsborough-kayak-event-almost-turned-deadly-20110107-19is5.htmlDunsborough kayak event almost turned deadlyFran Rimrod
January 7, 2011 - 5:14PM
Two men have been fined after a Dunsborough event they were hosting almost killed a group of kayakers.
A Busselton court ordered the duo to pay $1900 in fines and costs after they were found guilty of offences under the Navigable Waters Regulations.
The men had organised a kayak event in October 2008 in Geographe Bay.
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Department of Transport South-West regional manager Peter Kiely said the two had failed to make appropriate safety arrangements and didn't seek the approval of his department to hold the event.
He said that during the event several participants were blown off their kayaks and out to sea as weather conditions changed near Cape Naturaliste.
"There were no safety or rescue arrangements in place and some participants were lucky to be rescued by recreational boaters passing by," Mr Kiely said.
"Other paddlers were blown out to sea and, once again, recreational vessels were coincidentally passing by and rescued the paddlers. The organisers were unaware because they did not have a list of participants."
Mr Kiely said some participants were taken by ambulance to hospital suffering from exhaustion. A lost kayak was found 30 km west of Rottnest a week later.
"If not for the recreational boaters passing by and the help of a commercial vessel and two Volunteer Sea Search and Rescue vessels, a fatality almost certainly would have occurred," Mr Kiely said.
Mr Kiely said the problems could have been avoided if the organisers had applied for approval to hold the event. The Department of Transport would have insisted on a range of safety measures including a manned rescue craft, adequate supervision ratios, participant lists, foul weather strategies and first aid planning.