BUZZBAIT [G EAR]
LOUDand CLEAR “K
IN AN EMERGENCY,COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SAVES THE DAY BY BEN DUCHESNEY
ayak” Kevin Whitley was in trouble. He was in the middle of Chesapeake Bay, in the middle of
a squall and his kayak was sinking. “Mayday, Mayday,” he called on his handheld VHF, “I’m in a kayak near Latimer Shoals and I’m taking on water.” No answer. Whitley called again, but his radio was silent. “I
could see other boats, but they couldn’t see or hear me,” he says. When he saw a boat passing by, Whit- ley raised his bright green paddle blade and waved it madly. “The boat turned and started closing in and I knew I would be rescued.” Whitley’s story proves that even the best laid plans
of pro kayak anglers can go wrong. Relying on one form of communication is as foolish as parachuting out of a plane without a reserve chute. Now Whitley recommends carrying a VHF radio, SPOT tracking device, personal locator beacon, cellphone, flares, whistle and signal light. A handheld VHF is the first line of defense in an
on-the-water emergency. With a range up to five miles, a VHF radio can reach out to nearby rescuers. A two-way radio can prevent emergencies, too. “I monitor the weather reports on the VHF,” Whit-
ley adds, “I listen for changes in the conditions and se- vere weather alerts.” A VHF radio also allows anglers to keep in touch with each other. Satellite locator devices have gotten smaller, more
powerful and more reliable, making it easy to stuff one in your pocket before leaving the launch. A personal lo- cator beacon like ACR’s ResQLink transmits its location through satellite signals, accurate to 100 feet. A popular alternative is the SPOT Tracker. Users pay an annual subscription to send messages, track their location and send emergency alerts to rescuers. SPOT Connect al- lows users to do the same with their smartphone and update Facebook and Twitter from almost anywhere. Of course, many anglers rely on cellphones to keep
them in touch with the world while they are on the water. Housed in a waterproof case, a smartphone can be a powerful communication device. Be aware that phones have limited coverage and battery life, which could become an issue in an emergency situation. In addition to electronic communication devices,
Whitley recommends carrying reliable analog sig- naling devices, too. “A whistle, flare and good ol’ flag could save the day,” he says, “and they don’t re- quire batteries!”
DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here for a complete list of emergency communication devices.
26…KAYAK ANGLER WITH A WATERPROOF CASE, A SMARTPHONE CAN BE A
SMART CHOICE FOR ON THE WATER COMMUNICATION. PHOTO: CHRIS FUNK
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