Dangers of the Dark

April-May 1999

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

by Lee Hindrichs

SAR files

At nine'clock on a summer's eve, a three-some-husband, wife and family friend-were in the envious position of being able to step out of their door into waiting kayaks and paddle a short distance to the local pub. An hour passed while the three told stories and sipped beer. Then it was time to hit the water, bound for home. That was the beginning of the nightmare.

At approximately eleven pm, they were paddling in the area known as Sproat Lake Narrows, an area well known for its volume of boat traffic. Passage is usually made on the north side of the narrows since the south side is rife with shallows and deadheads.

As they paddled through the Narrows, the threesome noticed the running lights of a motorboat headed in their direction. Later estimates put the motorboat's speed at 20 mph, far too fast for night travel. The kayakers realized that they were on a collision course with the powerboat as it appeared to swerve in their direction. They screamed and waved their paddles but the oncoming boat held its path and ran over the kayak of the young woman. The boat sped on, leaving death in its wake.

The woman's kayak was shattered. Unconscious and without the floatation of a lifejacket, she sank 132 feet to the bottom. Her companions were also capsized as parts of her kayak struck theirs. Upon regaining the surface, the two men searched for her. Their cries brought no answer and the night gave no light to search by. It has been seven years since the death of that young woman. Her tragic loss was classified as a homicide and the RCMP did eventually apprehend the operator of the powerboat. But the coroner's report states it was not the injuries she sustained that killed her. According to the report, "during the investigation and the autopsy, it was apparent that the life of the deceased might surely have been saved had she been wearing a life jacket. The concussion that she likely suffered from the collision with the power boat, although serious, was not deemed fatal and a flotation device would probably have saved her life."

Perhaps if we can learning something from the incident, this loss of life won't be a total waste. It is important to understand that the low profile of a kayak makes it difficult to be seen even in daylight. The higher off the water the viewer is, the more difficult it is to see low profiles. This problem is magnified when the sun is in the viewer's eyes or if visibility is already obscured due to weather conditions. At night it is impossible to see a kayak until a ship's lights illuminate it.

The guiding rule at night is that vessels reduce speed so that they will have time to respond to any object that their lights illuminates. That generally means dead slow, especially in an area of known traffic and other hazards. But the ocean is large and enforcement of rules is left to common sense much of the time. At present, anyone of any age can operate any type of boat without any training or previous experience. In fact almost two-thirds of Canadian powerboat users have not had any formal training. New regulations announced this year will change some of this by phasing in changes over the next several years. Among the regulations being implemented this year is licensing for operators of motor boats. Consult the safe boating guide or visit the government website at www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca for more information.

Rules are one thing, following them is another. On one occasion while paddling in Clayoquot Sound on a magical moonlit night, my emotions were torn between awe of the night and fright at the occasional powerboats that passed us. All were travelling at high speeds on a black night; some without running lights. It seemed to me that such speed at night could only indicate someone who knew the channels well, or someone involved in illegal activities, but neither would have had the slightest idea of our presence. I don't know if any of them would have had enough time to react if we had suddenly loomed in the short area of illumination that their lights afforded. The fact is, it's up to us to be seen. We can't depend on a vessel to be watching out for us since no one is expecting to see kayaks at night.

Kayaks fit into the same small boat category as dinghies and rowboats. When under way they should exhibit a white light. A waterproof flashlight used when you see or hear an approaching vessel may be adequate. Flash the oncoming boat once or twice then shine the light on your boat to illuminate yourself, but don't wave the light wildly. Most mariners would take that as a distress signal and come to investigate.

Glow sticks do not cast light very far and are better used as a guide to keep a group of kayaks together than as a navigational light for night paddling

If using chemical glow sticks to illuminate your boat at night note that the green light indicates the starboard (right) side of a ship and red light indicates the port (left) side. So the improper use of coloured glow sticks could create confusion for other vessels.

Port and starboard running lights on larger vessels cover a 112.5 degree arc from the bow to amidships. A white light with a 135-degree arc covers the stern. These three lights together make a 360-degree arc. In addition to these lights, any boat under power must also display a forward "steaming light", a white light covering the same arc as the port and starboard lights combined. The purpose of these lights is to be seen as opposed to seeing. It must be stressed that it is your responsibility to be seen when paddling at night.

Additional safety measures which are prudent for paddling at night include reflective tape on your kayak, paddle and life jacket. You should also carry a strobe light attached to your life jacket. In the event of capsizing, the strobe can be turned on, alerting your partner to where you are. It will also alert any vessels in the area that there is a problem as most mariners will investigate a strobe light.

It is also wise for night paddlers to hug the shoreline as closely as possible to reduce the likelihood of collisions. With all these considerations in mind, you can enjoy the magic of moonlight, the beauty of phosphorescence, and return safely to shore.