Karen Langer had a close call while paddleboarding in Christchurch, New Zealand. In the video you see her paddling up to the beach in Cass Bay, and the moment after she gets off the board, the wind picks the board right off the water sending it right over her head nearly hitting her.
This is one of those fluke moments that are difficult to prepare for. Having a leash attached may have helped but with such strong winds it also could have still caused her harm.
It is important to keep an eye on weather forecasts before you go paddling. If there is any chance that the weather could take a turn for the worse, it is a good idea to remain close to shore or stay off the water altogether.
Its hard to say from the video but, it appears this Paddler does not have a Life Jacket nor a Board Leash… They are just asking for trouble!!
i’d agree with the above comment, no pfd, no leash but thankfully no leash with that wind .. !
Another National Enquirer moment for kayak media….sensational post that also includes an act of poor judgement (no PFD) – no concern for safety impression (or at least no mention to clarify). Also, IF you find yourself beached due to a windstorm and need to secure your kayak (a real kayak, not a fishing wanna-be or SOT), fill it completely with water. It will be incredibly stable and too heavy to blow anywhere in the wind…Just make sure you can read a tide chart if you are on an ocean beach when you do this.