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I went out to the caves in a folding kayak that I usually put float bags into, but lately got too lazy to do it. I did not bother to even take a bailing device since the swell report was 1-2 foot. But for whatever reason conditions were slightly rougher than anticipated and I got caught by a rebound reflected swell/current off the cliff inside one of the smaller caves north of the main cave. In trying to protect the bow from hitting rock I didn't brace on the other side and capsized for the first time in years. Of course since I had no skirt, floats or bulkheads, the boat flooded quickly and to the point that no deep water technique could drain it, while also being too heavy to swim-tow to the nearest beach which is hundreds of yards away.
I was getting to the point of leaving the kayak and swimming to the nearest climbable rocks, but luckily one of the kayak tour guides spotted me and came to help. First he towed me away from the caves and, after quickly realizing there was no way to drain the hull, offered to tow me to the rocks. He then helped me get this unbelievable heavy boat up into the incredibly slippery rocks (the incoming swell was still too rough to allow draining it halfway up the outcropping), and then even offered to help me launch it back in after the hull emptied, and after he went back to check on his patrons. Luckily I was able to time my launch and using a half-scramble self-rescue I re-entered without added incident and without disturbing the tour group's session further.
This tour guide whose name now escapes me was a total professional. Calm, deliberate problem-solving, physically and mentally capable and confidence-inspiring, I would venture to say anyone on a tour could not ask for a safer and friendlier guide than this. - via 