It was the first paddle of the year and Miller Time and I were only going to paddle to the brake water were the Salmon River empties in to the Pacific Ocean. We stopped on a sand spit and made a game plan; we would just go around the corner and check out the seals then paddle back and setup camp. When we reached the brake water, I stopped but to my surprise, Miller Time kept on paddling. He successfully surfed on a couple of sets of waves then he let a smaller wave go by and tried to ketch the next one, but it was to big. The wave picked up the 18-foot kayak loaded with 200 pounds of camping gear and promptly rolled it over. The first thing I thought was oh shit he doesn't expect me to go out and help him. Then his hand went up. It was one of the two person ruff water rescues we had practiced verbally on the way down. I reluctantly sprinted out to the kayak. It was still over turned and there was no sign of Miller Time then a head popped up he looked at me and laughed with a big grin on his face just like a thousand times before, it was surreal. Then Miller Time tied his front tie down rope to my back bungee. I paddled as hard as I could but to no avail. 3-foot breakers were rolling over us every 15 seconds and a 3-knot head current on a outgoing tide. "Shit"! I called to Miller Time "this is not working we need a longer rope". In the panic, we both forgot he had made up a 20-foot safety Through rope on the way down and it was strapped on the back of his Kayak. The next wave came crashing in and the two short of rope pulled tight and almost pulled me over Miller Time dishearten untied the rope.

The next wave rolled over us they were getting bigger. I looked up from a brace stroke and Cascade Head was now looming over us not more than 20 yards a way. I looked back at Miller Time and yelled for him to grab the back of the Kayak we needed to leave his kayak behind and make a brake for shore. He refused to leave his rented kayak. The next wave rolled over us by this time the waves had groan to over 4 feet and the next one was going to role me over for sure. I tried one last time to convince Miller Time to leave his kayak. I could not hear what he was saying over the crashing waves but I could see him shaking his head no. The next thing I did was the hardest decision of my life I left Miller Time. I surfed the next wave as far toured shore as I could. When I turned, Miller Time was being eaten by 20 foot foaming white monsters. I sprinted to a pocket beach, pulled my cell phone out from my front hatch, and called 911.

When I reached, 911 they informed me there rescue unites were down south about 60 miles assisting with the wreck of the New Curries. They explained it had broken loose in the ruff seas when they were trying to tow it out to deep water and its now drifting toured shore. When they asked what kind of emergency I had. I needed to repeat it twice. When they asked in disbelieve "how did it happen" I replied we where just having some fun and things got a little out of hand. It was clear by their silence on the other end of the phone just how big of fools we were.

It took both hands to steady the binnacles to find two small dots bobbing up and down in the swells. Over the phone, they replied there would be rescue personal there in twenty minutes. I lost eyesight of Miller Time for about ten minutes. Then just as I gave up hope one last scan of the horizon I spotted a small silhouette in the last set of breakers three times as tall as he was. I jumped in my Kayak, sprinted to the far side of the river, and ran down the beach to find my friend bruised, out of breath and exhausted. Just then, a watercraft screamed out of the mouth of the river and followed the beach line to where we were. The rescuer examined Miller Time and checking for hypothermia and commented on how luck he was. Miller Time replied too the rescuer he was glad to see him if he had failed to get in his kayak he would have needed the rescuers assistance. After the rescuer left, I congratulated Miller Time on the ultimate self-rescue but asked him not to try it again. Sadly I don't yak with Miller Time as much he always added a bit of zest to any trip.

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