I was in a 36-foot racing yacht one night attempting a crossing of the Molokai Channel, one of the most dangerous channel crossings in the world. And that night it was really showing its might. One of the scariest nights of my life. No, we did NOT make it, but we were able to come about and return to Ala Wai Harbor where I lived on that boat with my stupid husband (soon to be ex!). There were 30-foot waves as soon as we passed Diamond Head crater. Good grief. We finally got the main reefed. On the return trip, I was lying on the transom and a wave came right over the stern on top of me. The rule I made that night: Never sail with someone you feel doesn’t know what the hell they’re doing. And that was the last time I did.

You’re story is absolutely frightening, Randle. I have no idea why grown men make such ill-informed decisions. Why any of you were out on that lake that day…but those poor, vastly ill-informed kayakers. They would have been better off taking up sailing, then turned around much, much earlier. Very sad tale.