Dave and I did a lap around the Diamonds on Tuesday night. The fog threatened a bit but it held off while we paddled. The bay was calm. It was a great night for kayaking.

We shared beach space with another group of paddlers from MOAC. They were headed toward Mackworth Island. Except for one paddler who didn't have a complete paddle. There were the same sides to two different paddles. That meant the two halves - which normally connect - couldn't click together.

It was the kind of mistake that reminded me of the time I completely forgot to bring a paddle. I avoid that these days by keeping all my paddles in my car until snow starts falling.

I hesitated to blog about this but a Lewiston man drowned this morning. He and a friend were in a paddleboat on a pond in Scarborough. They found an abandoned kayak, and one of them decided to paddle it back to a campground. It was during the return trip that Michael Gould fell out of the kayak and drowned.

I'm sorry. My heart goes out to Michael's family and friends. It seems to me he was trying to help someone by returning their kayak to the campground. He didn't deserve this to happen to him.

But it could have been avoided. Michael wasn't a swimmer but he had a life jacket in the boat. If he had it on properly, it could have saved his life.

I understand why this could happen. A beautiful, peaceful morning. A nice calm pond. What can go wrong?

You can fall out of a boat that you are not used to using - easily.

You can panic.

You can be too far from someone trying to help you.

My intention isn't to be mean or be a Monday morning quarterback about a tragic accident. But this summer, thousands of people will go out on lakes and ponds like this. Many will not think they are taking any risks. And they most likely will return to shore safely after having a ton of fun.

But who wants to be the exception? Please wear a PFD. It's worth it.

I should have written this yesterday I know. But I was reminded of it yesterday when I ran into a friend at EMS. We talked shortly about kayak safety. Like a lot of paddlers, this month's accident off Wood Island has us auditing our safety gear and procedures.

It jogged my memory about an incident almost a year ago near Plum Island, Mass. Two experienced kayakers headed out in choppy seas and found themselves out of their kayakers. One kayaker lost his boat. Both lost their paddles. Neither one was able to get into the one kayak they had. While they clung to the kayak, their radioed for help. It took the U.S. Coast Guard several hours and a helicopter to rescue them.

Both kayakers survived relatively unharmed. One of them posted a trip report on the North Shore Paddlers Network site. It's an incredibly frank accounting of what went wrong and what went right. There are quite a few comment - most questions about their equipment. And they answered the questions.

Here are the highlights:

• Both kayakers thought they had handled rougher seas before that day. They had confidence in their abilities.
• Both knew how to roll their kayaks but had to exit their boats anyway.
• They wore dry suits, fleece, gloves and a hat. After several hours in the water, their body temperatures dropped a few degrees but they were not hypothermic
• The kayaker who lost his boat had his VHF radio attached to his PFD. The second kayaker had a radio in his kayak day hatch. When the batteries died in the first radio, they used the second to keep in contact with the Coast Guard.
• When rescue ships were in the area, they used flares to help the Coast Guard hone in on their location.
• If it was not attached to the boat or the PFD, they lost it. Things that were simply held by deck lines got washed away.

It's an incredibly long piece but worth every minute spent reading it. It's scary because two very good paddlers needed rescue. It's good news because they made very good decisions that saved their lives. It means that planning can mitigate risks and save your life.

Brandon Andrusic has written about the night he and Tim Gutmann headed out from Biddeford Pool. It's an incredibly moving story that is a must read.

Guides have some basic tips that will help. Float plans and signaling devices would help speed up rescue efforts.

Timothy Gutmann died Tuesday evening after his kayak capsized near Biddeford Pool. He was paddling with Brandon Andrusic.