In reply to UKC Videos:
Three of us did just this in the early '90s, paddling out in a double and single kayak. The sea was far from calm on the way out and the swell made for a most interesting landing on Church Rock. While we were climbing the wind really got up and the swell became huge and with waves now breaking over the Rock, there was no chance of getting back in the kayaks in the normal way. So I held the back end of the Toppolino Duo while the other two got in and when they were ready I let go and they made a spectacular seal launch into the now raging sea. My only option was to chuck my boat into the sea, jump in and swim after it. The two in the Toppo managed to empty it and hold it steady in the huge swell while I climbed in.
The paddle back to the beach was epic; the sea was now so big that we couldn't see each other in the swell at times and the final coup de grâce involved some totally gripping surfing in on huge 2-3m dumping waves.
Over the years, the climbing on Church Rock has faded from memory. However, the epic of getting back to the shore definitely hasn't.
There must be a moral to this story somewhere ....
Post edited at 12:42