Re: [Paddlewise] Group Dynamics/Rescue

John C. Winskill wrote:
> (SNIP)
> It is often forgotten that each paddler is ultimately responsible for
> his/her own safety.  Too often paddlers, in calculating their margin of
> safety, depend on their paddling partners, other boaters or the
> authorities to extricate them from danger.  [I'm feeling the urge to wax
> philisophic.]  We live in a society where we have, in many ways, come to
> feel as though we will be taken care of.  When I am teaching
> leadership/followership in relation to sea-kayaking I like to stress
> just how small ones world gets when things get bad.  It is self
> preservation that often takes over in emergency situations and, as a
> result, you might well find yourself alone, even in the midst of others.
> Paddling in a group can increase your margin of safety, but it is
> prudent to not depend on it.  Once again things come down to judgement
> and skills.
> John Winskill
> I also have been reading this with a great deal of interest. I have only 
been a member of this list for a short while, so have been relunctant to 
say anything until now.
I couldn't agree more with what John said about us living society where 
we think its someones else job to take care of us! I believe all the talk 
about cell phones and VHF radios just highlight it.
I believe if each time we planned a trip, or each part of the trip, and 
pretended that we were COMPLETELY alone in the world. Meaning that no one 
would come bail us out, then decisions would be made differantly a great 
deal of the time.
I paddle almost all the time solo and altho I am a HAM and carry a radio 
with me on all my trips, it is just for chatting with the wife or friends 
at night if we "can" make contact. We BOTH understand that if I make a 
bad enough judgement that I will be the only one that will have to "undo" 
it if possible. That keeps me thinking ahead most of the time on "what 
if" senerioes.
While homesteading in the bush of Alaska, I learned that when you know 
that you are truley resposable for your own actions and only by making 
the right choice, will mean the differance between life or death. You 
REALLY do learn to think it out with out wondering if the "cell battery" 
is charged!
Hope that made some sence!?

James Lofton
now in New Mexico

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************