Re: [Paddlewise] Group Dynamics/Rescue

James Lofton wrote:

> 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 in a society where 
> we think its someone else's 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 agree with the thrust of your remarks.  However, I suspect that
carrying (and monitoring) a VHF involves more than just "expecting
someone to help me when I need it."  The VHF extends our umbrella of
community to embrace others who might need help from US.  It's kind of
like the stuff we should do in our neighborhoods to look out for the
neighbor kids, spot open doors at night, and monitor suspicious
characters.  In other words, in remote areas the VHF is sort of a marine
version of Neighborhood Watch, as well as something to use to summon
help if we need it.  After all, stuff happens!

OTOH, a cell phone only helps you to reach out, and does not help other
boaters, directly.  Out here, the USCG does not think much of cell
phones.  Although they are great devices for sending out the alarm, even
in a sparsely settled place (those towers are EVERYWHERE!), they have
two drawbacks:  1. It is more difficult to use radio direction finding
(RDF) on their signal to locate the lost/hurt boater, and, 2. The
broadcast capacity of the popular ones is severely limited by battery
life.  The local motor launch crews use a cell phone type rig, but it
has a MONSTER battery so they can rely on it.

On the funny side, I was quietly paddling up a remote slough a month ago
and heard a duck hunter jabbering away to his wife -- I spotted his
decoys eventually and surprised him as I drifted by.  Wonder what the
ducks think about the camo effects of a cell phone antenna poking out of
the weeds?

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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