[Paddlewise] Re[2]: [CPAKayaker] Swim Support Needed (fwd)

     Mark Zen wrote about swim supports ---

     
In the old, early days sea kayak support for swimming races was 
regarded as suspect--  like, they can come if the want to, but the 
real rescue personnel will be in the stink pot power boats.
     
And now they have come to view sea kayakers as absolutely the prime 
rescue craft.  FANTASTIC.
     
     
     Yeah, it's true, Mark.  Mostly.  In the Chesapeake Bay Bridge swim, 
     which is held in the area between two parallel spans crossing the 
     Chesapeake at Annapolis, swim support kayaks are the first line of 
     defense, in with the swimmers.  The slower or tired swimmers 
     eventually get caught by the tide, and are washed out to the vultures 
     in the stinkpots --- sorry, our powered friends --- who can grab them 
     as soon as they are washed past the pilings.  Inside, the swimmers 
     depend on us.
     
     But in Joe Stewart events, each swimmer has a kayaker to set and 
     maintain a course, provide food and water on schedule or demand, and 
     to be down there with the swimmer.  However, these folks are pretty 
     serious, and I have no trouble believing that any of the swimmers we 
     paddle with could tow <us> in if we got in trouble.  Although each 
     swimmer/kayak is normally backed up by a Boston Whaler, as well.  On a 
     seven and a half mile crossing, you can't afford to get a lot wrong!
     
     But it's nice to be needed.  (See Greg Welker's article in the next 
     CPA Newsletter!)
     
     Joq
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