Re: [Paddlewise] Crossings in Fog

John Winters wrote:

> This is my favourite soap box.
> I believe this to be the major challenge for the industry. Currently there
> appears to be very little in the way of modifying behaviour among novice
> paddlers (or experienced paddlers for that matter).
>
> The basics of Sea kayaking (just going somewhere)  are so easy to learn and
> the dangers are not apparent to the novice who has no understanding of
> weather etc..  At a major sea kayak symposium last year there were many
> sessions on rolls and rescues and not one session on weather or risk
> assessment.  What kind of message does that pass along?

Some thots from a novice (I started last August).
I agree in theory, but not necessarily in practice
My life saving instructor 35 yrs ago started the course by saying that we would
spend 80 or 90% of the course time learning to do what we should avoid doing at
all costs, do only as a last resort, and hopefully never have to do -- namely,
jump in the water and drag someone to shore.  There are a thousand ways to
avoid having someone in a drowning situation, and if they get to that state
anyway, there are a thousand better alternatives to jumping in and dragging
out.  Nevertheless, we would spend most of our time learning that technique
because it is difficult, hard to learn, and if attempted, needs to be done
quickly, automatically, and with great skill and quick reflexes.

Seems like Kayaking is similar.  I realize as a novice that my most important
task is to avoid trouble.  So I started in August, paddled in lakes, stayed
close to shore, always wore my PFD, bought a farmer john as soon as the water
started getting cold, quit for the season when the water temp dropped into low
50's. Am now waiting for temp to get back there.  I also bought and read and
reread books by Hutchinson, Dowd, Seideman, and others. And read everything I
could find on the web about sea kayaking.

AND I drove 4 hours rt to take a course in rolling -- not a course in general
safety.
Why?  Cause I figured I can not learn rolling by myself even if I spent a
lifetime at it. (Actually, even with the course I did not learn to roll).  But
many of the safety things can be self taught.  And the the things that can't
probably require being out with an experienced paddler and cannot be taught in
a course any more than read from a book.

Going out with an experienced paddler is virtually impossible in my situation.
I live in Coulee Dam, Washington 2 to 3 hours from the next nearest sea kayak
to my knowledge.  While the lakes here are wonderful for kayaking -- up to 150
miles long and 1 to several miles wide -- I have yet to see a kayak other than
my own.  I work Saturdays and Sundays, so even driving 2 hrs to Spokane or 4
hours to Seattle is not likely to find a yak buddy.  And virtually all yak
courses are taught on weekends.

All of this is to say that there is more than one way to learn safety.  And one
way is to be self taught and learn gradually.  I would also add that I have
been a backpacker for about 30 years as well as a professional forester &
wildlife biologist for most of that time.  So I bring some outdoor skills and
understanding with me -- as well as much ignorance. I wouldn't dream of going
in the ocean or great lakes at this point in my education. Everyone comes to
kayaking with their own skills and ignorance & will have their own direction
for learning.  Courses are merely one partial way.

Incidentally, I started on the web after the great sponson spiff.  But I still
see the fall out (Radioactive Canadian Ballast Rocks keep landing near my
computer ; > )
Couple of observations from one not tied up in the emotions of that debate

1) Having visited the sponson web site, it is obvious the maker has some
problems relating to people.

2) Having spent a fair amount of time practicing paddle float rescues, I'd sure
rather trust my life in a storm at sea to a sponson rather than a paddle
float.  From a complete novice it appears that an understandable personality
problem is getting in the way of common sense safety in equipping boats and
teaching rescue.

Peace,
Brian


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