[Paddlewise] Spare paddle

I have a short story on how a spare paddle probably saved a friend's 
life.

This happened last week in the Gulf Islands (B.C. Canada).  We had just
crossed Active Pass in the late morning at the start of the flood tide
(around 4 knots).  He decided he needed to put on some sunscreen, so he
parked his paddle under his bungie cords.  He was behind me so I just 
rested while taking in the scenery of Galiano Island.

To make a long story short we both realized he was drifting into the 
middle of Active Pass and there was one of the superferries coming 
his way.  

(For those of you who have never been there - Active Pass is a very 
narrow channel and these superferries don't slow down from their 18 knts
or move for  anybody and especially in Active Pass.)

If I would have gone after him they would pulling out 2 bodies.

I thought he was curtains as he couldn't reach his paddle....he frantically
grabbed for half of his spare and dug in hard till he got out of channel,
beating the ferry by only a minute.

He later was able to retrieve his main paddle off his foredeck.

Moral of the story: always have a spare paddle handy whenever you are not
paying attention and drifting towards a speeding ferry in a narrow channel.

:*)
Jim Meldrum
Slave Lake, Alberta, Canada.

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