RE: [Paddlewise] Lightning Solutions?

	Mark Zen wrote:

> >haven't heard from any river runners on this ... let's hear something
> ;-)
> 
> to start off, are you safer on the river, since, by default, you are
> at
> the lowest point possible?? we've watched some pretty hairy storms
> move
> in, and have almost always managed to be at our cars by the time the
> lightening was striking, and there has always been [at least with
> larger
> groups] a mixed consensus [sp?] as to get out and hide near a tree
> [which
> i disagree with] or keep trucking and head for the cars, which i
> support,
> telling everyone to hug the banks...
> 
> comments?? [oh this should be fun!!!]<
> 
> 
>   A brief response from a former river runner - I used to opt for
> finding a spot on the bank that looked fairly safe (ie. low and open)
> and stay put there until the danger has passed.  Hugging the banks
> seems ok, but I feel that _if_ there is a lightning strike and someone
> in the group is hit that it would be much more simple to deal with if
> people are on shore as opposed to floating in the water.  Having once
> been about 50 feet away from a tree that was hit (and blasted wide
> open!) I sincerely think that taking shelter at the base of a tree is
> a BAD idea.  
>   
> Dave Seng
> Juneau, Alaska
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