Rich Kulawiec wrote: > I hope you've also read the AWA/ACA accident reports, which are loaded with > instances of people dying because they didn't dress for the water temperature > and/or didn't wear a PFD. I think it's grossly unfair to label the > insistence on either as reflective of a lack of open-mindedness; I think > it's more accurate to label it as a sensible stance that works for > nearly everyone under nearly every condition, and whose exceptions > are few and far between. This is directed at Rich but has a more universal application. John Caveman Gray, who operates SeaCanoe touring service in Thailand, VietNam, etc. was in New York City to receive an environmental award from ASTA (Am. Soc. of Travel Agents) and the Smithsonian. John has had friendly arguments with Rich and others on Wavelength and PaddleWise about not needing PFDs on his trips in Southeast Asia. But here in New York he bought several PFDs (Lotus Design Strait Jacket models) from the New York Kayak Shop and _wore_ one on a pretty turbulent paddle to the Statue of Liberty over the weekend. Also, we had planned a half way around Manhattan trip earlier but his inflatable kayak had developed a leak in transit and he lacked a repair kit. We thought of patching it on the spot with some untested adhesive from a nearby hardware store. But John changed his mind saying "I don't want to be a subject of an accident article in Sea Kayaker." His concern was for hypothermia. While the air was in the high 60s that day and the water temperature also already in the 60s his reasoning was that his blood is too thin from paddling in 75-80 degree water to take immersion in our waters if the patch didn't hold and we wound up in the water. He felt _he_ would have needed cold water gear although I as a local paddler use to this water and temperatures would have been okay under these circumstances without cold garb. So clearly John heeds the message preached for these waters. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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