Re: [Paddlewise] I knew better, but look what happened !

In a message dated 98-07-07 11:10:23 EDT, Paul Hollerbach
<phollerb_at_mail.burlco.lib.nj.us> writes:

<< 
 I've been canoeing since a kid, kayaking for six years, am always out
 hiking, camping and x-c skiing the rest of the time. In other words, I
 knew better, but look at what happened !
  >>

This was an excellent, effective object lesson for all of us, and I'd like to
join the crowd in thanking Paul for writing it and for sharing it with the
lists.  I agree with an earlier post, Paul --- I also felt like I was there
with you.  Well written!  Glad you were around to write it!

There has been a good discussion of the "lessons-learned" from this episode,
and, clearly, Paul's lack of awareness or appreciation of the oncoming weather
was at the core of his incident; but just as in aircraft accident
investigation, we need to look at all of the contributory data, as well.  And
that's been discussed in some detail --- except for Paul's inability to roll.
It was suggested early on --- possibly by Ralph Diaz? --- that virtually no
one could have rolled back up repeatedly in a squall with an intensity which
Paul described.  This seems like a valid point, and we're in no position to
challenge that now.  But Paul's experience was an extreme situation, and I
don't think we should accept the severity of the situation and dismiss the
real value to all sea kayakers to learn a roll as his or her primary self-
rescue method.  And I'm not suggesting this was done in the analysis of Paul's
story, but I'd hate to see the discussion die down without some discussion on
rolls versus all our apparent concentration on paddlefloat rescues --- which
are difficult enough in flat water in benign conditions, and would have been
of value to Paul, had he <had> his paddlefloat with him, only at the end of
the incident, after the storm had died down.
Maybe.

Learning to roll gives a paddler one great advantage: you learn to roll so you
don't have to!  Rolling becomes a sport, an entertainment, a contest to see
what widgets can be used, and that a roll can even be accomplished <without>
widgets like paddles and throwing sticks and floats --- a hand roll.  Rolling
develops skills in bracing and sculling which can be used in knockdown
situations most of us encounter in clapotis and surf.  Rolling, in  most
situations in which we'd find ourselves, gives us a way to right the boat,
stay with it, and exclude most of the water we'd need to pump out under a
paddlefloat or assisted re-entry, all in one relatively simple action.  And
even in a knockdown which puts us out of the boat, a re-entry and roll ---
possibly assisted by a paddlefloat, even for more experienced rollers --- is a
much quicker and easier way to get back into the boat --- assuming we've
developed at least a very basic but reliable "dry-side-up" roll.

There are mystiques about rolls.  "It's hard to learn."  "It's impossible to
learn!"  Not so.  If you can get a good coach, an instructor who can work with
you, any of us can learn to roll --- I'm convinced of that because I'm one of
the least coordinated people I know, and I have a decent on-side roll.
Charlie Cole taught me.  Ron Casterline, Greg Welker and a large contingent of
other CPA paddlers, all with solid if not performance quality rolls, teach
rolling in one-on-one tutorials every Wednesday night in Annapolis.  When you
see 20 to 30 regular paddlers show up at Pier 7 every Wednesday and the
majority --- maybe the vast majority --- have or are close to having a
serviceable roll, you have to believe that any of us can learn.  Screw the
mystiques --- get a good instructor!

That's my piece.  I've said it, and I'd like to again thank Paul for an
excellent story on a scary event.  Having the right equipment with you <at all
times> is a critical point made by this incident, but an even more important
although tacit point is to be prepared and ready to <use> it in extremis as
Paul had to do, and to learn as many of the most efficient techniques as
possible to stay in and on your boat.

Jack Martin
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