[Paddlewise] calling help

 Just to clarify the situation that brought up this (I think) good
question: When I said I wondered when to "call for help" what I really
meant was, I wondered at what point I should calmly walk into the CG
station which is about 100 yards from our launch point and 200 yds from the
ship canal, and say "My friends should probably have been back by now. I'm
not overly concerned about them at this point, they're probably fine, but
it is well past dark and if you're not doing anything more important, maybe
you could take a quick ride out and look for them". I wouldnt have called
in a frantic Mayday or anything drastic like that. But I also wouldnt have
gone home to bed without doing >something<, even though I was pretty sure
they were OK. I couldnt be sure-they could have capsized in the mouth of
the canal just before the 600 ft salty came through in the dark, or been
blown far out in the lake. I guess I'd rather be safe and embarrased than
find out later that I could have done more. Its a tough call

I agree that we dont want to sound any unnecessary alarms. What I got out
of it is to agree on something anytime a group splits up even if conditions
dont seem to warrant it at the time. 


Wayne

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