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From: <Tomckayak_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] right rescue was( footpumps)
Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 01:26:38 EST
In a message dated 2/1/99 5:55:17 PM EST, juliom_at_cisco.com writes:

<< My advice is that, if you find yourself in similar conditions,
 forget about pumping. Get back in the kayak and try to keep yourself
 upright until help arrive, or the conditions improve. >>

Its vary helpful to have a third person put a tow line on the victims boat and
move the two rafted kayaks away from the rocks and it also gets the kayak
facing into on coming waves. With the swamped kayak bow on into the waves its
possible to pump effectively. 
I always consider it most important to get the swimmer back into the kayak
first and a way from any hazards before pumping out the kayak. 

I watched a rescue performed during a commercial trip in Deception pass. I was
on the beach for lunch and a beginner, practicing eddy turns, came out of his
boat and was being carried by the ebb current. The trip leader paddled to the
over turned boat with the swimmer holding on. He wanted to do the grab the bow
and left the kayak to dump the water trick. He maneuvered and paddled as the
over turned kayak swing in the boiling current. A minute and a half later the
two disappeared around a point with the paid instructor just getting hold of
the bow to dump water. The swimmer should have been the put back in the kayak
first. He is up to his neck in cold sea water with the possibility of being
sucked away by the current. The trip leader was tiring to cross the "T" with
two sea kayaks swinging in the current. Its easier just to intercept the
overturned boat grab hold, raft up and encourage the swimmer back into his
boat. 

The assistant trip leader followed the disappearing rescue with rest of the
group. Which was good because me group now had Canoe passage to our self's.  
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