Re: [Paddlewise] Group Paddling

wanewman_at_uswest.net wrote:
> 
> The biggest problem that I have seen in group paddles is a lack of communication
> about who belongs to what group and what their responsiblities are to the group.
> As for being the " A-hole " of the day I think it is worth commenting that no one
> really likes being ordered around by a " leader " on a recreational day paddle.
> Self appointed dictators are not likely to have anyone pay the slightest bit of
> attention to them during a paddle.  In a large group of paddlers there should be
> plenty of people available to help in leadership roles. [snip]

>  I would rather have two intermediate paddlers looking out for three novices than
> one " expert " who thinks he can ride herd on a big group of ten or more
> paddlers.  I don't care if you are a kayak God, when the shit hits the fan it is
> very difficult to keep a group of three novices together and a larger group will
> inevitably scatter.  What risks you are willing to take with the weather or trip
> difficulty should depend on the stength of the group as a whole and the skills of
> the least experienced paddlers, not on the strength of the " leader " or organizer
> of the trip. [snip]

Hope I have not destroyed the sense of wanewman's post by my extensive
snipping.  Just like to add my two cents on two of his points.

1. Re:  "In a large group of paddlers there should be plenty of people
available to help in leadership roles." :  this is ideal, but not easily
achieved in "uncontrolled groups," such as club paddles can be.  There
needs to be one person *who assumes the responsibility* for making sure
that the group paddles sensibly.  Wanewman's club apparently does not use
the "dictatorial" style of group paddle leader.  The trip leader is really
a coordinator, albeit he/she does weed out paddlers of unknown skill levels
ahead of launch time.  This approach works fine if the culture of the
paddling club reinforces good decision making and the dominant (more
experienced) paddlers adhere to good principles of group management and do
not wander off from the rest of the group.  Sounds like wanewman's club is
successful in this approach.

2. Re:  "I don't care if you are a kayak God, when the shit hits the fan it
is very difficult to keep a group of three novices together and a larger
group will inevitably scatter."  :  Amen to that.  Scattering is anathema
to dealing with difficult conditions, and quickly separates skilled
paddlers from novices, *unless attention is paid to this problem ahead of
time.*  I suspect wanewman's club is sophisticated in this regard, but
other groups may want to establish "pods" of paddlers in which a lead
paddler of greater experience guides each subset of the larger group.  More
structure than most will want on a "recreational paddle," but probably
vital when good decision-making is made difficult by deteriorating
conditions and inability to communicate amongst the group.

Not being a club paddler or a group leader (any more), normally I would
stay out of a discussion like this.  However, I happened to run across an
account a couple months ago of a disaster which occurred in the Charlottes
about 1994-1995 in which a 10-paddler guided group got slammed by nasty
winds and following seas in the Laskeek Bay area.  The upshot was that they
got split into three or four groups, and with only two guides, two of the
groups were composed of novices only.  One client died and two others
suffered injuries and/or severe hypothermia.  Having paddled a lot in areas
where such guided groups are common, I wonder how it is there are not more
disasters like that one.  This incident was very humbling, and very sad. 
Don't remember the URL, but I believe it was part of the annual "incident"
summary for Canadian CG or something.  If I find it, I'll post it.  Good
case study of what not to do.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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