Re: [Paddlewise] Group Paddling

I
<< t is truly amazing how people (we all) can act when out on the water,
 > particularly during times of stress.  It takes a lot of control to do the
 > right thing when conditions start to get ugly and the fight-or-flight
 > reactions start to kick in.  The sad and scary part is just how little it
 > takes for a person to start functioning as if s/he were the only one on the
 > water, even when in the company of dozens of both lesser and greater
 > abilities. >>

I noted this during a long crossing. A group of four paddlers (as others have
said this is the ideal group size) going into the current and wind that picked
up to the point one paddler was slowing down. I stayed with him during the
crossing the other two disappeared ahead of us. 
The measure of a Sea kayaker is not the extreme conditions he/she can paddle
in but the rough conditions they can still assist others.

"Joe Black is a Force 6 paddler but only a Force 3 rescuer"

 At what point are you more concerned with staying up right and getting out of
a situation then you are about others? You are in fear for your life and that
slow #_at_# next to you is going to get you killed. 
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