Re: [Paddlewise] Trip Photography

On Wed, 22 Sep 1999 08:40:37 -0700 rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com writes:
>
The fanny pack suggestion is a good one - you never fail, Ralph.  Thanks.
 Re: your comments about jet-skiers, I've stopped making nasty comments
about them.  Earlier this summer we were on an AKT trip, and one of the
women was having serious chest pains and feeling very unwell.  Although
we had a registered nurse and a physician's assistant with us, it was
obvious that she had to get to the hospital.  We were about 6 miles out
from our put-in at the time.  Anyhow, there were a couple of people on
jetskis just sitting quietly in the middle of the river, enjoying the
scenery.  They both had two-seater jetskis.  The trip leader paddled over
to them, and asked if they could help us, and they were more than happy
to do so.  The long and the short of it was that the patient was put on
the back of one jetski (she was so scared by then that she could hardly
move to get out of her kayak, but he calmed her down, and the transfer
was made), and one of the guides got on the back of the other jetski, and
they took off down the river.  The two kayaks were towed in.  When we got
back to the putin, where there were lessons going on, we were told that
she had been taken to the hospital by ambulance, and they had already
received a call that she wasn't in fact having a heart attack, but rather
severe gastric reflux, and that she was being discharged shortly.  So
after we got changed and got our gear together, we brought the cars - and
kayaks - of both the patient and the guide over to the hospital for a
happy ending.  Moral:  just because someone's on a jetski, don't just
assume that he or she is an obnoxious slob.

Joan

P.S.	You know, we're LONG overdue for that sushi seakayak saunter.  Do
you think it will have to wait until Spring, or can we manage it sooner
than that?
> 
> I hardly ever take photos while paddling.  I did years ago but just
> don't bother these days.
> 
> However, I can suggest a spot for having a camera handy and out of 
> the
> way.  Use a fanny pack with the buckle rolled around to behind you 
> and
> the fanny pack against your tummy.  Put it over the sprayskirt and 
> just
> under the bottom of your PFD if it is a shortie.  Depending on the 
> size
> of your camera and its relative waterproofness/splash resistance you
> should be able to come up with a good fanny pack.
> 
> For a smallish camera that is reasonably waterproof, Eagle Creek 
> sells a
> mesh small fanny pack that weighs next to nothing, I think it is 
> called
> the Salamander.  It will fit a small camera.  I use mine for 
> carrying
> waterproof binoculars at times.  Other times I use it to give me a
> "pocket" for wallet, keys, etc. when paddling in one of my assorted 
> wet
> suits combinations, which of course do not have pockets or when 
> using a
> dry suit, again no pockets.  The Salamander(if that is its name) has 
> a
> flat outside flapped mesh pocket, for clip on sunglasses, lipbalm,
> whatever. The zippered main pocket carries my wallet in a ziplock 
> bag
> and my keys in a ziplock (don't want any corrosion and the key tips 
> tend
> to catch in the mesh otherwise).  It also has a flat "waterproof" 
> pocket
> close to your body.  It closes like a zip lock bag.  I basically 
> don't
> trust it for its purpose.  Instead I have cut a piece of foam and
> inserted it inside the ziplocked section.  This gives me some 
> cushioning
> against anything hard in the main pocket and a measure of flotation 
> were
> this little fanny pack to come off.  Between the air trapped in that
> ziplock pocket and the foam, it should certainly float a wallet and
> keys.  I haven't tested it with something as heavy as a small camera 
> or
> pair of binoculars.
> 
> I prefer this over an ordinary fanny pack because it drains.  I 
> prefer
> it to the dedicated waterproof fanny packs that close like dry bags
> because it involves none of that roll down motion to close or roll 
> open
> to get at things.  If your camera were not waterproof or much splash
> resistant, the dry bag closure fanny packs would be worth looking 
> into. 
> They are made by Cascade Designs, I think among other manufacturers.
> 
> Or just get any ole cheap fanny pack and use it.  Cut a drain hole 
> if
> you wish.
> 
> Lastly, the jet ski market has several fanny packs for our brethren 
> of
> the seas. You can look these over at a West Marine shop or in its
> catalog.
> 
> BTW, if you ever want to know the temperature of the water, call 
> over a
> jet-skier.  Many of their machines have a dial that reads water
> temperature.  Also make this a chance to see some of their gear.  As 
> I
> mentioned earlier, they have a need for lightweight items that 
> function
> well in a marine environment and that are made of materials that 
> won't
> scratch up their machines.
> 
> What, you won't talk to jet-skiers!!!  I do.  And I wave as we pass 
> each
> other.  While some can be obnoxious, most aren't.  They really are
> okay...except for their noise in places that are meant to be quiet 
> and
> serene.  In busy New York harbor, you can hardly hear them above the
> normal din.
> 
> ralph diaz
> -- 
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
> PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
> Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
> "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 

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