Re: [Paddlewise] FW: Risk - was How and when

Patrick Maun wrote:
> 
> Chuck wrote:
> 
> >Considering the large number of novice sea kayakers going out in the
> >Apostles after only a few hours of instruction, I am amazed that there
> >have not been any deaths in the area. Either the sport is not as
> >inherently dangerous as we think (at least, not in a non-tidal area such
> >as Lake Superior), or the amount of skill and instruction required to
> >sharply reduce deaths is much lower than often appears.
> 
> I think, and I am really going out on a limb here, that people going
> out for the first time on Lake Superior are better prepared than many
> of those out west. One reason is that we simply don't have the
> numbers they have, and we also don't have the lareg numbers of
> outfitters. On the Minnesota and Wisconsin portions of the lake,
> there are only a few that I know of and I believe they all require
> newbies take an intro course or prove they have experience to perform
> a self rescue. I can't imagine anyone walking into Cascade Kayaks and
> saying "gimme a boat, I'm going out" without getting laughed out of
> the shop. I think people generally have a lot of respect for The Lady.
> 
> Of course, I've helped get people off the lake when conditions got
> rough and know plenty of other people whom have done the same. I
> know, we are just better at rescuing people up here! (Let the flames
> begin)
> 
> -Patrick

You shouldn't get flamed for your statements above.  Great Lake
paddlers, as a whole, seem to have a reputation for being better
prepared than you would find on the coasts. The symposia up your way
seem to have a more serious bend to them than those on the coast, if
that is any indication.  That is a generalization but I think it holds
true.  Certainly lots of paddlers in our NYC metro area are shy some
paddling requisites.  And I get the impression that the same is true for
many paddlers in the Northwest, where not dressing for water
temperatures seems to be the vogue for the most part.  It may be a
matter of numbers of sales outlets and the number of people wanting to
get into paddling.

There may be pockets of higher skilled paddlers on the coasts, such as
the hard core group in Chesapeake Paddlers Assoc. who make up the
biggest attendance component at the fall Delmarva Paddlers Retreat, a
skills oriented get-together.  

ralph diaz
-- 
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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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