In a message dated 1/14/00 8:18:55 AM Central Standard Time, Outfit3029_at_aol.com writes: << Weigh and manage your risks carefully. Do not allow yourself to be coerced into doing something that you are not "properly" prepared for. Even if they call you chicken. >> SK had an interesting article along this topic several years ago. My memory is a little fuzzy so please excuse me if the details are a little off. A group was doing a long day-trip circumnavigation of some islands. Weather was worse than they expected but not beyond what most of them had paddled before. One of the less experienced paddlers did turn around and go back immediately when he saw the open water conditions as they left the protected launch area. They were doing ok but conditions just got worse and worse. They were approaching a spot (apparently the last spot) where they could cut across to the protected side of the islands and head back (significantly shortening the intended trip). The author described his concerns about the trip and more importantly his concerns about being the wimp in the group. Should he cut the trip short and face the ridicule of his fellow paddlers? Finally he decided that he was opting for safety over machismo. He told the others what he was going to do and turned and headed off ALONE toward the cut through the island. A few minutes later he looked back and the entire group was following him. Everyone had been thinking the same thing, but no one wanted to be the first to "quit". After finishing the trip and dicussing what had happened, they all had a new respect not only for the author, but especially for the paddler who was "courageous" enough to turn back at the beginning. I would also suggest that novices be careful of the "I am really safe in a group" syndrome. Groups can provide lots of resources that make a trip safer, but even groups can get in trouble. There is a special problem when everyone in the group is at the same paddling level. If conditions are bad enough to capsize one paddler, then they are bad enough to capsize all the paddlers. In such a situation you may be virtually on your own even though you are with a group. I was once caught in a summer thunderstorm with winds above 30 mph where, for about 20 minutes, I could not even see the other paddlers in my group, much less help them (or get help from them) if anything had gone wrong. ( I know for some of you 30 mph is a light breeze but it was and still is a major deal to me). I often tell new paddlers to "Paddle Several, Think Solo" ie, take advantage of the additional safety of groups, but evaluate your skills, gear, and the trip conditions as if you were paddling alone. Mark J. Arnold MJAkayaker_at_aol.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Jan 14 2000 - 08:19:38 PST
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