Re: [Paddlewise] Nearly Fatal

The Wall Street Journal had a section called "Encore: A Guide
to Life after 55"  that was sent out for March 6th, 2000.  I
hope they sent this to all of their subscribers because I'm
not 55 or anywhere close to it!  But I also got something
today about Life Care and AARP is always sending me junk as
well.  Do they know something I don't?  8-)   But I degress...

The end of the paper has a large article on kayaking and the over 50
set.  There are some interesting comments that apply to our
safety discussion.  The article was written by a writer in
Massachusetts and seemed to focus on the Cape Code area.  I'm
going to quote some statements and paraphrase other pieces
of information.

-----------------------------------------------------------

The Cape's largest dealer sold 1,000 kayaks last year.  In
1990 they could not give one away.  Two thirds of the buyers
are over the age of 55.

A 71 year old paddle was turned off kayaking by the "macho"
image of the Capes origional kayakers.  "When I first go
interested, I bought a book to read about it that scared me
right off, because everything was aobut saving your life when
you capsize."

The article goes on to say, "Indeed, various trade magazines
offer no encouragement, often stressing sea rescue techniques.
And some of the columnists express downright disdain for
neophytes who venture forth without a mastery off all arcane
paddle skills."

The article then defines white water kayaks, "serious" boats,
and then recreational kayaking.  "Serious" kayaks are the
"16 to 19 foot splinter of a boat less than two feet wide
like the ones used by native Aleutian Islanders or Greenlanders."
Recreational kayaking or "sometimes flat-water kayaking, is
far less challenging.  A lot of paddlers with sea kayaks, in
fact, actually engage more in flatwater trips than in ocean
excursions, but an acutal recreational boat is shorter(about
nine to 14 feet in length), wider (and therefore less tippy)
and has a much more comfortable cockpit than its spartan
cousins."

The ACA says that in 1997 that recreational kayaks made up
27% of sales followed by the sea kayaks at 14%, white water
boats with 13% and finally canoes at 8%.  (That sure does not
add up to 100 but that is what the paper said.)

Mr. Murley is a naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon
Society and has led canoe and kayak trips for 15 years.

"Almost everyone is worried about what they'll do if they
tip over in deep water.  The experts say kayakers should all
learn the Eskimo roll, but it's one thing to learn how to do
a roll in a swimming pool and another thing to do it in wind
and waves, notes Mr. Murley.  All paddlers should wear life
vests, of course if the worst does happen, Mr. Murley advises
that the best thing to do is 'swim for shallow water where you
can stand up' and walk to shore.  Most places on the Cape the
water is so shallow that getting your feet on the bottom is
no problem."

"'My philosophy is that the best paddling environment is close
to shore and getting into areas you have never seen before.
Going way out into the ocean where you can't see anything is
boring,'" says Mr. Murley.  For winter kayaking his advice
is to stay so close to the shore that you can scramble out
of the water before you feel the cold."

The last paragraph in the article after discussing the fear
of adult children worrying about their parents is about
winter paddling.

"Indeed, enthusiasts are reluctant to stop kayaking even
during the winter months.  Whenever the weather is sunny
and the wind is down, they are off and paddling.  Ms. Dobson
says you should always have a companion for safe winter
kayaking, but she says, 'the experience is magical.  I was
out on Long Pond in Harwich when it was skimmed over by a
thin layer of ice.  It broke just like china when I paddled
through it, and it sounded like chimes.'"

------------------------------------------------------------

First of all remember that we don't know what else was
said by the people interviewed and what was not published.

There where three pictures in the article.  One was of a man
building a boat.  Another was of a women who was paddling in the
summer who was wearing a PFD and a spray skirt.  There was
not visible extra paddle, paddle float or pump.  The third
picure was taken in winter or early spring.  There are two
paddlers.  The man in the foreground is wearing a light jacket
apparently over his PFD.  He also appears to have a tow rope
but it is hard to see if he has other equipment because of
the croping of the photo.  He does not have a sprayskirt.
The man in the background has on a PFD over a jacket.  He
does have a sprayskirt.  The man in the foreground is wearing
a ball cap.








***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************