I am sure we would never read something like this in Sea Kayaker. At least I would be quite surprised if the meat, particularly as it relates to group dynamics, would not be edited out. Your story certainly gives due cause to examine our own propensity to acquiesce to group pressures, and the resolve not to do so when judgment tells us otherwise. Ever heard of "group think?" You describe the less experienced paddler to have had 17,000 miles under his belt? Gosh.. I don't think I'll live long enough to accomplish that. That's a career! How do you have that degree of experience and still paddle in the boat you describe, in those conditions, and with a "massive deck load?" That amazes me. It's not just the conditions Doug found himself in, and the circumstances that lead to the rescue that is so amazing. More awesome, and worthy of reflection are the members of the group and how the personalities came into play. Doug describes this well. It was chilling reading the account. Doug leaves us with the understanding of how difficult it is to orcestrate a group and how easily group dynamics can undermine the safety of a trip. Maybe I've not met enough 5 star paddlers in my life. But the 5 star paddler Doug describes does not sound like any other 5 star I've ever met or even heard about. Five Star not only connotes competence in extreme conditions, but it also connotes leadership skills. Amazing. Thanks to Doug for publishing this. Robert *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Robert Cline wrote: > Maybe I've not met enough 5 star paddlers in my life. But the 5 star > paddler Doug describes does not sound like any other 5 star > I've ever met or > even heard about. Five Star not only connotes competence in extreme > conditions, but it also connotes leadership skills. Learning leadership skills and passing tests aimed at leadership skills are one thing, exercising those same skills in "combat" can be an entirely different thing. Ask a grizzled veteran infantry sergeant about his green 2nd lieutenant - the one who studied leadership and passed all of his tests at West Point with flying colours(That's the US Army Military Academy - for the non-Yanks). Having said that I'll stop - Doug's account speaks strongly and eloquently it's lessons without "bystanders" dissecting it. Oh, and please don't take my comment above as any kind of view on BCU/ACA/ASPCA or any other kind of training - it's not meant in that light; it's just a comment that there really isn't any substitute for experience. Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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