RE: [Paddlewise] Sea Kayaker attrition rate

Nick on the Australian scene the only death I have heard of is a kayaker
suffering a heart attack. There have been some close calls with nature
though, with one being badly mauled by a crocodile last year and a few years
ago a double surf ski was biten right in the middle, between the two
kayakers, by a white pointer. The shark left, fortunately for them, after
deciding it didn't like the taste of fibreglass.  Maybe you should add
sharks/crocodiles to your list.

By far our biggest death rate on the ocean is from stupid fisherman who
attempt to cross bars in terrible conditions and swimmers, usually from
overseas countrys that don't have surf, getting caught in rips. There was
some impressive news footage last year when a boat tried to cross a bar with
conditions such that after the wave had broken the wall of white water was
still twice the height of the boat. And he still kept going!! Unfortunately
this is not an isolated incident and sea kayakers may suffer if the
govenment clamps down on boating. I think your point about alcohol and
boaters is the same over here. I have a very narrow cockpit and wouldn't to
try and get in it after a few beers either.

David
Australia

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Nick Von Robison [SMTP:n.v.rob_at_deltanet.com]
> Sent:	Thursday, 1 June 2000 10:25
> To:	Paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subject:	[Paddlewise] Sea Kayaker attrition rate
> 
> I'm just wondering if anyone has any statistics on what the percentage
> of death rate of say, one death per 1,000 sea kayakers is?  It just
> seems to me that everyone has a story to tell of a sea kayaker losing
> his/her life, whether first or second hand.  How widespread is this?
> IOW, how risky really is the sport not in terms of personal assessement,
> but real stats?
> 
> My presumption is that kayaking deaths are attributable to four main
> causes.
> 
> 1.  Sea kayakers who hit their heads on rocks or sea bottom, rolling in
> surf, with or without helmet.
> 
> 2.  Hypothermia.  Not dressed for immersion temps but for air temps.
> 
> 3.  Inability to affect a good self-rescue or have a backup (see 2
> above).
> 
> 4.  An existing medical condition (low/high blood pressure, diabetes,
> heart problems, seizures, etc.)
> 
> I'm just curious if anyone has any information on the death rate of
> kayakers versus the usual boating crowd.  While there are a lot of
> accidents and deaths among rec boaters due to alcohol, I think it
> probably wouldn't be a factor in kayaking.  I have enough trouble
> getting into and out of my yak sober!
> 
> -Nick
> 
> 

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