I've been laboriously turning over rocks, uncovering info about the recent kayaker that died this past weekend. Talking to his friends today was also somewhat dolorously difficult detective work for me. The report the other day about the kayaker rescuing a swimmer has given me a positive focus amidst the negativity of accident investigation work. I just can't let go of that positive affirmation indicated through the Kelowna lake incident that John posted. There must be some other good stories out there about paddlers who have serendipitously come along to aid some stricken soul. How about sharing some more positives? Please feed Dougie. Three of my own come to mind. I once helped hikers stuck on a rocky ledge, high above the crashing surf on the West Coast trail. I was able to maneuver into a surge channel, and announce to the downcast, hapless hikers, when the tide would fall and whereabouts they could rejoin the trail. Their early version goretex down coats and cotton sweat hooded jackets were sodden, and the June weather still cool. I warmed them up, even if only emotionally, and may have prevented a plunge to certain death on the rain slickened cliffs. Another incident happened on a shoulder season paddle, again along the West Coast trail. Hikers had been stricken by contaminated stream water, and were suffering terribly. They were all dentists from Alberta, and one member required medical help from the "Beaver Fever" malady. I was able to push hard and fast in my younger days even at the end of a long day's paddle, and made it all the way to the trail head with a huge gale on my tail, and summon help from the authorities. Another time I found a sailboat aground on a reef near Boat Passage. They were listing badly and the poor seamanship of the skipper was apparent as the sails were left up such that the wind was preventing dislodgment even more. I was able to get in close to the hull, and advise through direct visual confirmation, clearance for the prop as we worked hard to get her free from the fast moving tidal stream. I was able to alter some of his thinking without abasing his captaincy, by using a few psychological manipulations. Good boat handling skills and moving water experience permitted me an ability to safely navigate near the reefs, prop, and keel. this is not an ego booster comment, but is meant to verify the resource potential skilled paddlers have to offer out on the water to others. Other small incidents have happened over the years too numerous too mention including sending messages, lending food and water, etc -- though I have never towed a big boat to keep it off some reefs (I think Derek Hutchinson has, and Duane probably fantazises about doing something like that :-) ). So, any other kayakers have stories of helping other mariners or landlubbers in distress? Other than those who have posted messages in the past about helping swimmers a few times, I don't recall this subject coming up before John's post.. BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Doug & all, I did a "rescue", more or less, about my 2nd time out on S.F. Bay in a kayak. I saw a motorboat about 30 feet long with a huge couple on the bow, waving frantically. They waved to a couple of fishing boats, then to a jet ski, but no one stopped. I went over to see what the commotion was and found they had fouled their anchor line. Most people would have clambered down to see what was fouling the anchor but these people were by no means athletic enough for that. I was so new to kayaking that I was a bit scared, as far as staying upright, maintaining control over my paddle and freeing their anchor at the same time. 10 seconds with a knife and I was able to cut through the sturdy rope they had snagged and I was able to avoid the now free bow and anchor. 20 minutes later I was yelled at by a fractious boater who didn't think I had a right to use the public boat ramp. So much for gratitude. jerry. At 11:30 PM 05/03/2000 -0700, Mr Doug Lloyd wrote: >I've been laboriously turning over rocks, uncovering info about the >recent kayaker that died this past weekend. Talking to his friends today >was also somewhat dolorously difficult detective work for me. The report >the other day about the kayaker rescuing a swimmer has given me a >positive focus amidst the negativity of accident investigation work. I >just can't let go of that positive affirmation indicated through the >Kelowna lake incident that John posted. There must be some other good >stories out there about paddlers who have serendipitously come along to >aid some stricken soul. How about sharing some more positives? Please >feed Dougie. > >Three of my own come to mind. I once helped hikers stuck on a rocky >ledge, high above the crashing surf on the West Coast trail. I was able >to maneuver into a surge channel, and announce to the downcast, hapless >hikers, when the tide would fall and whereabouts they could rejoin the >trail. Their early version goretex down coats and cotton sweat hooded >jackets were sodden, and the June weather still cool. I warmed them up, >even if only emotionally, and may have prevented a plunge to certain >death on the rain slickened cliffs. > >Another incident happened on a shoulder season paddle, again along the >West Coast trail. Hikers had been stricken by contaminated stream water, >and were suffering terribly. They were all dentists from Alberta, and >one member required medical help from the "Beaver Fever" malady. I was >able to push hard and fast in my younger days even at the end of a long >day's paddle, and made it all the way to the trail head with a huge gale >on my tail, and summon help from the authorities. > >Another time I found a sailboat aground on a reef near Boat Passage. >They were listing badly and the poor seamanship of the skipper was >apparent as the sails were left up such that the wind was preventing >dislodgment even more. I was able to get in close to the hull, and >advise through direct visual confirmation, clearance for the prop as we >worked hard to get her free from the fast moving tidal stream. I was >able to alter some of his thinking without abasing his captaincy, by >using a few psychological manipulations. Good boat handling skills and >moving water experience permitted me an ability to safely navigate near >the reefs, prop, and keel. this is not an ego booster comment, but is >meant to verify the resource potential skilled paddlers have to offer >out on the water to others. > >Other small incidents have happened over the years too numerous too >mention including sending messages, lending food and water, etc -- >though I have never towed a big boat to keep it off some reefs (I think >Derek Hutchinson has, and Duane probably fantazises about doing >something like that :-) ). So, any other kayakers have stories of >helping other mariners or landlubbers in distress? Other than those who >have posted messages in the past about helping swimmers a few times, I >don't recall this subject coming up before John's post.. > >BC'in Ya >Doug Lloyd > >*************************************************************************** >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/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** 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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