RE: [Paddlewise] Sea Kayaker attrition rate

I recently ended my post thusly:

>>BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (Combat paddler, gladiatorial wave-engager, poor listener)<<

Sorry, I don't know why I put that kind of stuff in my posts. Its not
very mature (but it is fun).

I do love rough water play, and sometimes my enthusiasm abounds a bit
too liberally here on the list. I was also still a bit "high" from my
victory on Thursday night: my younger buddy is getting married this
weekend, and we all went for a stag party that included evening paint
ball war games on a mountain play field with forts, in which I "killed"
everybody on the other teams consistently, capturing the flag every
time. (I can hardly walk today, and we won't mention what I did to my
back!).

I do think there is some application here to PW. You see, I never
doubted for a second when I started that game, that I would indeed win.
I "visualized" winning, and proceeded to divide and conquer. I think
this is the same attitude that Rob brought up the other day, regarding
attitude and never giving up. I apply this to all my hard core paddling,
or anytime my paddling activities might include the possibility of
rolling, etc.

When I talked to Chris Duff before his trip, he had no doubts about the
completion of his trip (though he did tell his sponsors he wouldn't kill
himself just to complete the trip for their sake).
Positive mental attitude. This is far from the testosterone charged
attitude of the "Just do it" generation. I've read a number of sea kayak
saga's, and for the most part, I've always seen, even if just through
inference, an attitude by the paddler that they were going to make it --
both at the macro and the micro scale. Exceptions are there, such as Don
Starknal in the Artic (in term of success), but perhaps there were some
technical deficiencies and other considerations with people having
"issues" if you catch my drift.

Venerable examples confirm my notion, such as some of Paul Cafynn's
writings, and even the venerated Dr Linderman, who never doubted he
would achieve his goal of crossing the Atlantic. I think a big part of
rolling success in combat conditions is attributable to positive mental
attitude, and so too with self rescues. I know at Trial Island, I lacked
the intrinsic mental fortitude required that day to achieve my roll and
R&R (there were other factors too). I never lacked for thinking I would
make it home that incident, however.

As far as sea kayakers and the attrition rate, perhaps we need to turn
out better new paddlers, ones with appropriate mental attitude, or teach
them how to derive it. I like what I'm hearing from guys like Rob
Cookson. He's on the right track. Rob's example of the student who
required a whole lot of convincing to get back in his boat during an
assisted rescue, really struck me like lightning. Yeah, with paddlers
like that out there, the attrition rate is sure to grow. Maybe I'm off
the mark on this. Time will tell. However, I'm a pretty good shot,
apparently.

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (whose headed out for one of the lowest tides of the year
this weekend - read, fast -. See ya on the water at 7 knots. I'll
behave. Anyone going out to Deception Pass here in the PNW?)

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