A few weeks ago, a middle aged man who I know through the local renovation supply depot, was out paddling rental kayaks on a local, inland tidal waterway. He was very eager to relate his story when I bumped into him this weekend while shopping. Eager, because I've told him a tale or two over the years about close calls, the need for training and preparedness, and the fact I've been very worried about the growing "Ma & Pa" rental fleet operators popping up all over the shores of Victoria. He only paddles once or twice a year when he can afford a rental. On the day of the incident, he phoned the rental agency to reserve a boat. Evenings are longer now, and he assumed the hours of operation would coincide with the solstice event. He raced down with his partner to procure the kayaks, but when he arrived, the store was not there, but there was a sign indicating the new address. The phone clerk had forgotten to mention to the calling customer that the address was now different from what was in the yellow pages. Arriving at the correct, new location, but now even later, the staff member was inclined to get them out of the store with their boats as fast as possible - presumably the staff person wanted to get home for dinner. Normal comprehensive qualifying questions did not occur, nor were proper instructions rendered concerning limits and allowed paddling areas. The two happy paddlers set out, one in a stable fiberglass kayak, the other in a plastic SOT. My male friend did not appreciate the SOT, but did not argue as they felt lucky to have been serviced at all. Proceeding, the two paddled the length of the Gorge Waterway, from downtown to the middle reaches under the Gorge-Tillicum Bridge (close to the home of the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club). The waters under the bridge are know for some fairly rapid currents, which reverse with the tides. These reversing falls were gaining velocity, given the big spring tides being enjoyed here in the PNW at the time. It appeared relatively harmless. All they had to do was sprint through with some concerted effort, and they should clear the narrow gap and hit slower water on the other side, whereupon they could paddle back down with the flow after some exploration of the upper reaches of the Gorge. Unfortunately, they both tripped up in due course, a few minutes apart, due to inexperience (they both leaned upstream at the first hint of trouble, so it was game "over"). The male paddler effected a speedy paddle float rescue, which he required as the other paddler did not know how to do an assisted rescue. The male paddler did not have enough balance to reboard without the float assist. Shaken, but only mildly stirred, they attempted again. This time the female paddler capsized upon the upstream lean. She could not find the grab-loop, and there were a few anxious moments until she managed to "pop" the skirt with sheer determination. The couple managed to tow and swim the kayak to shore, leaving the kayaks in trust with a local entertainment establishment -- once they dried out a bit and moved the boats up to land height. A phone call was placed to an emergency call-in number, with the simple instructions that if the company wanted the kayaks back, they could recover them from the pub, and that the two were taking the bus back to their car. The evening contact-number recipient expressed dismay that the two had proceeded out of the regulation paddling zone, to which of course my friend responded that nothing of the sort was ever expressed to them. The company has a good safety record, I've heard, but this incident dispels the notion that upstart rental companies have the situation completely under control. The two may never have been in real danger, rather suffering more from perceived risk. However, I do think these small operators need to fine-tune their service delivery, providing rental paddlers who can not afford their own boats, with safe opportunities to learn. I also think that grab loops need some type of auxiliary attachment, perhaps in the form of a plastic holed ball or some such thing, to assist tentative clients with a more secure way of unfastening themselves quickly from the confines of a rented kayak. I also mentioned to my intrepid aquaintance, that he could have avoided the cool spill by simply leaning down stream a bit, with a downstream brace for support. He was visibly excited at the notion, after having scrathed his head over the last few weeks trying to figure out what they did wrong. I recommended some lessons, _again_. 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/ ***************************************************************************
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