Re: [Paddlewise] Gender Defender (was KP)

Doug Lloyd raises the provocative and irresolvable question of differences
between paddlers of different genders.  Having worked for a female owned and
dominated company after working for a very male-oriented organization, I can
say that there were MAJOR differences.
But darned if I can tell you exactly what they were!  As Doug points out,
individual personalities create so many exceptions that generalizations have
almost no predictive value.

Like Doug, I ruminated on the La Nina expedition article -- especially the
common-sense policy of deferring to the least competent or least courageous
(least foolhardy?) paddler.  That should be the first commandment for every
sea kayaker paddling in a group.

On a related topic, whether you are man, woman, or hermaphrodite, rising
weather is no time to leave less powerful or competent paddlers behind.
More often than not, I have seen strong paddlers get a rush of adrenalin
when the weather worsens and flail off into the distance.  The psychological
release from "beating nature" may be heady,  but  IMO, the heavier the
weather, the more someone might need your help.

These and similar thoughts have been plaguing me ever since I learned of the
deaths of Chris and Erik Shuman.  Last summer, I spent six days paddling
with them at Isle Royale -- the three of us split from a larger group and
did the east end of the island from Rock Harbor up through the Five-Fingers
area to McCargoe Cove and back.  You get to know, respect, depend on, and,
yes, love people when you live and share with them like that.  I still see
them picking blueberries on an "Alpine" ridge of Amygdaloid Island -- a
magical spot from which we could see the Lake stretching away to the
horizon.  Their tragedy is devastating, and I still cry for them at the most
unlikely times.

Their deaths have also left me fearful of making a trip on Lake Superior
later this summer.  I cannot stop thinking about all the things that could
go wrong -- how a wet exit could be thwarted by a tangled paddle leash, how
a wet suit might not provide enough protection in the cold water, what I
would do if such things happened to someone else, etc. etc. etc.  If I
manage to retrieve enough nerve to go, I'll be panic stricken if I see
stronger paddlers leaving weaker ones behind or urging them to paddle in
conditions of which they are afraid. If that happens, I think that, for
once, I'll speak my mind.

BTW, all I know about the Schumans already has been published on this list.
If anyone has any more information whatever about them, would you be so kind
as to send it to me off list.

Rick





Doug wrote:

> I've just finished reading Sea
> Kayaker's account and Wavelength's account of the all women La Nina
> expedition that paddled the entire outside coast of BC. I completely did
> a double-take, and rethought my views on the entire subject. I was
> impressed by some differences that were very apparent with the all women
> group. The women seemed to have much better communication regarding
> safety and decision making. There was no leader on the trip. All
> decisions were relegated to the weakest member - the lowest common
> denominator.


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