[Paddlewise] Sea Seat

Irene asked:

<<<What is Benign Positional Vertigo, and what is a Sea Seat?
Why are those relevant mainly to crossings?>>>

Irene, sorry for delay in responding. "BPV" means different things to
different people --  different people meaning mainly medical
professionals and health care technicians :-). The normative medical
usage falls somewhere between general dizziness and that faintness
sometimes felt upon arising too quickly. If anyone wishes to correct me,
go ahead and make my day :-). I adjudicate medical claims, globally, and
the vernacular usage of medical terminology varies around the world to
some degree. I could have said simply "dizziness", but "BPV" suited my
context appropriately, though I'm not sure where you got the notion that
the above two items in question were mainly to do with crossings only.

I simply was indicating that on longer crossings, if I get a "dizzy
spell,"   my inflatable Sea Seat can be deployed -- thereby providing me
with support if I lean over on it. A dizzy man in a narrow Nordkapp
isn't a pretty sight. I also used the "BPV" wording, to disassociate my
post from the ongoing PW discussion (at the time) revolving around
"ecstatic experiences at sea when horizons melt away" or the original
problem Barb was having on her surf ski as she headed out to sea.

I have done a "few" crossings, though too few by the standards of a few.
The few longer crossings I've done include ones with fog, high winds,
large tidal action, and rather large waves. I have done a few to in
flat, boring conditions. (I've only ever posted one report, as it had
significant lessons, and one other which most recently was in my CPA
article). I'm "audience sensitive" about crossing reports. Like Duane, I
like a good challenge. If someone says it looks impossible, I usually
say that  "it sounds like fun". Going solo is the ultimate, without
benefit of partner, and without benefit of a sail or a wide "can rest in
it" type of kayak. The Sea Seat gives me a bit of a back-up. Many have
failed at the more difficult crossings, including Roy Willy Johansen and
Nigel Foster (both suffered frost bite in the cold Canadian arctic).
Both were rescued. Even the best screw up, though I still have a hard
time understanding the frost bite given the modern gear we have access
to, but I'm sure there were extenuating circumstances. If things can go
wrong for these guys, well? My rougher solo crossings shall remain
silent, though I got to tell ya, that saying "kiss the ground" can be a
literal event at the end of your destination. "Nuff said on that..

I find I can get rather dizzy toward the end of a long crossing,
especially in rougher seas. What I lack in quantity of crossings, I've
made up for in wilder ones, as stated above. But, there is often a point
in a trip or a long crossing with no landing breaks, where my head
starts to spin - kind of like when alcohol hits you on an empty stomach.
It can be very sudden and disconcerting in a dynamically "stable" kayak.
I need to get my head down level for a rest. This is usually not an
option. When I do longer crossings where there is an island to break
things up, it isn't so much of a problem -- though my head does spin if
its been rough, so I usually lye down for a bit. It is a separate
problem from what the other posts were describing, and doesn't happen on
glassy sea crossings (though there is a dangerous situation called being
bored to death :-) ).

Benign Positional Vertigo is called benign, as the occurrence of it is
characterized by no known medical conditions present in the patient that
would contribute to the event, such as low blood pressure, diabetes,
etc. It is also benign, because it has no lasting negative consequence
(unless you fall over a railing or trip on stairs). It is positional, as
suddenly getting up can trigger it, or a general lightheadedness ensue
after a non-specific activity (I get it shoe shopping with my wife in
malls after a few hours, looking at a "few" shoes too many :-) ). It is
vertigo, as that is the symptomatic response. In my specific case,
probably it is a bit less benign in origin, as I usually get it after
heavy, prolonged physical stress.

The Sea Seat was developed here in Victoria during research into
hypothermia. It was part of the program that also saw the development of
the RES-Q-AIR mentioned in my CPA article on the failed group crossing
(a few folks mentioned the CPA hypothermia article didn't format well,
so if you didn't get a good post of it, I can send a good one via
backchannel). The Sea Seat is an inflatable device, the size of an
extremely large cushion, with a depression in the middle. It takes a few
minutes to orally inflate. It is difficult to get up on to it, but does
provide a way of getting out of the water if you loose your boat at sea,
or if your partner's boat sinks, and a few other problems like that. It
is also an excellent device for towing a swimmer in distress back to
shore. My wife and I both carry one each in our PFD's back pocket, while
canoeing, as it helps with solo rescues, or we can also get our kids on
them in a dire emergency. We prefer not to capsize, however. No, I don't
use it foe a pillow in my tent :-).

The rescue device is distributed here in Victoria. It never really
caught on, however. It was more popular before the Paddle Float came out
(though it is not a similar device in any way). I may well owe my life
to the Sea Seat, having had to use it during a bad bail-out in a
storm-tide situation a few years ago (I could have shot flares for help
too, but that is not my style).

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd (who had an awesome wild-water paddle with his wife today for
her very-first ever rough-water paddle -- in cold, windy seas off a
small headland -- in her new kayak with angular-soft chines)

PS
I think every body in the world that paddles on the ocean or lakes
should have a Sea Seat. You are illogical and dangerous if you do not
own one. I know the dealer and get a cut of every unit I refer for
sales. You are baby killers if you don't own one. They are the ONLY
device you need! (Sorry Irene, I'm doing my "Mr Spxnsxn man", Tim Ingram
imitation :-) )


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