Re: [Paddlewise] fatal Kayaking mishap in the Florida Panhandle.

From: Ira Adams <iadams_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 13:40:07 -0600
On 1/1/01 9:54 AM Fred T, CA Kayaker (cakayak_at_mindspring.com) wrote:

>A number of years ago two US Army Rangers in training died from hypothermia 
>in the same general area during a portion of their final exams.  The 
>Rangers would leave Georgia and make their way to the Gulf of 
>Mexico.  These men. I believe, would be in far better shape and more adapt 
>at surviving extreme weather conditions than the two unfortunate men in 
>this case.  Yet, hypothermia can and does take down the best of them......
[snip]

Actually, I think you'll find that people in "top physical shape" like 
this are not as well off in terms of succumbing to hypothermia as are 
people who have plenty of excess body fat to provide both flotation and 
insulation.

Someone just finishing something like Ranger training has probably lost 
most of their insulating "blubber" and is probably a prime candidate for 
quicker death from hypothermia.

That does not, of course, imply that we shouldn't dress for the water 
conditions we are paddling in, but being a lean, mean killing machine is 
not going to help anyone fight hypothermia.

Ira  Adams
Kayaks currently covered by two to three inches of snow in south 
Mississippi.
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Received on Mon Jan 01 2001 - 11:40:57 PST

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