At 12/28/2000 11:18 AM -0500, John Allaman wrote: > This time they used a top-of-the-line two-man seagoing >kayak and took along cellular phones, Global Positioning System receivers, a >waterproof marine radio and laminated maps to ensure that they didn't fail. 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. The two men that John let us know about, the two Army Rangers or climbers and many others around the world fall victim to hypothermia. One doesn't often associate Florida with hypothermia, but all it takes is being wet on a 50 degree night and you have the formula for disaster. Rather one is wet from rain, perspiration or a capsize - you are still wet. Without dressing for the water temperature and/or exposure their PFD's didn't do much other than give the search party an easier job of body recovery. In the eyes of the uninformed they were prepared, experience and knowledge says different. What kind of grade do we get when our's and others lifes are at risk from hypothermia, drowning, etc. It doesn't always have to be giant seas and storms to cost a life. Fred T. California Kayak *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
The other factor contributing to hypothermia with Military personel and athletic types is the lack of body fat. You can take a highly tuned, athletic body and a chubby outta shape couch 'tater and put 'em out in the cold. Guess who wins? I did a MTV kayak photo shoot with Gabrielle Reese a couple years back and watched her go from warm and bubbly to cold and shivering in the 5 hours it took to get the footage we needed. She went into denial as I layered her up with my spare poly. Yep, I still got that poly! I, on the other hand was warm as ever. Steve <body fat _at_ 25%>Scherrer aldercreek.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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