Re: [Paddlewise] Jetski incident

"ralph diaz" <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com> wrote:

>>>>The encounter with the marauding jetskis is one reason why having a
marine
radio with you is a must.  If you can make immediate contact with
enforcement units while something like this is going on, it increases the
odds of catching the jetskis.  But even if you have not gotten through to
anyone, fake it.  If the jetskiers had seen you holding a radio to your ear
and mouthing out words and nodding your head as if you were talking to the
authorities, they would have zoomed away fast.<<<<<<

Good idea Ralph, I was also wondering if the kayakers were carrying flares.
Shooting one off early on in the incident would signal to the jetskiers that
you considered this an emergency situation and were seeking outside help.
The jetskiers may have thought or were pretending that they were just
playing some fun water games. Timed right, so the jetskier couldn't miss
seeing the flare and he would later have a hard time claiming in court that
this was all just in fun if he continued. Who knows, the jetskier may have
also seen the old Red Skelton movie I saw on TV, as a kid, where the bad guy
chasing him has Red cornered. All Red has is a flare gun he has just found
in the attic or boating warehouse. Red says something like "Come one step
closer and you'll be a glowworm". Not that I'd advocate anything like this
as one of Audrey Sutherland's (and my dad's) dual purpose uses for every
item. (One paddler in "Deep Trouble" did get a fire going with his flares
though, so I guess flares already have a dual purpose.)

I would never directly threaten a boater or jetskier with one but after
shooting off a flare for help they would be legally obligated to be
rendering assistance (not continuing to race around and buzz you). However,
they might also realize that you might not be as helpless as you had at
first seemed and they might back off from their behavior without any real or
implied threats being made on your part, only a simple call for help in an
emergency.

Some Jetskiers may see kayakers as the self-righteous spoilsports that have
limited their access to the marshes and backwaters that kayakers can freely
go into but jetskiers have been banned from. Finding members of the kayak
gang on their own (open water) turf they may have wanted to send the
kayakers fleeing back to their own territory where they wouldn't be in the
jetskiers way. Young men think this way. Something about testosterone
poisoning I think. Others like Doug and myself channel this poison into
battles with the elements. My answer to Craig's question to Doug, which was
in part:
>>>>>You acknowledge the risk of what you're doing, you abhor what you're
doing
at times, yet you're still drawn to it; are you willing to share with us why
you think you are drawn to storm paddling? <<<<<<<

testosterone poisoning.

The first time I ever went canoeing was in high school. My buddy and I
rented a canoe and took a couple of girls paddling on Lake Washington. A
water-skier repeatedly buzzed and sprayed us. One time he came close enough
that I realized I could probably break his legs with an edge on baseball bat
swing with my paddle. I had to restrain myself from doing so to avoid
escalating the situation further (he had an awful big boat for back-up). On
the next pass he came so close that he lost his balance from turning so
sharply trying to avoid a collision with us that he fell over a little
distance away. We tried to get the boats serial number as it picked him up
but weren't able to. We later got close enough to the boat as they were
loading it on the trailer. WE got the serial number and filed a complaint
with the Harbor Patrol. However nothing happened as the other paddler's dad
was a cop. When he heard about the incident he withdrew or quashed the
complaint, telling his son that it would be more trouble than it was worth
to press charges. That kind of pissed me off because the rest of us weren't
consulted about what we wanted to do. I chalk this one up to testosterone
poisoning as well. The presence of the female sex probably set off their
idiotic "show-off" reflex that must be obeyed. One of my daughters in
college complained that it was hard to take guys seriously who thought you
would be impressed by how much they could drink without passing out.

I don't condone threats but I have been known to hold my ski poles pointed
up the hill while standing to discourage the wannabie crazies from buzzing
me too close. My plan was that if they were about to collided with me I'd to
use the poles in a sort of a bullfighter's picador move to leap over the
other skiers body as they went under me. Never got to see if it would work
though, maybe the sharp four pronged tips on the ski poles discouraged them
from getting close enough.

Gee, thanks for the tip about Rec.Boats.Paddle. Doug. I learned on the Deja
vu archives that I'm both a fool AND a murderer (apparently somewhere on the
level of Jim Jones) but also not really the inventor of the murderous
paddlefloat that has killed hundreds if not a thousand already. Yep, it made
my day. Thanks again Doug, you are always so helpful.

Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com



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