After a winter away from Paddlewise, I saw and heard some news stories that made me feel compelled to rejoin. Most of the recent news stories were not good - May 28 - Robert Beauvais, 51, student at Buzzard's Bay Kayak School in Westport (MA) practicing "turning techniques" drowned during a class in Fairhaven Bay. He was apparently with an instructor and other students, had a PFD, but drowned after capsizing. May 1 - Brothers boating in Scituate (MA) may have been drinking, capsized, and in strong currents a kayaker attempted a rescue of one but the victim slipped out of the paddlers' hands. The synopsis did not include information on the second brother's fate. Scituate is on more-or-less open ocean coast. June 16 - Hull (MA) A canoe carrying a man and a woman overturned. The woman's body, swamped canoe and a cooler washed ashore. The man's body was not found. Hull is in the protected little islands south of Boston. The weather was very fine on the 16th, with hardly a breath of wind. June 9 (?) - Somewhere between Newburyport and Lawrence (MA) - Fisherman in canoe, lines became entangled, overturned the boat, and while disentangling himself reportedly removed his PFD and drowned. Late April - An open canoe attempting to run rapids on the Contocook River, was warned that the section was not suitable for an open boat but ran it anyway and overturned and was drowned. Add to that 3 more weekend drownings here in NH which had nothing to do with paddling (and everything to do with small children left unattended near water) and two canoe and kayak deaths on NH rivers during the spring runoff, and one gets a picture that paddling here is not always as safe as it should be. There may have been some discussion of this already on Paddlewise - I hope this isn't too redundant. -Jerry. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Here's a link: http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/kaya05282001.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerald Hawkins" <jhawkins_at_cisco.com> To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 11:24 AM Subject: [Paddlewise] New England Paddling Accidents snip > May 28 - Robert Beauvais, 51, student at Buzzard's Bay Kayak School in > Westport (MA) practicing "turning techniques" drowned snip *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 6/18/01 11:36:06 AM, jhawkins_at_cisco.com writes: << May 28 - Robert Beauvais, 51, student at <outfitter's name snipped, they have suffered too much already> practicing "turning techniques" drowned during a class in Fairhaven Bay. He was apparently with an instructor and other students, had a PFD, but drowned after capsizing. >> My understanding is that this poor soul suffered a heart attack during a lesson, proceeded to capsize and drown before the guide/instructor and a registered RN (who administered CPR) could get to him. This man may have died before he hit the water or immediately afterwards. This doesn't appear to be a death caused by kayaking although it is of course kayak related. To the spirit of the balance of your post, kayaking or any water sport is only as safe as the skills and judgment of the participants dictate. Even then, we are guests when out on the sea and we would be well served to remember to treat the sea with all due respect and reverence lest we perish through fault of our own ignorance. Even when we do take all precautions and keep our skills sharp, if the sea were to decide to take us we would be powerless to stop it. Jed *************************************************************************** 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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