Re: [Paddlewise] A Story: Crossing the Baltic Sea

Hi P´Wisenheimers...

Joan wrote (Nov 1st):

.........
>Why choose to use any rescue that requires hand 
>pumping the water out if it isn't necessary? I'm sure
there was a reason, as you mentioned above, you "but
water-filled kayak was only slightly taken onto the
deck of our supporting double, just to let the water
out from the cockpit." Does this 
mean you didn't empty it as much as you could? My
experience with "t" or "x" rescues is that the boat is
so empty that a sponge is a better tool to remove the
last of the water rather than a pump.

Well, the kayak was rather heavy, so I do regard the
"full" x-rescue is rather dangerous in those waves! We
wanted to lift the kayak as much as possible, but not
enough to cause any stability problems. What the people
do not quite understand, is that the rescueing is
actually heavy and sometimes dangerous thing also to
the rescuers. 

After the x-rescue we had to get all of the water away
from the kayak because it was making the plastic single
very shaky. A bailer was not very helpful, and pumping
took so much energy, so we ended up combining the best
elements of the x-rescue and the hand-pump, which takes
quite effectively the water from the bottom of the
boat. Using sponge in those waves would not have
helped. There would be more water coming in than
getting out.

>    The unending conversation about rescues back here
is about 
>learning every 
>variation on the theme of getting the paddler back into their 
>dry boat as 
>quickly as possible. Was there a concern for the temperature 
>of the water or 
>what? 

The Finnish paddlers were mostly well equipped with
jackets and neprene suits, but if someone gets
hypothermic (it was the end of June, remember!) after
spending some hours in the sea-water, the temps were a
matter of concern. The Estonian and Lithuanian
competition paddlers were wearing sports jackets and
t-shirts! Two of the capsized and floated several hours
in the water.

What is the emphasis in your neck of the woods? Do you 
>have any kind of 
>standard teaching? I know the Brits don't think much of the 
>paddlefloat. Is 
>there some particular thing you do or don't do?

All the clubs have basic and advanced (the latter
meaning expedition) courses for the beginners. All the
beginners are strongly adviced to take the courses, but
mostly they are from 3 to 5 days - and according to my
experience the *real* school of life starts only after
the classes ;-) 

The National Finnish association of kayaking  has tried
to create some official standards for the courses, but
it is very much after the clubs to stay at the level.
Our club does the courses very different than the next
one in the neighbourhood, which emphasizes the
rescueing techniques and group functioning (I do hope
this was a correct term!). My club has mainly lone
wolves who take all the responsibilities by themselves
and paddle their trips mainly alone or in very small
groups. A very private club in a way: we can not afford
very many new members (about 200 of them now) because
there is not space for them and their kayaks.

>    I don't think 22mph is that bad a wind, just a lot
of work 
>but is that 
>5'-7' sea normal? That could have been tough in that wind, 
>though you didn't 
>indicate was much of an issue. I've never been in seas that 
>high so I don't 
>know how tough they are. It sounds like your friend in the 
>plastic boat felt 
>too good in it.

He had maybe a good belief in his skills. The problem
with the folks doing the crossing was that the
organizer, Yrjo, had no possibilities to check all the
inviduals taking part to it. So he had to trust the
people coming from different clubs all over the country
and trying to confirm him that they were all right.
That was the reason why the safety boat was following
us, it has not been used before during those crossings.


The kayaking has become very popular during the last
6-7 years I have been paddling and more and more
new-comers are starting every summer. THAT is a matter
of concern, because they seem to be very optimistic
about their skills. It is so easy to start here. The
sea is open and free to everyone and the "everyman´s
rights" support the campers providing free camping
overnight to almost every place - excluding someones
garden, naturally.  

This is heaven, if you do not pay attention too much to
the water-temps...

The wind did not feel bad. It was first the sharpness
of the waves which got us wet, water crashing over
board. After that it was pure sweat and the problems of
balancing which took so much energy.

>    The paddling culture we paddle in seems to be different 
>from region to 
>region and even group to group. I find all of them 
>interesting. Thank you for 
>sharing yours.
>
>Joan Spinner

Thank you all reading it! I did enjoy the crossing, it
was my first over to Estonia. Yrjo and some other
kayakers have done those crossings since -88 or
something, when first the Russian gun-boats were
following the kayakers to Tallinn all the time and they
were not allowed to land anywhere except the Pirita
harbour. The Estonians were under the Soviet regime
that time. A legendary trip, I believe... with no
peeing breaks, ha ha...

Cheers, 

Ari

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