[Paddlewise] Death of Ken Schaffer

Hi,

Rev. Bob Carter reported the death of Ken Schaffer in Sitka, Alaska.

For anyone out there with information, here are several key questions 
regarding this accident.

What was the water temperature?

I assume that Mr. Schaffer was wearing a wetsuit or drysuit, but we 
need to confirm that this was true.

More important,  was Mr. Schaffer wearing a hood?

Was it one that covered his ears?

Was he using nose clips?

Cold water in the ear canal can cause vertigo, complete loss of 
orientation.  We have reports of paddlers, normally skilled at 
rolling, who have been forced to bail out after capsizing. One 
paddler had no idea what happened after intentionally going over to 
do a roll at the end of a winter paddling trip.

Several cold water paddlers have been found hanging beneath their 
boats. 

We run cold water workshops for sea kayakers. We ran one last weekend 
in Norwalk, CT.  A point of discussion addressed the issue of 
gasping. An unprotected person in cold water will gasp 
uncontrollably. Under water, drowning results. 

Mr. Schaffer was able to do two rolls with out a problem, implying 
that he was wearing a wet/drysuit. I think cold water on the head 
won't necessarily cause gasping, unconsciousness perhaps, but not 
gasping.  Gasping did occur, by the description given us, after the 
third (delayed) roll, which could have been complicated by the 
appearance of virtigo.

That loss of orientation and balance could explain why Mr. Schaffer 
capsized again later on the way back to shore.

We need to know water temperature and exactly how Mr. Schaffer was 
dressed.  Weather and sea conditions do not seem to be factors in 
this case.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Chuck Sutherland

e-mail:   skimmer_at_mail3.enter.net 
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