Regarding ignorance, let's hear something relative to dealers that sell boats with an irresponsibly sunny view of risks when they send total novices out the door with the new plastic bathtub. These new paddlers hit the water in the cold season dressed in street clothes. If they have a PFD, it's stuffed under the deck or tied to the boat. They have no flotation in the boats, know nothing about wind, tides, surf, rescues, cold water, etc. Many deaths I have reviewed happened to victims who are out on their first trip. The victims had no idea of books, magazines, clubs, safety issues, available courses. They are sure they will never capsize, and if they did capsize, they are certain that they would be able to swim to shore- no matter the water temperature (no PFD, and dressed in street clothes and boots). What is the answer? Chuck Sutherland > Jolie said: I am enough of a beginner to know why these dumb, and tragic > things happen. Paddling a kayak is deceptively easy--anyone can do it. As > far as concerns about weather, gear, dressing appropriately, etc., people > simply do not know any better. It's as simple as that. > > I second that. The first time I paddled a whitewater river, I honestly > didn't see the point of wearing a helmet or lifejacket. > > And no, that does not explain some of my opinions. By the time I did > actually hit my head, I was wearing a helmet! > > Jim Tibensky > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. > http://www.hotmail.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/ > *************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Jolie said: I am enough of a beginner to know why these dumb, and tragic things happen. Paddling a kayak is deceptively easy--anyone can do it. As far as concerns about weather, gear, dressing appropriately, etc., people simply do not know any better. It's as simple as that. -end quote Hi Jolie, So, its kind of like in the movies, only in this case "DUDE, WHERE'S MY KAYAK?", or maybe "AMERICAN DIE". Well, we do live during extreme days. I've been off cable TV for 6 years, and finally took advantage of a free hook up in November. I was amazed at all the extreme sports shows, etc. There's a lot of dedicated, deliberate recreational close calls with death - both on land and in/on the sea (and air too). I wonder if beginners sometimes seek a bit of a thrill, conditioned by TV culture, not fully comprehending the implications that nature can dish out. Or maybe they really are just ignorant (in the most prosaic sense) of the realities. Regardless, it is still a tragedy when a paddler dies. Even if nature IS thinning out the chaff from the gene pool. As your President said, everyone who died (Sept 11th) was the most important person to someone. So are all paddlers who die paddling. And, as those tragic events showed, the most extreme days are always in the context of real life, not Hollywood. Life is precious. Life should be unitive. Family and friends important. Hey, I'm one to talk, but at least I've been behaving this year, minimizing my exposure to the extreme elements, and spending much more quality time with family. I got plastered against a few too many lee shores in 40-knot plus winds a while back, did a little reevaluating, so I didn't need recent tragedies to draw me closer to what is important. Though, I still fantasize about riding the crest of a mega-tsunami along the eastern US seaboard when that volcanic island off the coast of Africa finally slides into the sea sending up a 6000 meter wave. Ride it, baby! (if your going to die anyway, as its supposed to inundate 12 miles inland). As for the tandem incident, I did get Steve's note about the possibility of the incident simply being a tragic accident while the men were trying to retrieve a blown away kayak (you would think the wind blowing the errant boat away would have been a first clue about the nasty conditions, if that is how it went down. Chuck said: Regarding ignorance, let's hear something relative to dealers that sell boats with an irresponsibly sunny view of risks when they send total novices out the door with the new plastic bathtub. <snip some more good stuff> Hi Chuck, (BTW, thanks for the magazine you sent me last year from the Atlantic coast. Sounds like you have a number of issues out your way, too). I think your point above is well taken. The list has been over this territory before. One can only hope the majority of retailers point customers towards books, vids, and courses. After all, its the "add ons" that make for true enterprise in today's tight market, if dollars are indead the bottom line. Still, I encounter countless hoards out and about (over time), untrained, inexperienced and ill-equipped -- often due to under funding. It can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. However, there are minimum standards in my opinion. And I'm still disillusioned over the number of paddlers yielding too much pressure on the environment, the Orca populations, camp sites, etc. I rarely write or promote the sport anymore, keeping to myself for the most part. Hope life is good for you back on the right coast. Hope you are behaving. Doug Lloyd Left Coast *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
At 03:04 PM 12/12/01 +0000, skimmer_at_mail3.enter.net wrote: >Regarding ignorance, let's hear something relative to dealers that >sell boats with an irresponsibly sunny view of risks when they send >total novices out the door with the new plastic bathtub. These new >paddlers hit the water in the cold season dressed in street clothes. >If they have a PFD, it's stuffed under the deck or tied to the boat. >They have no flotation in the boats, know nothing about wind, tides, >surf, rescues, cold water, etc. > >Many deaths I have reviewed happened to victims who are out on their >first trip. The victims had no idea of books, magazines, clubs, >safety issues, available courses. They are sure they will never >capsize, and if they did capsize, they are certain that they would be >able to swim to shore- no matter the water temperature (no PFD, and >dressed in street clothes and boots). > >What is the answer? Education. That's where we, as experienced paddlers come in. *************************************************************************** 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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