Re: [Paddlewise] Dealing with fear

>Jolie Smilowicz wrote:
>         snip
> > I can feel my heart race increase
> > when someone says "wet exit."  I still don't know how I get out of the 
> boat,
> > but I always do.
>         snip
> > Jolie

Just so that you know that you're not alone...

I am associated with a local club associated with the University I work at 
called the "Cornell Outing Club".  It's primarily students but it's 
actually open to anyone in the community.  They do pretty much every 
recreational outdoor activity imaginable and kayaking is one of the most 
popular.  They've got a dozen or so white water kayaks for use by club 
members.  Before a member of the club is allowed to use them, and in fact 
before they're given a paddle, they must demonstrate two wet exits 
performed in a calm and deliberate manner. For the past couple of years I 
have been called upon as a "witness" for new members.  Last fall there were 
about 15 new members one day that had to do their wet exits.  I was the 
guinea pig for the initial demonstration.  First, I did a capsize so that 
the new boating "chair" could do a hand of god rescue (he had never done 
one before) to show the new members that the "spotter" could easily tip the 
boat back up if they had trouble.  Then I explained the sequence of events 
for the wet exit and told them that I was going to really take my time to 
show them that the wet exit need not be rushed.  I also told them that when 
they did theirs that they would have to keep on doing it until they did it 
in a calm and deliberate manner.  I tipped over, slapped the bottom of the 
boat a few times, slide my hands back and forth along the side, reached 
across the bottom of the boat and clasped my finger and wiggled them,  did 
a parade wave, then slowly released the spray skirt, making sure that it 
was free all the way around the cockpit, then tumbled out of the kayak, 
coming up with my hand on the cockpit.

I would say that at least 75% of them showed quite a bit of apprehension 
for the first attempt.  A couple of them were halfway out of the boat 
before it got completely upside down.  There was one particular woman that 
had to do it about five times before she didn't look like she was panicking 
when she went upside down.  I asked her if she had spent much time just 
swimming underwater.
Yes, she had quite a bit of experience.  She was a registered lifeguard.

It's not just being underwater that seems to bother people but going under 
water while still in the cockpit with a sprayskirt attached.  Niels was 
mentioning several games/exercises that would make it a bit easier.  I've 
been thinking about some games for the pool sessions for the COC that are 
starting this weekend.  One of them might be a relay race with two person 
teams that would involve a variety of techniques from getting from one end 
of the pool to the other.  For example, it would be a good balance exercise 
to paddle down and back with your partner laying on the rear deck, and then 
once a lap has been completed to switch places (which would require a wet 
exit), then switch places again and do the same with your partner on the 
front deck.


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