Re: [Paddlewise] Caribbean

----- Original Message -----
From: "Matt Broze" <mkayaks_at_oz.net>

> Chuck asked for more info on the powerboat collision and fatality of a
> kayaker in the BVI.
> Below is a long link to two articles in the Boston Globe about it. Or you
> can find them like I did by going to the Boston Globe's website and
> searching the last 30 days for British Virgin Islands.
> The victims surviving partner in the kayak, Michele Granda,

I got the article (really an orbituary) about the woman who was killed but
just the short version of the article about the motor boat captain being let
free while an investigation is under way.

Without being prejudicial, the captain was at fault in terms of
responsibility incumberant on him/her.  There is a pecking order of
responsibility in collision with various classes of watercraft having to
yield a right of way and avoid collision with other classes of watercraft.
Everybody for instance must avoid colliding with a boat not under power,
i.e. a moored boat at anchor.  On the other extreme a sea plane must avoid
all other watercraft as it attempts a normal landing.  Power craft is to
avoid sailing craft and human powered craft.

Of course, anyone in a paddled craft must assume that other craft don't see
them and do everything possible to stay out of their way.  That is the
ultimate rule regarding collision, do everything you can to avoid it
regardless of who has the maritime right in the situation.

Here in NYC harbor as, I am certain, in SF Bay, Seattle waters, the port of
Sydney etc. the situation with recreational powerboaters is unbelievable.
Some, not all, are entirely oblivious to their surrounding.  A case in
point: late summer of last year my wife and I were paddling singles along
the Manhattan pier line on the Hudson around the USS Intrepid museum.  Just
north are the steamship lines where ocean liners are docked.  Recreational
power boat captains like to cruise in close to show them off to guests.
While we were passing these piers, I could see a skipper at the helm going
slowly behind the stern of one of the ocean liner.  He was looking up at the
ships and pointing things out while his bow was pointed out toward the river
and us.  I blew my whistle to alert him especially as a highly favorable
flood current was pushing us into his path.  I got the dirtiest look from
him and the guests, a kinda of "how dare you be in our path!" oblivious to
where their boat was headed.

The old motto of survival in close quarters is to 1) do everything you can
to be seen and then 2) no matter what you did in point #1, assume you are
invisible.

ralph diaz--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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