[Paddlewise] Victoria fatality

The news tonight shed a few more facts on the recent fatality. A
sailboat in the area was the first vessel of opportunity. The skipper
threw a rescue collar, but the individual survivor apparently was too
week to hang on. He was also very difficult to see as he was wearing
dark clothing. The skipper waved over a Zodiac full of whale-watchers,
and it was the low-slung Zodiac that was able to pull the man aboard. He
had almost no strength after 10 minutes in the 50 degree water (scarry).
The other kayaker had submerged by then.

The story ran for a few minutes and was reasonably well balanced. The
newscaster emphasized that the kayaks were recreational models not
intended for rough water ocean paddling. The camera cut to Ocean River
Sports and commentary from the owner, Brian Henry. He again emphasized
that these recreational kayaks were intended for lake paddling in
pond-like conditions, and the best way to deal with trouble in this type
of kayak is to simply stand up and walk to shore, which obviously means
one shouldn't be using this type of craft out from the shoreline. Brian
also emphasized the point that recreational kayaks are not sold with
floatation, as they are not intended to be used where sinking would be
an issue (or something like that).

My only concern is the one expressed by Dr Sutherland, in as much as
immersion apparel and training were not given due course in the report,
though the camera did show Brian pulling a PFD and a wet suit off the
rack.

Anyone at the Port Angeles symposium knows how hard it blew this
weekend. BTW, my first post said the incident was on the 13th. That
should have been the 14th of April -- not that it really matters. Also,
no mention of alcohol was made in the report, though this was confirmed
to me by other sources.

The best line I heard from this whole incident came from the Zodiac
driver. He was commenting how subdued the clients were on the tour boat
after pulling the survivor aboard and realizing the other paddler was
not retrievable. He said it was a somber reminder that you don't always
get a second chance when it comes to the ocean.

Doug (who's Nordkapp was chaffing at the bit to be out there this
weekend, with its owner, with all the excitement)

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