Re: [Paddlewise] Victoria Incident (was Michigan Kayaker dies...)

From: Doug Lloyd <dougl_at_islandnet.com>
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 2002 21:21:44 -0700
PeterO wrote:

> Doug' wrote
> >Well, there's this one fellow who will not
> >join our club, but wants to join in on the
> >paddling fun.
>
> G'Day Doug'
>                  I hope (for his sake) he at least joined the club after all the effort
> the members went to!! Its a perpetual source of wonder how dedicated kayak
> club organisers can be and how valuable the efforts of a good club are.
>

One fellow in particular has been facilitating trips for a number of years now, every
Sunday and Wednesday, year 'round. He's helped a heck of a lot of folks slide into
kayaking...and he's past retirement age. The situation on the paddle in question was rather
unusual. Lots of folks have capsized, but this time one got away. I'm not sure why, as I
wasn't there. Paddlers can't come along unless they have given 3 days notice to the
facilitator. This way, if there is a higher number of new paddlers, the trip can be
modified or more experienced paddlers brought along.

Interestingly enough, the club had a scheduled rescue practice session on the following
Sunday with the Aux. Coast Guard, the same guys that came out to rescue the wayward paddler
the week before. They Auxiliaries said the club members had done the correct thing calling
in a Mayday, and not to hesitate to do it again when in doubt.

The immersion apparel/PFD requirement may seem harsh to some, but it provides some basic
backup wiggle room, if you know what I mean.

>
> All the best, PeterO
> (Who just came back from a grand surf training
> weekend at a club in Tathra 350km south of Sydney)

Sounds like fun. Let us know if anything interesting came up. I thought it was interesting
a couple of years ago coming down the west coast of Nootka Island, negotiating through the
reefs into the shore break. There was a bunch of board surfers off the Bajo Reef point
break. This is real wilderness surfing. They were all wearing helmets. It was the first
time I'd ever seen surfies wearing protective gear.

Doug Lloyd


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Received on Sat Sep 21 2002 - 21:21:27 PDT

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