Re: [Paddlewise] Rec Boat Scenario

While I agree with Kevin's conclusions and his sentiments, I feel he
arrives at them by spurious reasoning.  
The first guy in a bull boat had probably spent years floating around
on a log, thinking what he'd do if he could get his hands on a spare
buffalo hide and a really big willow basket.
Leif Erickson was born into one of the greatest seafaring traditions of
all time.  To speak of "lessons," when his whole upbringing was one long
apprenticeship, is to miss the point. You may as well say that his first
"wet exit" involved amniotic fluid...
Same for Knud Rasmussen and Fridjof Nansen. And what I can say for
Roald Amundsen is that he had the sense to winter on Antarctica aboard
the Belgica before his own polar attempt, borrow Nansen's ship Fram, use
his boyhood skill in skiing, and add to it by learning to use dogsleds
while living with Greenland Eskimos.  These guys were *prepared*.
That said, I'm a believer in self-nomination for Darwin Awards.  If our
chubby fisherman survives his brush with eternity, he'll be a much more
attentive student at his first paddling lesson.
Dan Harrison
 
>Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2003 23:51:25 EDT
>From: Kevin50110_at_aol.com
>Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Rec Boat Scenario

>Wow.... After reading all these informed replies I wouldn't let a
single 
>overweight guy who likes to fish in a boat; let alone a kayak, without
at 
>least 6 months of intensive survival training by the appropriate
government 
>authority. 
>[snip]
>Remember the first guy in a bull boat had no lessons; Ericksen went
West. no  
>lessons.....Rasmussen went East, no lessons. Fridtjof Nansen went
wherever he 
>wanted, no lessons required. Amundssen, what can you say? 
>No certificates needed before entering the water...... It's an affair
of the 
>heart.
>Kevin

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