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From: Hal <hal11_at_adelphia.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] Cape Cod kayak incident update - worst news
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 17:08:55 -0400
http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/update/index.htm

No information on whether or not they were wearing PFDs.
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From: <Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Cape Cod kayak incident update - worst news
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 08:37:32 -0400
Until the second body is found, there is still hope, albeit small hope.


Six or seven years ago, I went to church with a 16 year old girl.  She
and her boyfriend, neither of which had ever paddled before, went to the
N.C. Outer Banks and took off in his uncles double. Their entire gear
list consisted of the boat, two paddles, and themselves... absolutely
nothing else, not even a single PFD.  Their goal was to cross the Sound
(numerous miles) and back.  

They capsized and couldn't re-enter.  His body was found about 24 hours
later.  The search for her became more of a "recovery" effort.
Miraculously, she was found a couple days later huddled inside a duck
blind in the middle of the Sound.  Other than dehydrated, hungry, a
little hypothermic and scared out of her wits, she was otherwise
unharmed.

Point is, it's happened before, and it will happen again.  This latest
woman could be holed up somewhere waiting for a rescue.  I'm not putting
money on it, but we can hope, at least.

Incidentally, the girl I referred to was back to normal within a couple
of weeks, but her mother continues to suffer from it today, mentally.
She's never been quite the same, and I don't anticipate that she will
"be back" anytime soon.  As always, there are more victims than just
those who were actually in the accident.

Rick
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From: Gary J. MacDonald <garyj_at_rogers.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Cape Cod kayak incident update - worst news
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 09:10:55 -0400
Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote:
> Incidentally, the girl I referred to was back to normal within a couple
> of weeks, but her mother continues to suffer from it today, mentally.
> She's never been quite the same, and I don't anticipate that she will
> "be back" anytime soon.  As always, there are more victims than just
> those who were actually in the accident.

Even being someone who is rescued can suffer for quite a while.  Someone 
inmy extended family (and I see several times a year) survived a night 
on Lake Huron a few years ago.  He lost his best friend that night.  The 
various strains of it were quite overtly with him for years of counselling.

(Late teens, partying at cottage.  Late August, so water as warm as it 
gets.  Decide at 2 am to take old Grumman canoe out for a paddle.  No 
PFDs, but breath they could use for flares if they had a way to light 
it.  Tip over about a mile (?? I suspect much less) off shore.  Friend 
can't swim, although my relative could and was a very fit athlete.  He 
was reluctant to leave his friend alone, so they clung to the canoe 
together.  The friend didn't last until a beach-walker heard the shouts 
a little after dawn.)

I heard this second-hand, as it were, being in the room with the 
receiving side of the phone.  Even just the dozen words of "he what..." 
and "without..." were enough for any experienced paddler to know the 
story.

This is why we all talk ourselves silly about safety in all situations. 
  I do more river paddling, and I tell newbies thatthe river doesn't 
care, it just is.  The sea is the same.

GaryJ
"Let's be careful out there."

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