Re: [Paddlewise] Entrapment

>>What is different in whitewater situations vs sea-kayaking that would

make Eskimo rescues useful in one and not the other? 

Scott wrote:
>I believe that in whitewater paddling paddlers generally are in 
closer proximity to each other since they are pretty much confined
within the width of the river. Whitewater paddlers also commonly rely
on "spotters".
>I simply assume that the Eskimo rescues work better in river paddling
based on the numbers of whitewater paddlers who always chime in with
stories of Eskimo rescues every time this topic comes up

I might add that there is generally more of a "team attitude" to a
group of whitewater paddlers than to a group of sea kayakers.  With
this team attitude is the expectation of the capsize victim that
someone will be there, and the expectation of the rest of the team
members that the capsize victim will be expecting someone there.

I don't think it works better simply because of the physical constraint
of the width of the river.

You can paddle in as close of formation in sea kayaks; most "non-team
attitude" paddlers simply choose not to.

In rough water, where "team attitude" (or actual "teams", per se)
paddlers are more likely to be found, bow rescues are probably more
prevalent.  On flat water (like club trips) where groups get extremely
spread out, bow rescues are neither prevalent nor often useful.

Another hypothesis:  most whitewater paddlers know how to roll, or have
some beginnings of a roll.  They then have the concurrent "hang time"
to await a rescue.  The average sea kayaker has an average maximum hang
time of 1.6 seconds*.  ;)

Shawn

*Fictional statistic that probably isn't far from the truth.
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