Re: [Paddlewise] Swim support tips?

Steve,

Last year I was a rescue/safety kayaker for the Escape
from Alcatraz triathlon. Over 1400 swimmers hit the
freezing waters of San Francisco Bay, most of them
probably wishing they hadn't. We had to guide them to
shore and keep them from being washed out to the
Farallon Islands by the strong tide through the Golden
Gate. The weather was lousy, very cold, the wind
pushed you one way, the tide pushed you another and a
wild medley of currents and waves made you feel as if
you were in a salt water blender. 

In spite of, or because of, the above I had a ball, no
joke. It was very well organized, everyone knew what
they had to do and where they needed to be. There were
two rows of kayakers extending out from Alcatraz and a
group of sweepers. I think the sweepers had the most
action in terms of rescues. The focus really shifts
from your own kayaking to an intense attention to
people you are protecting. 

This year's race will be on June 6 and "I'll be
baaack."

Some tips: obviously do not do anything that is beyond
your ability, know the conditions and the course. 
Make sure that you can handle them. Dress
appropriately and carry safety equipment. In some
cases you may need extra safety equipment. Check on
the reputation of the race organizers. I was a
volunteer at an adventure race that was so
disorganized they didn't even know which teams had
finished! Make sure that the safety instructions are
clear, if you don't understand anything ASK. Ask
"worst case scenario" questions just to be sure of
contingencies. Things can go wrong very quickly, don't
be the man without a plan. If there are more
experienced safety kayakers you may want to hang out
with them, if possible. Remember there are people
counting on you. 

Good luck, have a great time.

Rafa

--- Steve Cramer <cramersec_at_charter.net> wrote:
> I've volunteered to provide kayak support for an
> open water swimming 
> race at Fernandina Beach, Florida. Don't know too
> much about the event yet.
> 
> Paddlewise has been used to recruit safety boaters
> before, but I can't 
> recall many posts about people's experiences.
> Anyone?
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