[Paddlewise] Tragic accident in North Florida

If you can't piece these links together just search on kayak at:
www.sptimes.com

The following link contains initial details of a tragic accident in North
Florida.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_KAYAKERS_LOST_FLOL-SITE=FLPET&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

I am familiar with this area it is fairly remote, and although the water
is shallow, and there is protective cover behind islands and inside bays
it can get rough during high winds. Paddling a Canoe in this environment,
in even moderate weather is really a bad idea.

By Sunday wind gusts were up to 35 knots! Water temperature is the mid
60's, Air temps probably the mid 50's. They probably didn't have any
coldwater protective clothing.

I was attending the Sweetwater Kayak symposium about 100 miles south this
weekend and the weather was nasty. Windy and heavy rain. By Sunday the
organizers had to cancel all their morning on-water programs, and this was
in a sheltered area.

The following is the tour company that organized the trip, with a
description of the remote camping they were planning.
http://www.orrtreks.com/index2.htm

One can only assume they thought the motorized support vessel could handle
any problems.

Finally the following link from December describes the paddling trail, but
its hard to read after learning of these kid's deaths.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/770278951.html?MAC=701c04070003417993fb64b74a14dd5b&did=770278951&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+23%2C+2004&author=&printformat=&desc=Up+around+the+Bend+Series%3A+PADDLING+THE+TANNIC+SEA
---------------
Tim Gamble
917-721-8851
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