Re: [Paddlewise] A Southern California Tragedy

I was very saddened to hear about the loss of Steve's friend. The only 
solace is he died doing an activity he obviously enjoyed - something 
wholesome with a more minimal footprint here on earth, as opposed to sinking 
and drowning in some big power boat or falling off said power boat during a 
possible ischemic event.

Scott did have a point about COD. Though, the reason for cause of death 
might not be under the purview of a coroner, we may never know. We do die 
from and while kayaking now and then; we all die from old age anyways, 
someday. Back to the abyss - or not. One Victoria paddler I know that 
started kayaking late in life is still going strong at 82, leading trips and 
inspiring a younger generation. Duncan challenges many a Victoria paddler 
with their own perspective paradigm of what the older generation is capable 
of doing..

As has come up on this list numerous times, Scott likes to be the voice that 
offsets anyone promoting safety gear as a panacea. As usual, some of us like 
to chime in and state the obvious, a statement off repeated here and which 
is something most of us in the paddling community would agree upon (at least 
the paddlers I associate with), that good judgment and knowledge of the 
environment to make objective risk assessment comes first, followed closely 
by skill and a building up of metered-out experience, then finally 
appropriate gear choices - which can range from the difference between a 
taking out a cheap recreational kayak compared to using a sea-going touring 
kayak or a slightly leaky SOF traversing the same rough water, as it can 
also be the decisions about what your minimal safety gear should be.

Personally, I paddled for years without a VHF radio. My marine band Radio 
Shack radio provided the weather information I needed as a backup to growing 
sea-sense, while pushing myself through the learning curve in various 
coastline environments and conditions. At some point, after some poor 
judgment was shown, I came to see the benefit of a way to communicate 
directly to facilitate rescues as well as prevent unwarranted emergency 
responses, and yes - even prevent death or deaths. Then I saw further 
benefit from my VHF radio as I started using it, or at least listening to 
it, especially in busy vessel areas. Dave Kruger sparked that bit of 
enlightenment in me a few years back with a rather innocuous statement on 
Paddlewise that VHF radio usage was simply (or perhaps should be ) 
considered part of your responsibility as a marine waterway user amongst the 
community of boaters. These small "lightbulb" moments are one of the reasons 
I continue to subscribe to Paddlewise.

But, if someone doesn't want to paddle with a VHF radio, or even a PFD, I 
still love them. :-) It is their choice. Given some particular stretches of 
coastline I paddle in, dependent on time of year often, I may choose not to 
paddle with such a person, just as there are paddlers who might not like to 
paddle with someone they deem as overly gear dependent or a high-risk taker 
who enjoys sado-masochism by wind and wave. It's nice to have a forum where 
this can be discussed as adults, with some moderation if things get 
vitriolic, or perhaps even too commercial.

My basic PFD gear is a non negotiable discussion to me. I'll hold my course 
on that one until someone rips the paddle out of my cold, dead hands, as 
they say. On-board safety and re-entry gear is something I'm more apt to 
hold a modifiable discussion about. Paddlefloats, Spoonsons, and other 
device-oriented ways of dealing with the aftermath of a wet exit are areas 
where I know some paddlers get into big trouble from a perspective of 
sometimes unjustified reliance. But even here, the waters are murky, as it 
is with those who choose to paddle solo.

In another post I mentioned the addition to my list of expedition gear of an 
approved marine location transmitter. That needs to be understood in the 
context of a paddler who is aging with attendant health issues, and who 
still has a relatively young family to raise. As folks like John Winters 
have pointed out before, the trick is to not forego responsible travel along 
the coastline or in remote wilderness just because your safety net has 
expanded exponentially.

I've likely reached my limit of safety gear in this life, though I think my 
wife would like me to have an embedded personal GPS-based locator to keep 
track of me. Spouses and partners tend to feel that way I suppose when they 
finally comprehend you have a lifelong mistress - in my case, the sea.

Doug Lloyd
Victoria BC



> Scott said:  I do not believe that "more gadgets" is the solution to
> safer sea kayaking. Being able to accurately evaluate the situation, and
> the risks, and then honestly weigh them against ones skill and equipment
> is what is needed.
>
>
>
> With all due respect (honest!), Scott, I think you are just off base.
> No, more gadgets do not make one safe.  But neither does accurately
> weighing the risks after evaluation.  Sometimes weird things happen,
> completely out of the blue.  In Maine last summer I was leading a group
> of eight teens and four adults in Casco Bay.  Clear day, few clouds,
> little wind, steady temperature.  No changes in conditions for five
> hours.  Then 20 mph or more winds all of a sudden.  Scattered our group,
> challenged the ability and stability of the other adults who were in
> singles, but not, happily, the kids in their doubles.  Without radios to
> tell everyone what the plan was, I would have been pretty stressed and
> the others pretty unsafe.  And if things went bad and we couldn't handle
> the situation, radios would have brought help in minutes, since the bay
> is full of lobsterboats and sailers.
>
> I hate carrying stuff like pumps, paddle floats and radios.  On my own I
> figure I will not be likely to use them because I have never been
> knocked out of my sea kayak.  (Whitewater is a different story!)  But in
> a group, or out on open water, as opposed to the river paddling I do at
> home, all that stuff goes with me.  I'd hate for my wife to be a widow
> just because I didn't have a radio.  And what if I come upon an
> emergency and want to get help?
>
> Do you wear a pfd?  Or is that also "extraneous" gear?  And if it isn't,
> where do you draw the line?  Of all the safety stuff we carry that is
> not a pfd and sprayskirt, I think a radio is tops in importance.
>
> My unhumble opinion.
>
>
> Jim Tibensky
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************