Re: [Paddlewise] Skills

>> Doug said "...the first two things we learned in that classroom that 
>> first day (those many years ago for me now), were the hard facts on 
>> drowning and hypothermia. First impressions can stick with you for a 
>> lifetime."

Petet T said:
> Yet you have still been prepared to go out in high winds and marginal 
> conditions and push the envelope. I'm still reeling after Andrew McAuley 
> pushing his limits so far and failing. Leaves you wondering a lot. How do 
> you comprehend your own mortality or anyone else's. What's a fair risk? If 
> you take a risk and get away with it, you're a hero. If you fail and die, 
> you were a reckless fool.

That's just it, I did then work hard to become "prepared" to go out in high 
winds and marginal conditions. Those preparations did include the two things 
you mentioned earlier,  namely fitness and paddle skills. I took those more 
seriously than gear and gadgets, and I took them seriously, precisely due to 
the threats of drowning and hypothermia drilled into me. I learned to skull 
and roll in combat conditions post haste. I worked out at the gym with 
weights three days a week and trained aerobically three times a week. I took 
courses on boat handling and seamanship/navigation with Derek Hutchinson (a 
style of paddling new to Canadian waters at the time; previously only river 
kayakers bothered with all that stuff) and signed up at the club for 
navigation/tidal courses. This is all standard stuff these days I take it. I 
took lifeguard-skills training too.

I knew I needed a backup to a missed roll, so got laughed at by some local 
paddlers for carrying a Matt Broze style self rescue at the time, using a 
half inflated water jug, which was actually effective in a narrow kayak 
helping prevent what now is called a paddlefloat rainbow. I added a SeaSeat 
when they came out immediately, though a lot of water had passed under the 
bilge by then. The general mood in the boating public at the time was a 
lackadaisical attitude toward the risks of hypothermia and drowning as 
evidenced by a huge push from organizations like the Red Cross, promoting 
and encouraging PFD use every time I walked into a mall, and further 
evidenced by funded research at the University of Victoria into hypothermia 
effects.

I learned to understand local weather patterns and how, why, when and where 
warm and cold fronts moved through the area. Much of this was done, not in 
an effort of avoidance, but to plan the "perfect crime" when it came to 
rough water paddling. Knowledge gained from a timely understanding of your 
local weather can be used for avoidance or compromise, as with the knowledge 
of tide and current hazards. It's a paddler's choice. Same knowledge skills, 
applied differently - or for different reasons.

I argued with guys like Matt and John Dowd in paper based forums, defending 
the superiority of tough-made, narrow kayaks like the Nordkapp. I knew in my 
heart kayaks like the Nordkapp _didn't_ actually take care of you out there. 
So I learned to take care of myself. I realized my kayak would cooperate 
with me in a rough seaway if I let it do its thing, but skills needed to be 
acute. I got beat up real badly, suffering agonizing shoulder tendonitis, so 
eventually fought of more laughs by adding a rudder and outfitting for a 
tight cockpit fit. I learned to stretch the correct way to avoid cramping. I 
spent an addition 400 hours over the next few years, modifying my kayak, 
while playing with hand-pump locations (based on input from harrowing 
ordeals), paddlefloat outrigger locations for strap down, boom-proofing 
rudder controls, etc. As Andrew McAuley may have found out, any inherent or 
missed weakness in you or your equipment will be exploited by the sea fully. 
Being seaworthy is so much more than just buoyancy.

Your question about whether I have the ability to comprehend my own 
mortality or anyone else's is a valid question. I'm not sure if you were 
asking me or making a general statement about the comprehension levels for 
any paddler. Perhaps Ill answer using an email I replied to the other day, 
backchannel. I'll remove the recipient's words and name, other than to say 
they were thanking me for my contributions to Paddlewise:

"Thanks (name removed). I usually try to see an issue from everyone's 
perspective.Maybe it's a Canadian thing - you know, don't want to offend 
anyone while
also appearing to understand all sides taken by each respective party. 
Actually, over the last 30 plus years of canoeing, river kayaking, kayak 
touring, and rough water sea kayaking, I have a pretty good idea where the 
balance usually lies with respect to what works in real-world conditions, 
actual gear attributes, and the correct importance between elements like 
skill and judgment - especially how that integrates with experience. In the 
end, it's all about respecting the particular environment you are paddling 
through - in my case, mostly the open ocean and slightly more sheltered 
waters on really rough days. Respect of the sea sounds mutually exclusive to 
an attitude where one enjoys being out in harsh conditions, but in reality, 
the need to balance all the issues becomes finely attenuated. At least,
that's what I tell myself. Take care; Safe paddling. Doug"

It's kind of funny that you ask how I can comprehend my own mortality, if 
that is indeed what you were wondering. For better or worse, that's perhaps 
my point, especially being a mostly solo paddler: I've had to comprehend my 
own mortality many times over during the years of paddling. I seriously 
started doing that after that first classroom session.

Doug Lloyd
Victoria BC


. 
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************