Hello everyone, some questions do remain, but here is my 'report'. I am hoping that this helps everyone who is involved with kayaking in cold waters and kayaking instructors. Please, for a more detailed description, check the translation which Jens made from the press files. The paddlers launched on Friday, March 16th, around 13:00 from a safe harbour close the city of Karlstad. The air temperature for that afternoon was 44F / 70C (max) and the average wind speed in the afternoon was only 12 mph/19 km/h (5m/sec). Maximum speed was 20 mph/32 km/h (8,8 m/sec) and in occasional gusts 30 mph/48 km/h (13 m/sec) so we can assume that both felt safe and they were prepared for a warm and cosy paddling. Visibility was good, the articles and press file do describe a day with 'bright sunshine'. They were heading towards northeast, aiming to the most southwest peak of the island of Arno. The estimated distance from map is 10 kilometres (6.21 miles) so I believe they were planning to have a nice day trip and then return back in the late evening. Karlstad lies in the northern part of the lake Vanern. The former island of Hammaro covers it and the harbour from the southern winds. Because Vanern is the largest lake in Sweden and third largest in Europe, the southern or SW winds offer terrific possibilities for surfing in the swells. The wind had been changing it's direction since morning from SW slightly towards west, but it was quite steady and they enjoyed surfing in following wind. It seems certain that they felt safe, because they passed several islands and islets from the south. Rappe was 36 and his friend is 28, according the club's press file. Both paddlers did training 5 to 15 times per week, though the later statement does not reveal exactly, what kind of training they do. We have to assume that they were in perfect physical condition. Multisport races are challenging and can last several days without a break. After they have left the lee of Hammaro at 14:30 a 'sudden' wave hits Rappe's kayak and he capsizes, after only 5 minutes of surfing. They are not worried, because they are 'used to getting wet', and after turning his kayak upwards they try to get Rappe back into it. An other sudden wave, and his kayak sinks. I am not sure but maybe they were close a shoal. They start to use Rappe's 40-litre waterproof bag as a flotation device. His friend starts to drag Rappe in the water, and because there are no deck lines ('nothing to hold' in the interview) Rappe hugs the stern by his hands. Ten minutes after his capsize he is unable to hold, so he climbs to the rear deck of his friend's kayak. About 15 minutes after the capsize Rappe starts to slide and his body weight turns the other kayak upside down. According an interview his friend does not want to take any risks with the kayak so he starts to swim with Rappe and kayak towards the shoreline. After 25 minutes in water (at about 15:00) Rappe is unable to hold the kayak and his friend ties or binds his hands 'next to the cockpit'. He is unconscious when they reach an islet next to the Arno. Rappe has been about 55 minutes in water. The cell phone dies in middle of an emergency call. After his friend has warmed up running in circles for 2 minutes, he checks Rappe's pulse and body temperature. Because the situation is so alarming, he decides to swim the remaining 164 yards/150 metres to Arno and finally finds a cottage with people and telephone, after running again about 1.55 miles/2,5 kilometres. Because the local emergency centre did not get the full information the SAR staff and local police forces looked from a wrong place, using a ferry and a helicopter. When they did get the correct details, about 2 hours had passed since Rappe's first capsize. The water temperature was three days later, on March 19th, 38F (surface, close the coastline, +30C), according the Meteorologic and Hydrologic Institute of Sweden. Swimming one kilometre (1093 yards) took 50 minutes and Rappe fell unconscious within that time. All details fit perfectly the statistics, which claim that in 32.5F to 40F (about 0 to <50C) it takes 15-30 minutes to exhaustion and expected survival time is 30-90 minutes. The wind factor is also important: 20 mph/32 km/h or 8,8 m/sec feels on skin like 32.5F/-6C, sunshine or not. It is not a wonder that Rappe could not hang from the stern and started sliding from the deck. The club's very detailed (3 A4-sized sheets) press file on March 17th brings up some serious questions. The Karlstad Multisport chose to have a very open policy about this accident, but they claim that both were experienced kayakers, in 'all weather conditions, all year around'. That they had a specially 'sea-safe' kayaks and clothing specially designed for kayaking, including 'extra floatable' pfd's. Then, really, how did this all happen? The club personnel has not answered my polite e-mails, so I will have to speculate a bit. Maybe they do need some time for recovering. Maybe the issue is also very difficult; the club has very many sponsors which help them to arrange 'oldest and most legendary Adventure Race in Sweden'. The 10th anniversary is close. According an interview the clothing seems to have covered only the lower body, from 'feet to navel'. Beneath that they seem to have had a layer of sports underwear and on top a paddling jacket. The image of Rappe's friend walking to an ambulance after the rescue, which I found, shows a very thin jacket and neoprene trousers with small booties. There is no evidence of gloves or a cap or a helmet of any sort, not in the image (it does not show his hands or head) or in the interviews. They were prepared for a sunny and nice surfing weather and wanted to avoid overheating. Also, there is not a slightest evidence about any cold water training, though in the interview Rappe's friend states that they were not 'daredevils' and they trained a lot every week. Considering the water temperature, clearly, they were not doing any risk evaluation. The ice was still there, floating close the shores. I have not found any evidence about them being skilled whitewater paddlers, either, though Jens Rappe did participate several Multisport races and marathons since 1999. The kayaks remain as the big question. It seems that they were actually not very 'sea-safe', because the first sank, and they did not dare to straighten the other one. Lack of deck lines makes me to do the same conclusion as Jens: they were probably having plastic whitewater kayaks. No bulkheads, very little flotation, if any. Copy-pasting images and other files with one's laptop can be a rather amazing tool. I did find from my files this evening a photograph of Rappe, and accidentally, beneath it, was a hypothermia survival table. Maybe there is not a 'new' lesson. The wind and weather data is from the local Karlstad airport. Ari Fin-land > > It's a very sad story and especially since they both technically were > very capable but I wonder whether there is any new lesson to be > learned. > > I look forward to see your report Ari. > > Kind regards > > Jens Viggo *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Mar 28 2007 - 10:22:40 PDT
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