Re: [Paddlewise] Home weather stations

Yeah, when I was loading up at the ferry terminal after Dave n' Brusky 
scootered off for da CoHoHo, I was approached by a couple returning to 
Pender, awaiting the next ferry as foot passengers. They mentioned they had 
bought some kayaks at Costco in the fall, and the fellow said he and his 
wife had gone out on a lake and has a blast. He then tried out the kayaks 
together in the ocean near home. He fell over. He was shocked at how cold he 
got and how difficult it was for his wife to help him out in his fully 
swamped yak. They were perhaps in their mid 50's. I showed them my kayaks 
bulkheads and rescue gear. Admittedly, I had a lot of gear on me too, 
keeping it all on for the ferry ride back as I wanted to see how well I 
dried out after over-exertion hauling my laden kayak up the rocks at Otter 
Bay.

I suggested a few essentials and the importance of keeping to lakes until 
they figured out what real sea kaying on the ocean was all about. I did 
mention that as island residents, I thought their ignorance of the cold was 
rather lamentable. I was diplomatic. They genuinely looked puzzled at my 
response. My read was that they had bought way-cool kayaks and thought it 
was going to be as easy as 1-2-3. The lady said they hadn't done much with 
the kayaks since.

It is easy folks. 1. Get kayak. 2. Get in kayak. 3. Paddle kayak.

Real easy too: 1. Tip over. 2. Panic. 3. Don't kayak anymore.

Seems ashame.

My buddy from the Storm Island rescue jaunt said he can tell by simply 
looking at kayakers now from the CG Zodiac, what level and type of paddler 
they are. He really feels the kayak industry ought to encourage new and 
intermediate paddlers to really assess their abilities more rationally and 
keep their outings commensurate with their skill levels. The waters off Oak 
Bay are severely tidal and wind-prone. I can see why he feels that way. And 
as we found out, ship happens. How you deal with it and your ability to 
stop, assess, and plan, seperates you from those who become crab bait and 
those who live to paddle our glorious coast again. Which these days, you 
better get it done.

Well, good night and God bless Costco.

Heh, heh, if oil prices keep gpoing up, cheap Costco kayaks might be my 
budgetary option too. :-)


On Tue, Apr 22, 2008 at 10:21 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote:

<snippity>


. Funnily enough I bumped into one of the participants in that little 
misadventure just this morning; he works as a Coast Guard auxiliary pulling 
yakers out of the drink now. How cool is that?


It's way cool. The way things are going it could become a full time job. :(

Craig 
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