Re: [Paddlewise] Tour de West Coast

Hi Doug!

Thanks for the kind words.

On Wed, May 7, 2008 at 1:17 AM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote:

>
> I just watched Into the Wild this past weekend; haunting...I couldn't
> sleep for hours after. Christopher McCandless's story got me thinking about
> Alaska again. I loved some of the quotes associated with the movie and/or
> read by Christopher:


That movie troubled me greatly. For one thing, it's not entirely accurate;
especially when it comes to the reasons for McCandless' death. But the story
has become some sort of legend and there are a lot of young people who want
to visit the bus and have a similar experience. Most of them ignore the
simple fact that he was completely unprepared for his "adventure", ignored
the warnings of many people who tried to stop him (but who felt he had a
right to kill himself if he wanted), and could have simply walked out (after
all, someone drove that bus there) along the road or by using a tramway
across the river just a short distance away from the place he tried to
cross.

If you want to see some interesting comments, go to youtube and search for
the clips on the bus and then read the remarks posted there. It gives a
great insight into the thinking of some of the same people who go kayaking
unprepared.


> Thanks too Craig for your contributions to Sea Kayaker - enjoyed your last
> one - truly freightening - and frustrating. Run over by a power boat,
> indeed!!! Kid was real luky. I like the part where the mom says their kayak
> instructor taught them to lean away from dangerous boaters. So, when did
> that become an essential skill to teach state-side? Okay, it was a Canadian
> power-boater, I know.


That's a good point about teaching people to roll away from a powerboat. It
makes sense and it probably saved that kid's life but who would have thought
of it?

There has been another incident near Tacoma that Pam and I are talking about
back-channel and which I think we may bring up for Paddlewise. It involves
some canoists and the currents near the Narrows with some thoughts on when,
exactly, do you call for help from the CG... as soon as you see someone in
the water? Some interesting thoughts.

Up late working on my missing paddler off Brooks article between migrains
> and multiple daily tasks - can't find time during the day - got a hot edict.


I'm looking forward to that story a great deal. Especially since I paddle
solo so much of the time.

Take care Craig. You are a very special paddler in our community. Glad the
> boys n' gals down south got a gander at ya.


Thanks, Doug. I feel the same about you. It was kinda fun being a minor
celebrity and having people say things like, "It's nice to put a face to
your name". I really enjoyed the CKF get-together and I'm grateful to Mark
and his wife for putting up with me. I want to encourage them - or any of
the CKF paddlers - to come up and visit. It's the only way Ken will get his
helmet back, anyway. <grin>


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA


>
>
> Doug Lloyd
>
> Craig siad (snip):
>
>
>
>  Ok, not the entire west coast... and actually only bits of it. But I
> > drove
> > most of the West Coast of the USA in about a week and while I didn't get
> > to
> > paddle in all the places I really wanted to, I did manage to accomplish
> > a
> > few of my goals.
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