Re: [Paddlewise] Point of no return

Very well said Darryl. Thank you!

I guess for me, there is a PONR in the vernacular of my everyday paddling, 
but it's not necessarily a pejorative term or black and white notion even. 
Typically, it will be at a point where I have to make a commitment. An 
example might be a long transit in thick coastal fog with an unfriendly 
shoreline for the immediate future to beam which I don't want to have to 
head for if things get bad, but the point of land or island I've set off 
from isn't something I'm going to be able to return to too easily.

As for general and specialized seamanship-related vigilance on a trip, I 
think this is what separates a good paddler from the rift-raft. A good 
paddler is always thinking ahead, always adjusting plans, mentally noting 
pull-out being passed - pocket beaches; always scanning the horizon keeping 
a weather eye open - or even one eye open if forecast reliability is keeping 
up with the coast. Playing the what if game, but in a state of relaxed 
mindfulness - part of the fun, part of the art, part of the preservation of 
self. The good paddler has already made allowance for sufficient number of 
days, etc; they have a buffer of time on their side if the windows of 
opportunity remain narrow. None of this is dependent on hard skills 
necessarily.

When the red flags do go up, and you keep pushing it or pushing your mates, 
then we have a preventable incident or tragedy in the making or perhaps an 
unfortunate (read should have been unnecessary) rescue call having to be 
placed. I've gotten better at keeping a mental tally of the number and size 
of red flags and the rapidity at which they are coming and can now generally 
say if I get into serious trouble, it is entirely my own fault. I may have a 
bigger comfort zone for red flags. Other paddlers may not even tolerate or 
sanction one. Go no go decisions and get of the water now decisions are easy 
for them. I pull myself of the water mentally kicking and screaming - or 
sometimes ordered off the water.

I'm more concerned with the paddler who is absolutely oblivious to red 
flags. These are often the ones who become sushi. Unlike some of my elitist 
friends in the higher echelons of the paddling community, I don't consider 
these paddlers idiots or stupid. They are just missing something in their 
thinking process. I'd like to find out more how and why and for what reasons 
there's this inability about those flapping flags. And I want to contribute 
something more than derisive commentary. My ying and yang are 
counterbalanced you see, but at extreme reaches of leverage. :-)

And I do worry with these new SPOT devices out now in wider use...that 
paddlers will undertake more committing off season trips with them. I worry 
that they may use such devices to replace the necessarily more proportional 
skills, quality equipment, training, and experience in lieu of such devices. 
"Oh, I'm stuck now on this forsaken shoreline, my hatch covers lost to the 
surf that I threw in the cockpit. Dang. Where's that 911 button?" Maybe the 
paddler should have secured and made seaworthy his craft as a priority 
first. All this remains to be seen. The seas around my neck of the woods can 
seriously chew you up off season on the open coast. Relentlessly so. I know. 
I'm surprised I made it to 50.

So, be patient grasshoppers, with unlimited time and patience you can 
transit any coast with enough time, but white people aren't that patient 
enough, it seems.

That's probably another discussion though.

Okay, back to my writing on someone who did die...

DL

>> A point of no return is rare in sea kayaking in my understanding of
>> the
>> term.
>>
>> Doug L
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > Point of no return is in aeronautics, the point where there is no
>> turning
>> > back,
>> > and is a very important idea, that can well be applied to
>> paddling, and
>> > a lot of other endeavors. The trick is to be aware of when you've
>> reached
>> > it
>> > and do the right thing - not always easy!
>> >
>> >
>> > Tord
>
> The Point of No Return, in aviation, is a clearly defined one. Based
> on fuel on board, if I understand the term correctly.
>
> In many other endeavours, the PONR is not clearly defined. And may
> even be a meaningless term in some instances. I posit one example
> where a group is paddling across some distance of water in good
> weather. One of the paddlers suddenly, and without prior warning,
> develops a debilitating case of motion sickness and is unable to
> continue. I would suggest you are now *past* the PONR. And nothing
> much you can do about it except deal with the situation as best you
> can.
>
> In fact, one could say that as long as you *do* deal with it, and
> there is no loss of life, there was no real "no return" involved. You
> indeed did return, albeit not as you would have liked.
>
> But the concept is still worthwhile because it might instil in some
> paddlers an awareness of the situation they are in. Should they turn
> back? Make for an alternate landing? Press on? Call for help?....
>
> While not a "no return" point, there are many "points" at which
> decisions need to be made, and it is all the better to be aware of
> the possibilities ahead of time. (I think.)
>
> If someone is injured or sick, what's the closest safe landing site?
> What is the best landmark to use to assist S&R to find you in the
> event of a rescue being required? Etc.
>
> Anything that helps generate a safety-oriented mindset is all the
> good, I say.
>
> -- 
>  Darryl
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