Re: [Paddlewise] Trapped!!!

I bought a Kokatat combination inflatable/foam PFD with CO2 cartridges
because I was thinking about exiting problems but was not wearing it. I
actually picked it up and said to myself, "Nahhh... I won't need this
tonight." The combination PFD gives 23lbs of flotation versus 18 on a normal
PFD and could make the difference when trying to dog paddle up for air.
However, it's only 13lbs without the chambers being filled so you would have
to be careful using it without inflation (although you can inflate it
through a tube too... not so easy if you can't breathe).

Complacency kills. I've known that for years from rock climbing, sailing,
and flying gliders. But still, one does get complacent in very familiar
surroundings.

Good lesson to learn.

And I'm not planning on dying until Doug gets a mutha-ship too. :P

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA

On Sat, Aug 2, 2008 at 5:23 PM, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote:

> That's funny - I was just at the lake recently practicing egress from
> entrapment scenarios, thinking I was a bit over the top with the what ifs.
>
> My official entrapment backup plan for near mishaps includes dog paddling
> the kayak sideways to the dock or beach if necessary. Though I've never had
> issues with shoewear, though I've written about those who have. I'll keep
> your incident in my records now too. Thanks Craig. But, please don't die -
> you are one of my gavotte greybeards. :-)
>
> Darryl wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> The kind of story that ought to be repeated at five-minute intervals
>>> for all of us. (Maybe not all, but certainly for me and my friends.)
>>>
>>> Perhaps we could affix a plaque in garish neon colours to our boats
>>> that reads something like: "Little mistakes can kill ya!" or "There
>>> are no 'little' mistakes!"
>>>
>>>
> Craig wrote:
>
>>
>> Little mistakes and complacency. Remember that this all took place within
>> 100 feet of my home where I paddle 4 or 5 times a week all summer long. In
>> Puget Sound I would have never considered tennis shoes (or anything other
>> than my paddling shoes). But the mindset was a quick paddle, back in 30
>> minutes.
>>
>> It's often not the obviously dangerous places that kill you because you
>> prepare for those (if you're smart, at least). It's the places that lull
>> you
>> into not even thinking about any danger that you have to be doubly on your
>> toes. For me, entrapment has always been one of the scariest dangers in
>> kayaking. I just didn't recognize the signs that, in retrospect, should
>> have
>> been obvious.
>>
>> On the plus side, I'm pretty sure I can do a hand roll now. That's
>> something
>> I'm going to practice.  :)
>>
>>
>> Craig Jungers
>> Moses Lake, WA
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