Re: [Paddlewise] Video of a kayak rescue in Puget Sound

From: <Pamvetdr_at_aol.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:09:35 EDT
In a message dated 3/19/2009 7:01:46 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
jcbikeski_at_gmail.com writes:

Amazing  they didn't tow back his boat.   It seems they just went the  1000yds
or  so so to a beach and could very easily have towed the  kayak that far.
This person was all setup for a paddle float self rescue  and in only
moderate conditions so likely his lack of good or recent  practice is all
that stopped him.
 
 
I was previously on a ferry that stopped to rescue a person on  a capsized 
catamaran. The boat was on it's side in the water, and the person  standing 
braced between the pontoons.  Once they got him in the boat, they  took off away 
from the boat and ferry. There was another person floating about  200 yards 
away. This was also at dusk and was without question, a life saving  event. Both 
had wetsuits on.
      My take is that the ferry  system does the rescues as an emergency 
event. The boats aren't their concern,  though I believe they inform the Coast 
Guard  where they are. Their crews  are not likely to know how to deal with all 
small craft. Would you want them to  delay getting a victim to land just 
because the person doesn't appear to be  in immediate danger of death?
      I have a suspicion that this  person was having a motion sickness 
problem. That much swell, when he was unable  to watch the horizon, had to have 
some effect , magnified by the "slinging"  effect of the water once you are in, 
not on, it. He had done a good job of  getting most of his body out of the 
water to stave off hypothermia. He kept the  paddle. He may have been hoping to 
wash back into shore, though he was a  long way out. He may have been hoping the 
swells decreased, certainly something  that could happen with a change in 
physical position and change in  fetch.
      I have not gotten a good idea  of what time this was, or I would have 
given you the tide and  current information. Perhaps someone in our area has a 
better idea than I  do.
      Anyway, if I'm out there, I  hope they get me and don't worry about the 
boat. I can get a new boat but there  is a very limited supply of me!
                   Pam in Washington State





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Received on Thu Mar 19 2009 - 08:24:59 PDT

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