Re: [Paddlewise] How long would you wait - Summary of responses

Good summary Peter.

Been busy getting ready for family kayaking trip to BC's Sunshine Coast, so 
sorry if I didn't give you enough feedback here and there as time tight. 
Gotta fix a boat too - them skegs are kinky if you know what I mean.

Getting back to the gear thing, the list is all well and good. Make sure all 
gear is accessible would be one thing to add (can't remember if it was ever 
mentioned). Night time makes it even more important.

I usually don a helmet for night paddling in rougher stuff and cyalume 
chemical lightsticks or low-output equivalents are easy to mount. If not 
rough, I still take a helmet along unless it really is dead flat flat are 
distances are short.

If I had a big enough group, I'd like a couple of paddlers to stay in the 
relative same area as the missing paddler thereby approximating similar 
drift rates if there is a current running.

You would need a minimum of two leaders for a group this size that had 
undisputable situational awareness in night paddling in rough water. Few 
paddler do. More chance with top-trained paddlers who have conducted night 
training in this arena of SAR self-help, etc..

As for how long one should wait, if a paddler has gone down in the 
conditions suggested, though not aggressively rough, I still think time is 
critical - time measured in minutes as far as initiating a search grid. The 
paddler who was buddied up or beside the missing paddler just before 
visual/audio loss needs to pull his or her act together pronto and assist 
with the leaders immediate plans. Said paddler can explain later why they 
lost track of their buddy who hopefully is found (alive).

Calling the rescue authorities should be done fairly soon. I'm investigating 
an incident here in Victoria with 12 paddlers off Trail Island, five in 
water, and Rescue Coordination was really upset that there wasn't a Pan Pan 
sooner than later. Triangulation, drift computations, reserving resource 
procurement, etc.

Sorry for my generalization regarding Aussies. More of an observation than a 
judgment based on some down-under blogs, etc. Plus, I was annoyed a couple 
of years back when you and Paddlewisers were generally not too receptive to 
my evening storm paddling sorties, when in fact those are some of my most 
favorite moments out there (currently under severe restriction due to 
special spousal request).

Garbage bags? Yes, please pack out your garbage. :-)  Hopefully not needed 
as a body bag. Even with good paddlers and good planning things can go awry 
(shoulder dislocations, catastrophic boat failure, etc).  I carried bags for 
years and a heavy duty orange one too. Gave up the practice. The other gear 
you listed should be sufficient. I'd rather carry an extremely loud 
noisemaker for alerting companions in the event of night-time difficulty of 
other loss of visibility than carry thin plastic products of questionable 
effectiveness, though we all like our security blankets.

Escort boats? Shhhh! Someone might hear you and make it law one day. Gung ho 
paddlers please just keep off the "radar" and out of sight of "the Man."

Matt's story? Compelling in that these were good, intelligent paddlers on 
the whole who allowed themselves to get boxed into a corner. "Sheltered 
water" is a relative term. The only sheltered water I know of is in my 
backyard pool..

Anyway, if you truly want your kayaking to be a G'Day or even a G'Night, 
ensure you boat and gear are seaworthy, your individual and group skills 
exceed the task at hand; that there in proper prior planning and adequate 
adjunctive backup that is inclusive of exceptional seamanship. In a mixed 
group, coherent leadership is more than a must. Poor leadership can make a 
bad situation so much worse. Leadership is so important it almost 
overshadows everything else in your excellent summary.

Doug Lloyd (whose having a kinky week)
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