PaddleWise by thread

From: MATT MARINER BROZE <marinerkayaks_at_msn.com> subject: (no subject) Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:34:26 -0800 · This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:52 PDT

Mark Goff wrote

>>>>....They also had tried hand paddling
but were not able to make progress against the current. Their options were to
stay with the boats or swim for the island. They were also concerned that if
they stayed with the boats, they would end up capsizing again without paddles
to brace.
So the option to swim makes more sense to me now...but that's a really tough
call and they were very lucky those hunters were going by.<<<<<<<

If they couldn't hand paddle against the current they couldn't swim against it
either. They were damn lucky the hunters spotted them. Wouldn't thay have been
so much easier to spot if they rafted up to protect themselves from a capsize
and waved at the hunters for help. In the 47 degree water one might survive
for 40 minutes or longer but unless you are well insulated (with clothes or
fat) you aren't going to be functionally able to swim for more than several
minutes because of the loss of blood to the muscles of the arms (first) and
legs that quickly results from the body's attempt to protect its core organs
from heat loss. He obviously wasn't a good swimmer either (or was suffering
from the shock of sudden  immersion) if he was thrashing around once in the
water.

Hand paddling can move a kayak at two or three knots. Far faster than one can
swim. The wind, not a small current, is more likely to be a problem when hand
paddling, especially in trying to get the bow pointed into the wind so one
could start (and if that can be done then keeping pointed into the wind is
likely to be a problem). With two kayaks and any sort of tow rope getting
pointed into the wind should be much more possible (than with just a single
kayak). Of course if the wind is strong enough getting turned into the wind
can be difficult even with a paddle. If one can't get and stay pointed into
the wind one should try hand paddling in reverse, it might be possible that
way. Staying out of the cold water they could probably have survived for many
hours even if poorly dressed and already wet by rafting up and drifting. Of
course if evening is fast approroaching and you have no way to send a distress
signal at night your chances of being found in time will be far less.

Going into the water and trying to swim is almost a guarantee of reducing your
odds of survival. They were indeed lucky the poachers happened to see them.
Funny way to thank them for saving your life though, tell the whole world who
they are and do just the opposite of what they requested of you. Even though
they were criminals and should be prosecuted for poaching you would think you
might not want to bite the hand that just saved your ass. I also have a real
problem with her essentially forcing the decision to swim on her partner
before he had much chance to think about it. From her description of his
swimming it is clear that he wasn't likely going to make it on his own. It is
doubtful if she would have either unless well insulated.
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************