Sigh... We see/hear the same sort of thing time and again. In canonical law there is a term/concept used which, though intended for a different purpose, is perfect for the present state of affairs. It is called Invincible Ignorance Joe P. ******************************************************************* --- Then a couple guys in SOTs with lots of fishing gear were trying to punch out. At first I thought I must be a wimp or those fishermen were hardcore. It turns out neither was the case. The fishermen were trying hard and constantly getting knocked off their SOT, but they'd hop back on and keep trying. I figured they would give up. Then during a rare lull in the waves, I decided to go outside for a quick coastal paddle to get some exercise. I was surprised to look over and see one of the fishermen made it out during the lull too. When I looked back, I saw his buddy was climbing back on his SOT way inside. On the way back in from my coastal paddle, I saw the one SOT guy fishing outside the break. I landed and saw a bunch of lifeguard trucks with their red lights flashing and lifeguards scanning the surf with binoculars. I asked them what's going on. They said they had to rescue one of the fisherman and his SOT before they washed into the rocks in front of the nuclear power plant, and now they were looking for his buddy, who they assumed washed up past the power plant. I told them I just paddled by his buddy, who was fishing outside the break. They sent a lifeguard out on a paddleboard out to verify it was him. She was able to talk him into coming back in. As he came in through the surf, he whipped out and lost his SOT. At that point, he hopped on the paddleboard with the lifeguard, and another lifeguard on a paddle board got his SOT for him. As it turns out, his PFD was his seat cushion. I think the rescued guys were cops. They had that look, and one was wearing a T-shirt that said Culver City PD and the Vegas to Baker run. These guys did a lot of things wrong. But I think most profoundly, the buddy system between these two guys failed. I don't know how one guy could be out fishing without knowing where his buddy was. After everything calmed down, I went for a barefoot run down the beach and found a full size fishing tackle box washed up on shore. When I took it back to the fishermen, they asked if by any chance I saw a fishing rod too. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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