Re: [Paddlewise] Newfoundland accident

On Thu, Jul 8, 2010 at 7:06 AM, skimmer <skimmer_at_enter.net> wrote:

> That account of the victim's paddling history and manner of dress does not
> have the ring of serious experience to me.
>
> We need to know more on that issue.
>
> I agree... there are discontinuities here.

According to the Michigan news report the two were paddling from a base camp
on islands 40nm north of Newfoundland, that the lost paddler was in a "semi"
drysuit, that the surviving paddler reached shore 15 minutes after the lost
guy slipped off the back of his kayak, and that he had to find batteries for
his "beacon" before activating it.

One report said that they paddled in the morning and then left again at
midnight for their ill-fated paddle. The Michigan report says that it was
their morning paddle that got them into trouble and that paddle eventually
lasted until the next morning.

A photo of the lost paddler published in the Michigan newspaper showed him
with lots of deck gear.

But regardless of the details, it's become clear to me that there is no way
to reduce the number of incidents like this one to zero. In fact, given the
huge increase in kayak paddling combined with the "machismo" (for lack of a
better term) so many men seem to display, we'll only see more of these.

One saving grace is that many of the newbie paddlers I talk to are aware of
their lack of skills and gear and greatly intimidated by the dangers of
kayaking.

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
www.nwkayaking.net
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