[Paddlewise] accident report

Hi Joq,

 

Sorry to see another paddling accident/death in conditions benign by any
measure. In PA, the State Fish and Boat will not allow out any collected
information on any boating accident. It appears that giving the impression
that accidents don't happen in PA is more important than educating the
public. The same rules apply in RI. The press reports are all we get and the
regulatory agencies don't care if they are right or wrong.

 

In my opinion, there is a general failure of regulatory agencies to help the
public understand the nature of "ACCIDENTS". They are generally
unanticipated and over in an instant. Victims are either prepared or not,
but there is no chance for replay. This past week, when our friend capsized
his sailing canoe, all his chase boat saw was the bottom of the canoe. The
victim was briefly panicked, but popped to the surface on his pfd. After
thrashing about for a few seconds, he realized that his pfd was holding him
at the surface. He calmed down and they carried out a rescue. This fellow
has serious medical issues such that a single gasp of water would certainly
kill him. He said afterward that the capsize happened so fast he had no idea
what happened. This is how accidents usually happen. Victims are either
prepared, or not! The problem is that boaters do not believe accidents can
happen to them. The problem is that accidents can't be predicted. How could
the victim have known that such an event as (fill in the event) would
happen?

 

Chuck Sutherland
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