There are so many variables.....too many to be dogmatic, ever <grin> I was paddling 30 miles south the day this paddler went missing. Cold and windy. I had on immersion pants, an insignificant sun blocking shirt, a "turtle" neck warmer and a hat. Pogies would have been nice. We were doing some distance training for the Everglades challenge and camped out the night before! A full wet or dry suit would have been taxing and cut into my miles. The day before, I paddled in running shorts (and hat and neck warmer). I was perhaps safer in that I probably wasn't coming out of boat, and if I did was probably getting back in alone, plus I had two paddling partners, plus VHS, etc...). We did hear the channel 16 alerts for the missing kayaker and as expected the mistakes were grounded more in ignorance (= not knowing what we don't know, rather than stupidity) Steve Bailey ACA level 4 coastal kayak inst. Michigan On 2/2/2011 7:00 AM, Nole4ever_at_aol.com wrote: > Craig, > > i couldn't agree with you more ..... a large part of the problem around > here is that most of the kayaks > used in these parts are "sit-on-tops"..... open tops, self bailing > w/scupper holes.....and after a month or > more of "ugly, cold" weather, when the day dawns - clear, calm,& sunny > with the air temps getting close to > 80, some folks just don't realize how cold the water still is .... i have > 4 kayaks... all of them "sit-on-top" .... > and to be honest i too have been guilty of paddling "under dressed" ..... > i have neoprene shorts and top that i wear .... not all the time, but i > have them...... and i don't even want to talk about the rentals..... i could > go on and on about that problem. i have introduced a number of people to > the sport.... i have taken groups on paddles to include overnight > camping..... even after giving out printed information on what to bring, and what > not to bring .... i still get some folks who just can't seem to grasp the > situation .... > you said it best .... "you can't fix stupid" > > steve > tampa/st. pete *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Feb 02 2011 - 16:17:26 PST
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