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From: Bradford Crain <drbc_at_pdx.edu>
subject: [Paddlewise] Sad story out of Chicago
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:41:21 -0700
http://video.foxnews.com/v/1566473601001/swan-drowns-kayaker-in-chicago-park?intcmp=features
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From: Mark Sanders <marksanders_at_sandmarks.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Sad story out of Chicago
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:03:48 -0700
I'm am probably one of the few who will admit I didn't much regret the 
passing of Rupert, a black swan that lived here in Newport. He chased me 
down in my kayak a couple times stopping just short of a whack from my 
paddle! Had I hit him, I'd probably have been lynched, but it's better 
to judged by 12 than carried by six! The Harbor Patrol finally came to 
my assistance and ran him over one day responding to an emergency call. 
And what was the call?? A woman had been found dead floating in the 
harbor. Her death kind of got shuffled to the back of the newspaper 
filled with eulogies for Rupert!

Sounds like this guy was in a kayak with no floatation. What I read 
sounded like the kayak perhaps ended up in a Cleopatra's Needle:

His kayak wasnt upside down, but it was, like, upwards, eyewitness 
Daniel Gamanov said You could see the tip of it.

I imagine the water was cold there as well, which might be the main 
cause of his death.

Mark
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From: Jim <jimtibensky_at_fastmail.fm>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Sad story out of Chicago
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:12:42 -0500
As some of you may recall, I do bird rescues in the Chicago area with my
kayak, when the bird involved is aquatic. I have twice rescued mute
swans, one that had been shot and one that had a broken leg. Both were
on a pond that was freezing and would have frozen over, allowing coyotes
to get them. Mute swans are pinioned and don't fly. If you care to read
it, this is an article about the rescues:  

http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x1919580101/Shot-swan-recovering-at-wildlife-center?zc_p=1

The one with the broken leg was taken and rehabbed by Bob Knox, the
employer of the guy in the story who died. I can attest to the power of
an angry male swan, but the main thing is that Bob requires his
employees to wear their lifejackets at all times when near the water,
even if not in a kayak. This poor guy wasn't wearing his.

Jim Tibensky
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