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==== Need feedback... ====

**Dale McKinnon** \\
12/31/10 #9828

Where would a kayak newbie go in Skagit Co. to learn about safety and hypothermia? Which outfitters stress education about cold shock and hypothermia and how to deal with its potentials when teaching clients how to paddle a sea kayak?

I am writing an article re: hypothermia (relatively short one) and want readers to have contact info if they want to be adequately prepared for our waters.

Your suggestions are needed asap, tho. Many thanks!

Dale

//…. Some dated references from original discussion omitted …..//

**Steve Bennett** \\
01/01/11 #9833

Dale

Two possibilities come to my mind.

First, Sound Rowers has a copy of the US version of Cold Water Boot Camp DVD available to borrow from our new fledgling lending library. You might be the first to check it out.

Also, when I posted here a few years back asking about hypothermia protection, Erik Borgnes replied with a document that really shifted my thinking on the subject. The essence, as I recall was that coldwater shock caused by the immersion of a boater not wearing a pfd was a far more frequent and quicker cause of death than hypothermia which takes an hour or more to kill.

It convinced me that the greatest protection against death in our sport is the wearing of that PFD. I believe that the mandatory wearing of PFD's ought to be a rule for all our races and workouts, as it is in most BC races and in other places. Unfortunately, Sound Rowers, at least, has not come around yet to that thinking. Also, unfortunately I couldn't find Erik's article and comment after running through past posts on Whatcom paddlers. I suggest contacting Erik for his perspective.

I also believe it would be valuable to entertain a discussion on this forum as to whether we (Sound Rowers, or its individual race directors, and Whatcom Paddlers) should consider a such a pfd requirement.

I'd like to thank Erik for that advice, which I didn't at the time. As I mentioned to someone last week, everytime Eric posts, there is something there worth listening to.

Steve

**Reivers Dustin** \\
01/01/11 #9834

I did see one other respected source, although this is not local:

[[http://www.kayakacademy.com/|http://www.kayakacademy.com/]]

This is George Gronseth's academy. I heard this man at a WAKE presentation years ago and it was marvelous. Many of our local talent attended some of his sessions in Deception Pass.

George went to Greenland and was taught by First Peoples of that region how they approach kayaking. He understands the ideals, the romance and the raw elemental forces involved.

rd

**Re: Need feedback…\\
Bill Walker <paddlazz@…>** \\
01/02/11 #9837

Agree 100% with Reivers. They’re not Skagit Countyers, but George and Barb are awesome instructors and don’t forget George is co-author of Deep Trouble, a must-read for Northwest paddlers. Y’all just missed their annual Hypofest, held every year on Lake Sammamish January 1st and allowing lucky paddlers to experience first-hand the effects of cold water immersion under professional supervision.

bw
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