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| - | ==== Tragic incident in Howe Sound ==== | + | << stories:hood_canal_july_4_2007|Previous Story^stories:bellingham_stories|Story List ^ stories:kayak_sailing_2007|Next Story>> |
| - | (more details were provided in messages with web links in 2007 that are no longer valid) | + | ===== Tragic Incident in Howe Sound (and Safety Discussion) ===== |
| - | **Daryl Remmler <darylremmler@...>** \\ | + | (//more details about this accident were provided in 2007 in messages containing web links that are no longer valid//) |
| - | 10/07/07 #3531 | + | |
| + | **Daryl Remmler <darylremmler@…>** \\ | ||
| + | 10/07/07 #3531 | ||
| Hello All,\\ | Hello All,\\ | ||
| Line 16: | Line 18: | ||
| **loss to the sport\\ | **loss to the sport\\ | ||
| Reivers Dustin** \\ | Reivers Dustin** \\ | ||
| - | 10/09/07 #3537 | + | 10/09/07 #3537 |
| - | In light of the recent trouble in BC, Larry B was pointing out what a\\ | + | In light of the recent trouble in BC, Larry B was pointing out what a huge year last year was for all of us. We thrashed many boats and several of us found our lives at the mercy of the sea. If there's a bright side, it's the sharing and learning that has grown from the pain. I'm grateful to those of you who put your pride aside and share your findings here. Hat's off to SurfskiBC yahoo group for doing their part across the border. If we can put everyone's learnings into something easily passed along there might be fewer of these losses. |
| - | huge year last year was for all of us. We thrashed many boats and\\ | + | |
| - | several of us found our lives at the mercy of the sea. If there's a\\ | + | |
| - | bright side, it's the sharing and learning that has grown from the\\ | + | |
| - | pain. I'm grateful to those of you who put your pride aside and\\ | + | |
| - | share your findings here. Hat's off to SurfskiBC yahoo group for\\ | + | |
| - | doing their part across the border. If we can put everyone's\\ | + | |
| - | learnings into something easily passed along there might be fewer of\\ | + | |
| - | these losses. | + | |
| For discussion LB suggested a short checklist for refinement: | For discussion LB suggested a short checklist for refinement: | ||
| - | 1) Don't be overmatched by the conditions. -Thank you Morris for a\\ | + | 1) Don't be overmatched by the conditions. -Thank you Morris for a simple, direct "ceiling": if it's blowing over 30mph, don't go.\\ |
| - | simple, direct "ceiling": if it's blowing over 30mph, don't go.\\ | + | |
| 2) Leash up.\\ | 2) Leash up.\\ | ||
| 3) Dress for survival.\\ | 3) Dress for survival.\\ | ||
| Line 39: | Line 32: | ||
| We were thinking of trying to get the list down to four. | We were thinking of trying to get the list down to four. | ||
| - | My little story about being the last to see two young men alive out\\ | + | My little story about being the last to see two young men alive out of Larrabee (years ago) and now this event is motivation to do something, anything. |
| - | of Larrabee (years ago) and now this event is motivation to do\\ | + | |
| - | something, anything. | + | |
| rd | rd | ||
| Line 47: | Line 38: | ||
| \\ | \\ | ||
| **Re: loss to the sport - lessons learned.\\ | **Re: loss to the sport - lessons learned.\\ | ||
| - | Larry Bussinger <lbussing@...>** \\ | + | Larry Bussinger <lbussing@…>** \\ |
| - | 10/09/07 #3538 | + | 10/09/07 #3538 |
| - | For some background for the newer paddlers: Last winter, we tested\\ | + | For some background for the newer paddlers: Last winter, we tested the envelope of what we should be doing with surfski's. With very, very, good, strong, and intelligent paddlers in very high winds. In the NW, it isn't wave height per se, it is wind speed thats the limiting factor. The conclusions we came to are itemized below, but they deserve some explaination to make a mental imprint. |
| - | the envelope of what we should be doing with surfski's. With very,\\ | + | |
| - | very, good, strong, and intelligent paddlers in very high winds. In\\ | + | Therefore: |
| - | the NW, it isn't wave height per se, it is wind speed thats the\\ | + | |
| - | limiting factor. The conclusions we came to are itemized below, but\\ | + | 1. 30mph is when you can't paddle into the wind and gusts will rip the paddle out of your hand. The wavelength of wind waves with short fetch will be extremely steep, allowing the rudder to come out of the water, you can't balance on the top of the wave, and when you come down the face, the bow buries in the wave ahead. All will cause you to broach. At 40 mph the wind will suck the water off the surface, and it will rain up!\\ |
| - | they deserve some explaination to make a mental imprint. Therefore:\\ | + | 2. In high winds, your boat is a kite with lots of surface area. It will be gone in an instant, and you aren't strong enough to hold it with cold hands. Tie yourself to the boat with a strong tether. I wouldn't trust that I could hang on to a paddle leash. Several snapped monofiliment lines, bad/corroded clips, etc. were broken.\\ |
| - | 1. 30mph is when you can't paddle into the wind and gusts will rip\\ | + | 3. In storm conditions, you probably won't over heat. Use a PFD, and at least wet suit bottoms. Even a dry suit.\\ |
| - | the paddle out of your hand. The wavelength of wind waves with short\\ | + | 4.,5. Self explainitory.\\ |
| - | fetch will be extremely steep, allowing the rudder to come out of the\\ | + | 6. If you go over, enter from the up wind side or the boat will beat the hell out of you and you still won't be able to stay on.\\ |
| - | water, you can't balance on the top of the wave, and when you come\\ | + | |
| - | down the face, the bow buries in the wave ahead. All will cause you\\ | + | |
| - | to broach. At 40 mph the wind will suck the water off the surface,\\ | + | |
| - | and it will rain up!\\ | + | |
| - | 2. In high winds, your boat is a kite with lots of surface area. It\\ | + | |
| - | will be gone in an instant, and you aren't strong enough to hold it\\ | + | |
| - | with cold hands. Tie yourself to the boat with a strong tether. I\\ | + | |
| - | wouldn't trust that I could hang on to a paddle leash. Several\\ | + | |
| - | snapped monofiliment lines, bad/corroded clips, etc. were broken.\\ | + | |
| - | 3. In storm conditions, you probably won't over heat. Use a PFD,\\ | + | |
| - | and at least wet suit bottoms. Even a dry suit.\\ | + | |
| - | 4.,5. Self explainitory.\\ | + | |
| - | 6. If you go over, enter from the up wind side or the boat will beat\\ | + | |
| - | the hell out of you and you still won't be able to stay on.\\ | + | |
| Larry Bussinger. | Larry Bussinger. | ||
| \\ | \\ | ||
| **Re: loss to the sport - lessons learned.\\ | **Re: loss to the sport - lessons learned.\\ | ||
| - | Daryl Remmler <darylremmler@...>** \\ | + | Daryl Remmler <darylremmler@…>** \\ |
| - | 10/09/07 #3539 | + | 10/09/07 #3539 |
| Hi Larry, | Hi Larry, | ||
| Line 91: | Line 68: | ||
| I really feel that knowing and respecting your limits should be at the top of the list, but on occasion it turns out that mother nature changes the game plan unexpectedly. | I really feel that knowing and respecting your limits should be at the top of the list, but on occasion it turns out that mother nature changes the game plan unexpectedly. | ||
| + | |||
| + | //**… A Related Discussion Continued in a Separate Message Thread Which Included Several Stated Preferences For the Safety of a Surfski over Sea Kayaks** // \\ | ||
| + | to which Brandon Nelson made the following response: | ||
| + | |||
| + | **Re: Test your rough water skills?\\ | ||
| + | Brandon Nelson <brandon@…>** \\ | ||
| + | 10/10/07 #3547 | ||
| + | |||
| + | Always a fun question, Mike, and no surprise that when it’s posed to a group of surfskiers, the surfski will come out on top. Let me add a couple parallel questions: What’s the best boat to race in the Molokai, a 6-man canoe, surfski, OC-1 or stand-up paddle board? They’re all raced across that same body of water nowadays. Or how about this: What’s better for the Mt. Baker Hill Climb, a bicycle or a unicycle? This year, Joe Myers beat hundreds of riders on his one-wheeler. | ||
| + | |||
| + | I think every writer so far has alluded to the simple fact that, “It’s not about the boat.” And it isn’t. It’s ALL about the paddler. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Consider that the most extreme, violently explosive, high volume rivers in the world are run by highly skilled athletes in very tight fitting, very small, very closed-cockpit kayaks. To even think of taking a sit-on-top in those conditions would be suicide. And to do a “wet-exit” from a kayak in those conditions is also considered suicide. At the put-in of the Tsangpo River expedition led by Scott Lindgren a few years ago, still considered the “Everest of Rivers”, the team of paddlers made a pact: “You drown in your boat.” Translation: No wet-exits allowed, under any circumstances. To do so would put the entire team at risk and would almost certainly result in a dead swimmer. | ||
| + | |||
| + | And it’s important to keep in mind that, to that level of paddler and many lesser skilled ones, the “Eskimo roll” is hardly even thought of as a separate skill, much less a difficult one. It’s just another “stroke” that fits into the other 10,000 strokes on any given day of paddling, and happens automatically on either side, however the boat has gone over, and whether it’s at the bottom of a bus-eating hole or while throwing cartwheels in a heated swimming pool. | ||
| + | |||
| + | That being said, for our group of surfskiers, the “re-entry” to our skis should be just as automatic. You know you’re talking to a well-practiced storm paddler when you see her at take out and ask if she had any swims, and she answers with something like, “Hmm…did I? ….Yeah, I guess once. Or…” When it all starts blending together, it’s getting automatic, and that’s the ideal scenario. Practice, practice, practice. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Brandon | ||
| + | |||
| + | \\ | ||
| + | **Re: Test your rough water skills?\\ | ||
| + | Morris Arthur <marthur@…>** \\ | ||
| + | 10/10/07 #3551 | ||
| + | |||
| + | Me too: I'd much rather roll a kayak, than climb onto a surfski. (However, I'd rather paddle a surfski :)\\ | ||
| + | \\ | ||
| + | As far as the surkski remount being automatic, I used to think that way. But now I use my number of remounts as an impartial measurement of the on-water conditions (instead of my gut).\\ | ||
| + | \\ | ||
| + | New rule for me:\\ | ||
| + | -After my second unintentional swim, I admit to myself that I need to be heading to safer conditions. Either conditions are worse than I anticipated or I'm not having a good day (not enough sleep?, not fueled up?, too tired?)\\ | ||
| + | \\ | ||
| + | The rule works for me because: I consider myself a good paddler (I don't "normally" dump) … and–to be honest–I dress for short-term immersion in cold water, not long-term immersion. Every second in cold water incrementally compromises my ability to paddle well after I remount.\\ | ||
| + | \\ | ||
| + | Morris | ||
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