People are dumb....

It seems that every time we have large surf I read a post on the local scuba boards about a diver who lost gear while entering the water. Some people never learn when not to do something.
 
Sounds like they were lucky to have been spotted and rescued. I wonder what type of gear and experience they have. There are hard core paddlers that would use a day like that for training and testing gear. Race to Alaska types. We have friends that kayak 100 mile days, Catalina Island and back in a day. They feel as safe in their kayak as we do in our C-Dory.
 
You can add me to that list of folks more comfortable in my kayak than in our boat when conditions get nasty. A smart rough water paddler will at least practice next to a sandy windward shore so they are blown into shore if they capsize and fail to roll correctly. We have a perfect shore next to where we live and see kayakers out practicing in conditions like we had yesterday so long as the tide leaves enough beach exposed.

Others simply think they can handle it and they are often wrong.

The really amazing thing is how often people make very dangerous decisions and still make it though.

Greg
 
Greg's endorsement of a properly outfitted sea kayak, handled by a competent paddler rocks my boat. Trouble is, sea kayaks look easy to paddle, but in the hands of a novice, they are an invitation to disaster. They demand constant awareness and well honed bracing skills to be safe in conditions like those pictured in the rescue photo.

A poor paddler is just as clueless as a poor skipper.
 
So I was parked next to the George town road bridge above Chilli bar on the American River ( south fork) in the late 90's. We have just had a big snow followed by a pineapple express and the river is flowing 30 ft deep crashing into the road way. It was the color of coffee with cream and full of 100 ft pine trees. The roar of the river was deafening but at the same time drowned out by the sound of a million car size boulder slowly headed down river. You could hear it a mile up the canyon as you drove down.

And that is when i saw stupid and his brother running down the side of the road with kayaks in hand trying to get in the water as a cops was screaming at them to stop. Poor cop had to pull a gun on one as he was dragging the other moron away from the water. Should have let them both go before they breed with anyone.
 
Happened over here several years ago - except the guy died. My buddies saw them heading out. I went kayaking that day, but I had a simple rule - in strong winds if I can't stand up in it to walk home don't go there. We normally don't fish in sea kayaks. Just the Tupperware stuff.

Details below

http://www.theledger.com/news/20110123/ ... -tampa-bay

I've had some great fishing in crazy winds - you just have to paddle/walk into the winds first. Once in a while you'll get those magic winds where you find yourself paddling into the winds both ways. If it blows too hard, I get out and walk it in. I would say over 15 it gets to be a headache.

Need to know your limitations, your boat, and be prepared...and yes water temps get cold in Tampa - people die of hypothermia about 1-2 times a year. Doesn't take too much. Seems it's the newbies/tourist who get themselves into trouble. Then again we have about that many PWC and lightning deaths too...mostly tourist.
 
All the more reason, if the kayaker is foolish enough to go out in wind or seas, to take a waterproof VHF radio, and be able to call for help. Better to have the judgement to not go.
 
thataway":1nlz62pg said:
All the more reason, if the kayaker is foolish enough to go out in wind or seas, to take a waterproof VHF radio, and be able to call for help. Better to have the judgement to not go.
Click to expand...
And how does one develop judgment? By flirting with the edge of the envelope. This tale is on me ... and an illustration of why I do not point fingers at others out learning where the edge of their envelope is. Never needed a rescue ... but I have been close. This was one of those times.

http://www.nwkayaking.net/?page_id=365
 
localboy":1uvxui8m said:
And how does one develop judgment?
Click to expand...

How about what is sorely lacking in modern day America: COMMON SENSE.
Click to expand...
No quarrel here. That Darwin thing, about survival ... applies here, for sure. There is a huge difference between flirting with the edge of one's competence and plunging headlong into an obvious maelstrom.
 
I have had about zero luck explaining to acquaintances and friends that when we have the worst storm forecast in ten years, say, that the proper preparation is to batten down house, yard, boat etc. and stay home.
 
It hurts alright,

There was a guy with poor judgement who decided to jump off a bridge to cool down in a swift moving river. He picked a crummy spot to jump and/or jumped poorly and ended up impaled (all the way through is abdomen and out the other side) but alive on a long, bent section of rebar torn away from the bridge footing by river action, slightly above that swift moving water. Our team cut the bar loose (leaving the piece running through him)and pulled him back to safety and he lived. But he was sure feeling the pain of his mistake during the rescue operation.

Greg
 
Aurelia":ustmc2ca said:
It hurts alright,

There was a guy with poor judgement who decided to jump off a bridge to cool down in a swift moving river. He picked a crummy spot to jump and/or jumped poorly and ended up impaled (all the way through is abdomen and out the other side) but alive on a long, bent section of rebar torn away from the bridge footing by river action, slightly above that swift moving water. Our team cut the bar loose (leaving the piece running through him)and pulled him back to safety and he lived. But he was sure feeling the pain of his mistake during the rescue operation.

Greg
Click to expand...

Sassy good job Greg! Sounds improper to leave the bugger shish kabobed but
removing the skewer on site would violate EMS protocol and put him into the
Darwin Awards (www.darwinaward.com) as a serious fatal contestant.

As he lived, in this case, I'm sure stupid hurt and his judgement developed
very rapidly to better plan his prospective jump sites...

Aye.
 
Well since we're on a roll describing how dumb people are and how so many (although not us of course) lack common sense, and on and on down that rabbit hole, let me add one more. Responding to a motorcycle accident, after cutting thru the brush on the side of the road we found the guy, unconscious. He woke up in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. His first words were "How's my rider"
 
AstoriaDave":2bia2v71 said:
thataway":2bia2v71 said:
All the more reason, if the kayaker is foolish enough to go out in wind or seas, to take a waterproof VHF radio, and be able to call for help. Better to have the judgement to not go.
Click to expand...
And how does one develop judgment? By flirting with the edge of the envelope. This tale is on me ... and an illustration of why I do not point fingers at others out learning where the edge of their envelope is. Never needed a rescue ... but I have been close. This was one of those times.

http://www.nwkayaking.net/?page_id=365
Click to expand...

Flirting with the edge of the envelope is not necessary to develop judgement. Knowledge is key. You can gain the knowledge both directly and indirectly. For some only direct knowledge seems to stick, others are able to learn from the experiences of those around them. That's one of the reasons why forums such as this are good. I can read about boating adventures and misadventures and learn a lot about what not to do without ever coming close to doing that thing.
 
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