NYCkayaker Kayak Safety ( paddler rescued near waterfall

[Ralph Diaz]

Erik Baard wrote"

>> The real dangers of holding onto containment gear are those of snag 
>> lines, barnacles and rusted sharp edges (on older infrastructure) <<

I am glad Erik brought this point up in his clarifying summary of the 
situation.  People just do not understand the danger presented from hanging 
on to such devices as buoys or floating containment equipment.  I know of a 
case of a young person who was in a kayak alone in a shallow bay in North 
Carolina and who wound up in the water for whatever reason.  He wrapped his 
legs around a buoy and cut a major artery in his thigh and bled to death in 
a matter of minutes.  We don't know why he was in the water. One theory was 
that he decided to drop in for a swim and decided to slide down the buoy to 
enter the water.  A barncale or some other sharp edge did him in.

It is too bad that the rest of the kayakers could not have rescued ones of 
their own.  It would have made an impression on the cops.  Unfortunately, 
with the victims refusing to let go of the buoys and cooperating with a 
rescue by Erik and others, that was not possible.  With the police right 
there they were going to move in to do the job.  That to me is the sad part 
of the episode.  It shows kayakers as victims rather than and self-reliant 
in control of their own fate and that of the group.

BTW, a tandem is about the easiest kayak to aright and to effect a self 
rescue.  Since most kayakers nowadays are in singles they may not know this. 
With two people in the water it is fairly easy to flip an upside down boat 
right side up without filling the cockpit with water.  Then one victim goes 
to one side, hangs on to the rear cockpit while the other victim enters that 
cockpit from the other side.  No need for paddle floats or any elaborate 
re-entry procedure.  Then the kayaker in the boat braces while the other 
victim re-enters.  Since the bow area is the narrowest part of the kayak it 
is fairly easy to swing one leg up on to the deck and then crawl into the 
cockpit.

ralph diaz