NYCkayaker B.B. incident 1st hand account
MainYo at aol.com
MainYo at aol.com
Sat Jul 19 00:45:32 EDT 2008
Mr.. Reiser,
Thank you for sharing your wisdom,
I circulated my report so that those who wanted to know of or learn form
our experience might do so. Four television and three newspaper reports of
the incident each contained at least some inaccuracy. In fact, I was asked
to share by several people who heard the story from others who weren't there.
I'm sorry if you were bored or disturbed by my detailed account but I do
appreciate your holding back as long as you could.
Here's part of an email I had the pleasure to receive yesterday. " Hi
Ted-I want to thank you for such a well-written, insightful accounting of what
happened on the East River. I was away when it all happened, so I get a lot
of details 3rd or 4th hand." Also, thanks Will, Erik and Rob for your
thoughtful contributions.
. .You might notice that I don't frequently share in this forum. I am
fascinated by the amount of petty sniping, complaining and bickering that we
too often read here. What amazes me most is the fact that much of this
negativity apparently emanates from some very well educated adults. We can all
benefit by learning of others' successful trips as well as from their
calamities and near misses. Novices do and will venture out into all waters whether
we approve or not We hope they chose to do so with more experienced
companions.
Please join us at Hallets Cove any Sunday afternoon and get some first
hand East River experience that I know will change your opinion.
Ted Gruber
In a message dated 7/18/2008 6:19:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
lee060 at earthlink.net writes:
Okay, I've held back for as long as I can.
What! We need yet another account of this incident. Why? Trying to convince
us all or just yourself. Novices do not belong on the most dangerous place in
NYC Harbor, the East River. Period! Where's the accountability? You should
check out your kayak, because I think there's a loose wing nut behind the
coaming!
Lee Reiser
A quote from the play, Hamlet by Wm. Shakespeare:
"Methinks the Lady doth protest too much!"
>Sorry "Ted is excellent but in this case he needed to tighten the tail on
>both sides." should have been ""Ted is excellent but in this case WE needed
>to tighten the tail on both sides."
>
>My point wasn't that Ted's work wasn't adequate, but that in this special
>circumstance it woul have been best to have two sweeps. You can't
>idiot-proof a trip (a point some paddlers seem to work to prove) but while
>the falls are in place we will ensure that we shepherd extra-tightly on both
>sides.
>
>Erik Baard
>
>On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 1:14 AM, <MainYo at aol.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Greetings all,
>> I'm one of the LIC Community Boathouse volunteers and was present
last
>> Friday afternoon when the two paddlers dunked under the Brooklyn bridge
in
>> front of the falls. Here's my report and assessment.
>> Light wind, clear sky, comfortable air and water temperatures
>> constituted superb conditions for the short outing from Valentino Park in
>> Red Hook, to
>> Brooklyn Bridge Park including a brief landing (with permission in
>> advance)
>> on Governors Island. Erik, John & I from LICCB accompanied 24 paddlers.
>> The
>> 24 were in 14 boats (11 tandems and 2 singles) for a comfortable boat
>> ratio
>> of less than 5:1.
>> The thorough pre-launch safety talk included specific warnings to
avoid
>> all stationary objects because of wakes, chop & current. The group
>> understood the need to keep a tight formation and comply with all
>> instruction. All
>> indicated their ability to swim and no one expressed any reservations
>> about
>> proceeding.
>> We enjoyed smooth sailing, spectacular scenery and good company. The
>> Buttermilk crossing was textbook. Our ride along the east side of the
>> island
>> with current was quick and easy. After landing on Governors, some of us
>> walked
>> to the tall waterfall on the north side while others strolled or sunned
>> themselves on the lawn.
>> The last leg began with an orderly crossing back toward the Brooklyn
>> piers and proceeded through considerable chop up toward the bridges.
>> Everyone
>> seemed to understand the effect of the nearly maximum flood current. At
>> this
>> point I was sweeping and watched most of the pack pass neatly by the
>> Brooklyn
>> Bridge and it's falls. The tandem two boats in front of me veered right
>> between the Water Taxi dock and the falls and the stern seat passenger
put
>> his
>> paddle on his lap and extended his arms into the air to pose for photos
>> taken
>> by the front seat paddler in the tandem behind him. He was facing SSW
and
>> did
>> not realize his rate of closure with the array of obstacles placed
around
>> the falls. When he finally noticed that collision with the floating boom
>> was
>> imminent, he and his petrified partner did nothing to avoid but just
>> watched
>> as the river swept their boat from under them.
>> I directed the photographer and her partner to go left while I went
>> right and moved in to get closer to the two wet ones. The front seat guy
>> climbed
>> atop a barrel that was only slightly bigger than he was and clung to it.
>> As
>> he did this, I noticed his pfd riding up over his head. Clearly he was
>> terrified. The second guy clutched his boat with one hand and the boom
>> with the
>> other and endured the rushing water with his back to me so communication
>> with
>> him was impossible. The situation was stable as I paddled hard to stay
in
>> place. I repeatedly shouted at the guy on the barrel to try to snug up
>> his
>> pfd, but he never let go of the barrel. Erik and John approached from
>> behind
>> and told me to back away and catch theses guys and their boat when they
>> break
>> loose. Erik could not persuade either of the two to let go and float away
>> to
>> be collected. Less than five minutes into this the NYPS launch closed
in
>> and took over. One officer threw a life ring at the guy on the barrel.
He
>> caught it on the second attempt but lost his grip while being pulled to
>> open
>> water. He floated straight at me and grabbed my bow with one hand on
each
>> side
>> and appeared quite relieved. The police boat came toward us and took him
>> from
>> me. In hindsight, this was a mistake because this guy's troubles were
>> over.
>> I should have given the ok sign with one hand and point to the second
guy
>> with the other.
>> The Police then went back to the south side of the falls to get the
>> other guy, and I went back to waiting for whatever floated by. John
>> managed to
>> get close to helping the guy, but capsized in the attempt. John and his
>> boat
>> were swept toward me. I helped him get back onto his Cobra, though
clearly
>> he
>> would've been fine if I weren't there. I watched the last guy catch the
>> life
>> ring and get pulled away from the boom. Their tandem came at me and I
>> towed
>> it the 200 yards to our takeout where everyone else was relieved to
learn
>> the outcome. The Police refused to let the two off in Brooklyn and took
>> them
>> to pier 11 in Manhattan for the customary visit to the ER.
>> Two paddles were lost. This can be forgiven because this wasn't your
>> typical middle of the water situation. The noisy waterfall and clutter
of
>> the
>> barricade contributed to their fear and confusion. Clearly this episode
>> should not have occurred and isn't acceptable. We at LICCB are well
aware
>> of the
>> necessity of safety for safety's sake as well as for the perception of
>> those
>> who regulate our activities. We operate mainly in the East River and
are
>> very familiar with the powerful currents there. In this instance, fixed
>> objects
>> along the shoreline presented at least as much danger as venturing too
far
>> into the river. While the paddlers who dunked ignored several
>> instructions, I
>> regret not being more forceful in directing them away from trouble.
Their
>> ability to get back on the boat was not an issue in this case. This
would
>> have easily been accomplished had we gotten those two away from the
clutter
>> under the falls.
>> The very next day, eight paddlers in four tandems and I paddled from
>> LIC
>> to Red Hook, around Governors Island and back. We enjoyed.the spray of
>> all
>> four waterfalls and met the same two police officers under the Brooklyn
>> Bridge. When I thanked them for their help and apologized for the
>> trouble, they
>> smiled, waved and told us to have a safe and fun day.
>> We did. _http://picasaweb.google.com/mainyo72/LICToRedHook_
>> (http://picasaweb.google.com/mainyo72/LICToRedHook)
>>
>> My sincere apologies to each of you for the bad publicity that this
>> incident
>> has generated,
>> Ted Gruber
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
>
>--
>Erik Baard
>
>www.licboathouse.org
>www.naturecalendar.com
>
>
>------------------------------
>
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>End of NYCKayaker Digest, Vol 35, Issue 23
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