NYCkayaker Kayak safety meeting with NY Waterway

[bonnie13 at earthlink.net]

-----Original Message-----
>From: bonnie13 at earthlink.net
>Sent: Jun 16, 2008 12:38 PM
>To: Dan Starer <danstarer at gmail.com>
>Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Kayak safety meeting with NY Waterway
>
>OK, the "Speedbump" kayak actually cracked me up but more seriously - I did have a few thoughts, I know some aren't interested in my opinion but hey, when did that ever stop me?
>
>Anyways ...
>
>Sounds very much like what the HPBG got back in 2001 & all good to see brought up again. Maybe this is a good exercise to repeat every few years as institutional memory fades & leaders on both sides come & go - not that anybody can really guarantee that that happens, but I feel like I'm seeing the cycle of scary incidents/anger/communication happening for the third time now, bet it'll repeat again as necessary. 
>
>Re the "speed bumps" thing - I can actually sympathize with that for a couple of reasons. They're working, we're playing, the ferry folks are running on really tight schedules (and from the sound of it the Waterways folks, at least, are also on a pretty short staff - that's why they missed the first one) and we're making their jobs just that much harbor. I mean harder. It's a pretty crusty milieu, too. Everybody's jostling for space; the working craft didn't used to have to deal with so many recreational craft. And let's face it, kayaks are small and slow and as TomBrooklyn was pointing out, there's plenty of kayakers (and other recreational craft) out there who don't know the rules of the road. I know plenty of good kayakers on this list who have funny and/or hair-raising stories about seeing people waltzing up the middle of the channel, taking out boats that aren't really suited to the area,  & just generally not understanding what's what out there. 
>
>Unfortunately, those are the ones that stand out when you're standing watch - the ones who know the rules don't draw near as much attention to themselves. Have to keep those people in mind any time you're talking about "kayakers" in general - I'd bet that's what most of the pilots are thinking of when they're joking about speedbumps. 
>
>And for that matter, is there anybody out there who hasn't at one time or another made a bad call or misjudgement that ended up scaring themselves & some poor pilot half to death? You hear those long blasts, that's somebody afraid they're about to kill somebody. No game. It's a busy harbor, there are just going to be close calls. As long as there are close calls & crusty captains, there's gonna be disparaging talk on the VHF (and Yahoo groups, and anywhere else boaters communicate). 
>
>BTW I think our harbor is still not as busy as some - 
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5BAKrzw34o
>
>scary! 
>
> 
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>>From: bonnie13 at earthlink.net
>>Sent: Jun 16, 2008 9:44 AM
>>To: Dan Starer <danstarer at gmail.com>, nyckayaker <nyckayaker at rockandwater.net>
>>Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Kayak safety meeting with NY Waterway
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>5. We had a lengthy discussion about the radio chatter where captains refer
>>>to kayakers as "speed bumps" and use other charming expressions...
>>
>>
>>Can't resist sharing - 
>>
>>http://frogma.blogspot.com/2008/04/norwalk-harbor-sunday-32908.html
>>
>>scroll down past the Lasers & the oyster boats!
>>
>> 
>>
>>
>>
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>>>
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>>
>>**********************************************************************
>>The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is a public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>>
>>To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
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