NYCkayaker Lights...safety in numbers

[Marty Cohen]

One time, on a moonlight paddle, I dropped several hundred yards or so
behind the pod, and when I looked in the direction of the 15 kayaks or so in
the distance, I saw a collection of white lights which I think could not be
missed by any craft. There's safety in numbers.

Marty Cohen

-----Original Message-----
From: bonnie13 at earthlink.net [mailto:bonnie13 at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 6:42 PM
To: nyckayaker
Subject: NYCkayaker Lights...

Well, things started making more sense when Dan, I think it was, said that
his take was that what was being said was that the strobe could be used to
avert an imminent collision - and Ralph's wrapup was beautiful. 

There's one more important point that I haven't seen covered for all the
discussion - and I suspect it's probably because everybody who's chimed in
so far is an experienced paddler & this is as ingrained as power face faces
back for them. I'm going to say it for anyone who might be reading 

It doesn't matter how well-lighted we are - we're very small, and it's a
very big, busy, and light-filled harbor. 

The amount of lights that a kayak can carry with practicality just isn't a
lot.

I think it's a good idea to light yourself well, but I also think it's an
equally good idea to assume that you are invisible anyways. Don't count on
your lights to get you noticed - there's always the chance they won't.