Mayday Recovery

I'd like to segue to something related ...

At the Kayak Fishing Festival we had a couple sessions offered, one on safety, the other on paddle strokes.  Neither was well attended.  I think we may have even cancelled one due to NO attendance.

If we profess ourselves to be a safety conscious community and lead by example ... well, put up or shut up!  Continuing education and practice is where it is at.

-Allen

My Good Fire Fighter Friend had issues with life vest too…

thought it was silly on fresh water… I reprimanded him hard and he bought a life vest…  He was on Camp Far West and had a Fatal Heart Attack… life Vest was on the boat, he was not…

  His Family and our Fire Fighting Family Camped out on the shores of Camp Far West for a week looking for him till he was finally found at the bottom of the lake by a professional.

  Really? If not for your own safety, at least give those who care about you a little sense of closure to be able to find your body,,,   

  Wear your Damn Life Vest!     

It's amazing when I drill the PB, canoe, and kayak folks that think the PFD should just be available, and not actually worn.  And go on to say it's their choice.

I challenge them to test the theory of grabbing the PFD on their way over board (if not knocked unconscious in the process) , and if they were able to actually grab it, try putting it on while in the water. 

Not an easy task, the damn thing floats! 

My Good Fire Fighter Friend had issues with life vest too…

thought it was silly on fresh water… I reprimanded him hard and he bought a life vest…  He was on Camp Far West and had a Fatal Heart Attack… life Vest was on the boat, he was not…

  His Family and our Fire Fighting Family Camped out on the shores of Camp Far West for a week looking for him till he was finally found at the bottom of the lake by a professional.

  Really? If not for your own safety, at least give those who care about you a little sense of closure to be able to find your body,,,   :clown

  Wear your Damn Life Vest!     

With all the dangers of firefighting/ems a lifejacket is important for a healthy young dude???


Maybe ill just clip my float line to me so you can find my body. It may end like this but I think I'm ok with that.

To Quote... " Really? If not for your own safety, at least give those who care about you a little sense of closure to be able to find your body!  Wear your Damn Life Vest! Free divers, different situation and a whole lot of gear to keep them safe already on them. IF YOU GO OUT AND PLAN TO STAY ON TOP OF THE WATER!!!! WEAR THE PFD PLEASE !!!   

My Good Fire Fighter Friend had issues with life vest too…

thought it was silly on fresh water… I reprimanded him hard and he bought a life vest…  He was on Camp Far West and had a Fatal Heart Attack… life Vest was on the boat, he was not…

  His Family and our Fire Fighting Family Camped out on the shores of Camp Far West for a week looking for him till he was finally found at the bottom of the lake by a professional.

  Really? If not for your own safety, at least give those who care about you a little sense of closure to be able to find your body,,,   :clown

  Wear your Damn Life Vest!     

With all the dangers of firefighting/ems a lifejacket is important for a healthy young dude???


Maybe ill just clip my float line to me so you can find my body. It may end like this but I think I'm ok with that.

not sure where your going with that, but if you can't see the common sense were trying to illustrate here, can't help ya…  and a clip to your body and kayak just might be the reason you got got killed…

Bad Idea   

My Good Fire Fighter Friend had issues with life vest too…

thought it was silly on fresh water… I reprimanded him hard and he bought a life vest…  He was on Camp Far West and had a Fatal Heart Attack… life Vest was on the boat, he was not…

  His Family and our Fire Fighting Family Camped out on the shores of Camp Far West for a week looking for him till he was finally found at the bottom of the lake by a professional.

  Really? If not for your own safety, at least give those who care about you a little sense of closure to be able to find your body,,,   :clown

  Wear your Damn Life Vest!     

With all the dangers of firefighting/ems a lifejacket is important for a healthy young dude???


Maybe ill just clip my float line to me so you can find my body. It may end like this but I think I'm ok with that.

not sure where your going with that, but if you can't see the common sense were trying to illustrate here, can't help ya…  and a clip to your body and kayak just might be the reason you got got killed…

Bad Idea   

It was a joke. 

With all the other dangerous things in my life I don't see wearing a lifejacket in a cove necessary, especially in a wet suit. But if in was going out like a lot of you do in regular clothes.. Sure! I wouldn't want to swim in that water too far to swim for who knows how long...

Guy above said free divers already have gear. True, I could float in my suit for 6 hours without getting cold.

I've swam over three miles in 55 degree water, no wetsuit.  if I had to ditch, I know I can swim back to shore under pretty foul conditions.  Even still, I always wear a PFD.  And that's on top of my camaro paddling LJ wetsuit.  Plus why leave the LJ on deck where it can get hooked up and foul your line?

To paraphrase Moochie's saying, "Im a paddler first, an angler second."

Maybe it's because I've never gone out without a giant floaty wetsuit on but I've never thought about wearing one. Then again I'm never far out anyway.

I thought you were being sarcastic in your first post - no PDF ? Your other post indicates you weren't being sarcastic or joking.

I think the others comments have made it clear. Wear one!
Wilderness MEDIC... never seen anyone hit their head? Wading out to launch, slip and hit your head on a rock. Get clipped by a PB and hit it, or flip and bang it on the way into the drink. Without a PDF, what's to keep you from going face down and taking life's last drink ??

The titanic video was a joke.

I get really irritated when people don't wear their seatbelts.

That being said I don't wear mine when I travel 500m down a gravel road.

You have good points. Like I said. I'm new. I've been out 3 times and its always been right near shore with a full body life jacket. I'm not saying it isn't a good idea. Never hurts to be extra safe.

A full body life-jacket that'll float you face down...

Cluelessness can make us look bad, but, for the most part here, we're constantly working on improving our methods.

Scoffing at clear and firm advice when you're an admitted newb can make us look even worse.

Wear your PFD.

A full body life-jacket that'll float you face down...

Exactly.

<MoronEvaluator>

String Moron
//The moron bit
String FishWIth
//Whether to fish with person or not
String WHL
//Will he learn = WHL

Short DrowningLikely
//likelihood of death as a percentage

Init Moron
Init FishWIth
init DrowningLikely
init WHL


IF WHL = Yes, THEN Morn Var = No AND FishWIth= Yes
If WHL = NO, THEN Morn Var = yes, AND FishWIth= No, AND DrowningLikely = 75


</End>

I must also add for everyone to take their time before hitting the salt. I notice a lot of anglers so eager to hit the salt upon picking up their kayak. There's more to it than just having a radio and a wetsuit. When you're very comfortable with your kayak and know how to self rescue, then that's where i would start. Being prepared is a must.

<MoronEvaluator>

String Moron
//The moron bit
String FishWIth
//Whether to fish with person or not
String WHL
//Will he learn = WHL

Short DrowningLikely
//likelihood of death as a percentage

Init Moron
Init FishWIth
init DrowningLikely
init WHL


IF WHL = Yes, THEN Morn Var = No AND FishWIth= Yes
If WHL = NO, THEN Morn Var = yes, AND FishWIth= No, AND DrowningLikely = 75


</End>

//Best post of the year

<end>