@PaddleDog52 said:
Engineered amusement parks have been failing also. The horror of knowing you took your kid to that situation is mind boggling.
Very true–Life doesn’t come with any guarantees. My statement was merely about how people approach cold/swift whitewater assuming that because a livery operation is in effect, the potential hazards are minimalized–Not!
@Rookie said:
Wouldn’t enforcement challenges be a bar to such regulation? There’s lots of water in the Great Lakes area and many, many out of the way easy access spots. And would it make a difference? The highways are more deadly than water yet people continue to text and drive (or drink and drive), regardless of the illegalities.
Yeah, and plenty of people continue to hunt or fish without a license and get fined for it only if caught. And dozens of other not completely enforceable regulations in numerous areas. But you missed my point: I wasn’t and am not an advocate of more regulation. But rather I was pointing out how regulations and their enforcement are often a backlash to tragedies. Publicized tragedies(especially if they keep on repeating)often create a political reaction for municipal authorities to “Do something about the problem.” The more wide spread public education about the problem, the less chances of there being a problem to begin with. No matter if someone is coping-out on their personal responsibility by trying to get around any enforcement issues…“Gee, Officer…Texting while driving? Was that wrong of me?”
– I think this whole discussion is a little like “selling coal to New Castle” as almost everybody on this paddling board(some handles I recognize posting here, like myself, for over ten years)seem already pretty well-versed in proper cold water safety.
Grumpy Squatch – I recognize the “volunteers” in the clip you posted as the same as the those in the film PK screened but it was a more extensive video with a longer intro. The shorter clip gets the point across though.
@spiritboat said:
– I think this whole discussion is a little like “selling coal to New Castle” …
We was sell’n coal in New Castle,
when some jumped in the lake.
Those less hirsute sans Goretex suit
gasped, “Damn! It was mistake!”
But river’s flow some will block-up.
For the deep end they’ve grown fond.
From sinking ships last chattered lips,
“I’ve drowned the mine 'neath pond.”
@canoeswithduckheads said:
We was sell’n coal in New Castle,
when some jumped in the lake.
Those less hirsute sans Goretex suit
gasped, “Damn! It was mistake!”But river’s flow some will block-up.
For the deep end they’ve grown fond.
From sinking ships last chattered lips,
“I’ve drowned the mine 'neath pond.”
Brilliant!
Here’s a recent one from my own back yard. Looks to be a body search now for the 2nd man.
Information is limited, but most of us here can pretty much fill in the blanks.
http://www.lfpress.com/2017/06/02/australian-man-missing-after-canoe-capsizes-in-georgian-bay
Current surface temperature for the area is about 10°C (50°F) or less.
https://www.glerl.noaa.gov//res/glcfs/glcfs.php?lake=h&ext=swt&type=N&hr=00
“Police say the pair were not wearing life jackets.” At least one was saved.
Sadly there will be more such reports. This evening I watched tourists from a rental cottage paddling a couple of canoes and a small rec kayak on the lake here. No PFDs in sight. Wearing what looked like cotton shirts. They have no idea how cold the water is.
A few days ago I checked my drysuit for leaks by standing in the lake up to my armpits. I had toyed with the idea of switching to Kokatat surfskin pants and a neoprene jacket for inland lakes. Feeling how cold the water was while doing the leak test changed my mind.
The National Weather Service gave us this greeting on June 1:
“Congratulations northern Michigan, we were the coldest location across the country yesterday.”