I learned a lot from my parents. My father worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week in restaurants to support the family. He had at most two weeks off (unpaid) per year. He died in a rehab hospital, after a series of stroked left him paralyzed for 6 months. He was 57. He loved us and gave his all to make sure we have an opportunity for a better future.
My mother as worked 5 days a week in a garment factory and then took home “pieces” to sew on the weekends (which often involved as many hours as regular day in the factory. She retired at 70 and had time to spent with her family and friends. Unfortunately, she unlived her friends and even some of her friend’s daughters (who became her friends too). Her ability started to decline in her late 80’s. At 89, she fell and broke her hip. She was in rehab and said she wanted to go home and that she was ready to leave this life. Unfortunately, the rehab hospital said that they couldn’t release her unless she demonstrate she can ambulate on her own. My mom took to he PT rigorously, I was able to get out of the hospital in four months. When she got home, she told us that she was ready to. She spend weeks saying good by to her few remaining friends and relatives. She then stop eating and drinkinging. I had the privilege of spending that last week with her to help her past. All my siblings came back each day and night, as well as my nieces and nephews (her grandchildren). When she saw her last grandchild who flew in from Texas, she passed that very night. My mom was FEARLESS, despite the physical pain and discomfort. We were blessed with her example of how to handle death.
My few principles to pass onto the my boys. Find balance in your life between mind, body and spirit. Work is unavoidable (for us as working class folk), so try to find something you enjoy and can be proud to do. Try to act with principle and honor. Pay it forward because neither they nor their parents got here alone. Don’t assume those you love automatically know it – say “I love you” every day (as it were the last). Don’t fear death because it is inescapable. Rather, try to live your life fully (as each day may be your last).
These are things I learned from my parents. These are things I try to pass onto my boys.
You’re an hororable and truely fearless person. I have no doubt your parents respected you life choices and felt pride in your path. You’re children are fortunately to have fine traditions and brave examples to guide them. Keep chasing the tail of hurricanes.
My mother passed ftom tetanus when she was 76. She would have been 100 last June 6. The hardest thing for me was the though of living up to her standards without her presence.
Be careful out there with motor boats present. Apparently this happened near a boat ramp. A paddling buddy in TN forwarded to me this avoidable “killing season” event.
The article didn’t say if she was wearing a pfd or not. Although they found her in 52’ it could have been torn off when run over or shredded by the prop.
One wonders if a mandatory pfd wear or seasonal mandatory wear would have made a difference. Pennsylvania’s runs to April 30 but if people don’t know or of the “you can’t tell me what to do” crowd, it won’t.
This paddler wears one because it frees my mind to focus on paddling vs. dealing with the unexpected. I don’t care what other paddlers do, except the ones paddling with me. I don’t want their unexpected problem to be my distraction.
When I drive, I make sure everyone in my vehicle wears a seatbelt. If I’m a passenger in another person’s car and they don’t wear a seatbelt, I won’t drive with them again. To me, it simply shows poor judgement and a disregard for the law - my life, my decision.
When I drive anyone to a paddling location, I check for all necessary gear; both mine and theirs, because Im the one who has to drive back home to get a paddle or the PFD. The only time I ever had to go back for necessary equipment was when a partner volunteered to get the gear while I loaded the boats. They didn’t load the paddles. As far as I’m concerned, that was my fault, and it better not happen again.
There are enough things to worry about when packing to go out in open water. To have 89 posts on such a basic safety concept is absurd. When anyone justifies not wearing a PFD, my thought is that the person either has never really pushed the padding envelope or has no regard for the unexpected.
I won’t even own a kayak until later this month, but as a former jet ski owner, even I know this to be obvious. In doing my research for kayaking on Youtube, it really shocked me how many people in videos were out on the water with no PFD. It was absolutely insane. One was of an older man on a small kayak on a large local river (to me) with some rapid sections. None of his comments even mentioned it.
As a surf paddler, I don’t go out without a PFD and likely a helmet when taking a kayak into conditions. It’s tough enough to manage a “swim” and hanging onto boat and equipment. I would say it’s impossible to do all that without a PFD.
I have allowed myself to waveski, when I have forgotten my PFD. But, waveski (essentially a sit-on-top surf board) acts as remountable floatation device in the surf zone, unlike a water filled kayak. Some waveskiers will use leg leashes (and not wear PFDs) much like their surf board counterparts (there are esoteric surfing reasons which I won’t get into).
The thread was intended to talk not just about PFD, but really about awareness and the range of precautions that are needed, especially in cold water conditions. (You’ll see a surfer without a PFD but not without the appropriate wetsuit in cold water.) Each year, we get the annual culling of folks in cold water. It has not and won’t stop in my 20 plus years on this site. At best, the newbies on this site may get an idea of the seriousness of the conditions and not end up being culled in the “killing season.”
I understand sing. This topic is an ongoing loop; it never has resolution or consensus. My comment was specific to PFD. The topic goes from PFD to dry suit, wet suit, air/wayer to formulas, shallow/deep water. There are no hard fast rules. Open water, fast currents, high waves, cold water should all be avoided, yet some of us do it to some degree while other seek it rather than avoid it.
The bizarre paradox is how some will paddle among jagged rocks, in an ice floe, violent rapids, cross oceans or in busy harbor channels, while being critical of a person in a rec boat that’s too dangerous to paddle in a protected cove because they might do something stupid. Its arrogant and judgemental.
You make a good point. Every year we have to remind the newies to be safe. The exlerience ones do what they’re going to do and just ignore the danger, because they like living on that edge, or got cabin fever and have to get out or die. Now I get it. Somebody is going to carry the torch. I have nothing to add.
Yes. I am committed to raising the awareness. I am NOT committed to changing anyone else’s practice or viewpoint. Folks will live (or die) as they will with the information and choices they have.
Some folks like to go back and forth. It’s the nature of a “discussion board.” Generally, these days, I am willing to put out my view/opinion (as one of many) but don’t feel the urge to proselytize or to overly argue with anyone. (Much rather save my mental energy and time for riding the next wave! It’s about the stoke.)
The river and the weather were as calm as they get…but the St Joseph is never safe and even during low water levels there are fast, tricky spots. There was another death a couple miles upstream where an experienced kayaker just didn’t make it to the take-out on a calm summer day.
I prefer to treat everyone as enlightened indivuals. The longer I’m a member, the more I realize the new members are the only ones who will be influenced. Thats a good thing I guess.
Exactly.
It’s one thing to be “culled” because you’re a newbie and don’t know the risks, and quite another to know and ignore them because bad stuff only happens to others who are less _____________ [fill in the blank: smart, skilled, tough, cool …].
Newbies who are receptive to the education and experiences shared here will be better off for it. Those who are not receptive, well, the “killing season has commenced”.
If a paddler doesn’t wear their PFD, where do they put/carry all the things that are in the pockets? {Camera, VHF radio, chap stick, power bar,knife, whistle…etc}
While you jest, I admit part of what makes less inclined to longer distance, open water paddling is all the gear that I need to (remember to) pack. In addition to what I have on, I have to remember to bring the VHF, extra clothes, emergency and first aid kit, tarp (or bothy bag), a tow rope for someone I might run into out there (in need of assistance), food, refreshments…
Jeeze, just give me 2-3 hours of intense paddling and wave riding in the surf zone. Just need paddle, wave craft, helmet, and PFD. According to my FitBit, I burn off as much if not more energy surfing than I do going on a longer paddle tour in calmer conditions. I like the simplicity, time efficiency and adrenaline rush.
Jyak I think you just described me! Too old and stubborn to learn. But I still like going out. I’m going to do what I’m going to do. I don’t think I’m ignoring the dangers rather for me I’m scaling it back. People ask where’s a good place to go paddling? I often say it depends on who you are and your skillset. An ability to swim and wearing a pfd are a first step. To get to the end of a trip safely you need to use your brain too!
