I went to Germany after being assigned to Ft. Rucker, AL. That was my first experience of living away from the metropolitan area of Baltimore. It took a while before I found out where they stored the streets after they were rolled up at 6:00 pm. They were stored in a back-alley donut shop.
During 1971, an E-3 made $113 (+/-) a month. As money was scarce just before payday, we’d go through wall lockers for loose coins. The choice was between two donut shops in town. One typical chain-store establishment sold by the dozen (big plate glass windows, inside seating), while the other sod by the bakers dozen plus two (15 to the box). That store front was a cinder block wall painted white, with a lone service window. A seedy guy in a soiled white uniform exchanged good for the coins that looked like they came out of a shoe. 15 powdered or frosted orbs and some with filling - a few would even looked sat-on to mirror the condition of the coins. The donuts would occasionally make one queezy, but they were better than dirt. We suspected the place also served as the street repository because it was the last place that closed.
When I went to Germany, the shops closed at 5:00 pm and also closed for lunch. As the streets were cobblestone, I’m sure that was the reason they remained in place, cobblestone being harder to roll up. My pharmacy closes during lunch. Wonder if they’re German?
The Turks have an underground economy where you could buy hot spiced wine and drink during lockdowns if you stood outside twenty feet apart in freezing weather.
Depending on paddling conditions you’re equally likely to see me paddling with or without one on.
I always have it within reach and won’t get on the water without it, though. Not that I’m under the illusion that I’ll grab it while something goes wrong, but I will regularly put it on and take it off throughout a day of paddling.
Life is a constant balancing act of risk and having to get stuff done. We are all comfortable with different levels of risk. As a rough guideline I think that as long as you are within the limits of the law you should do what you are comfortable with.
Try putting on a PFD when you are in deep water while holding onto your paddle, the boat, and any loose gear in the conditions that put you into the water in the first place.
Many people find that attempting a self or assisted rescue is more difficult without the additional floatation that a PFD offers.
I admire the people that love their kayak so much that they will strap their PFD to the boat or shove it behind their seat to save their kayak, but if you lose your hold on the kayak in these conditions you can be in a world of trouble.
[quote=“rstevens15, post:266, topic:131420, full:true”]
Try putting on a PFD when you are in deep water while holding onto your paddle, the boat, and any loose gear in the conditions that put you into the water in the first place.
Geez, one wears a pfd and carries the right equipment to also model good paddling practices and to be ready should someone else get in trouble on the water.