Rob’s Belated Safety Message for the 2012 Paddling Season

This will be my 11th safety message since joining this site. Each year paddlers die out of ignorance stemming from simple lack of knowledge or complacency. The skill of these fallen paddlers ranges from extreme green to very experienced. The greenhorns die because they do not understand the inherent dangers of the sport. The experienced paddlers die because they become complacent and make mistakes they might not normally make. For those of you who are reading this message and have paddled for years, you are obviously paddling safely or just damned lucky. For those of you who are new to the sport…pay heed to any comment on this site that seems drastically safe or cautious: these comments arise from experience that has kept a paddler alive.

As usual, I have posted the link to my disaster story below. I do not mind serving as an example of what can go wrong and why it went wrong. I almost died partly because I was not completely informed about the area I was planning to paddling through. I almost died because I chose to go beyond my limits before I fully understood the risks. I literally had only 8 opportunities to use my newly constructed kayak before I attempted to start a 1000-km journey. One other fact was plainly simple in this case: I was not thinking. I was not on an ocean or a sea or even a lake: I was on a river.

DISASTER STORY LINK: http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Trips/index.cgi/read/2522

If you are an experienced paddler, remember to think about your limits and beware of complacent thinking. You have done it before, what can go wrong today? Probably nothing or at least that is what you hope. Remember the last time you had difficulty and how stupid you felt when you got yourself into the situation which you could easily have avoided. I never stop thinking about my own stupidity when launch time comes: that keeps me outta the worst trouble.

If you are a new paddler, find a way to learn about kayaking safety. The best source of this information is through a qualified trainer…this site has members who are well qualified to help you understand the risks of the sport and how to manage yourself and the gear you need to keep alive out on the water. They also know who you can talk to no matter where you live so that you can get reliable training/information: just ask a question about paddling safety and see what happens.

This would be a great time for you experienced folks to chirp in and share your experiences for the newbies.

I know there are a few newbies on site these days since they have revealed themselves and there are probably many more reading the threads but not adding to the commentary.

I prefer to simply reiterate one simple comment here and now: "Kayaking is not a simple safe sport". The inherent dangers lie upon and within the waters you are planning to paddle be they oceans, lakes or rivers. Become informed by asking questions. Quite often one question leads to the answers to other unasked questions. If you value your life and your kayak, ask the questions and if you are new to the sport - make no assumptions about it. Paddling seems simple enough and it is...UNTIL YOU GET INTO DEEP TROUBLE. While you are in the kayak you are probably reasonably warm and comfortable. Once you tip over, you are going to experience the exact opposite situation. This is where a greenhorn’s comfortable and blissful ignorance becomes potentially fatal.

Over the years I and many others here at this site have read horror stories about paddlers who headed out during good weather but who failed to check the weather forecast. Decent paddling weather changed and they died because the conditions became overwhelming. WE do not want to read about your death. WE would rather read about your adventures for years to come. Make sure you read my disaster story…I am alive now to tell you to do what you must on the water safely.

Now that you have read this safety reminder you have no excuse for not paddling safely. Just ask the questions, someone will answer rather completely and probably over-zealously.

Robert N Pruden
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada