Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board

Re: Not quite

Posted By: Robert N Pruden
Date: Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 2:30 p.m.

In Response To: Not quite (Brian Nystrom)

: While I haven't paddled inadvertently over any waterfalls, I've been in many
: situations while ice climbing where I was scared silly, but choked it
: back, maintained control and got through it. The emotional discipline
: required to control my fear and remain calm in the face of potentially
: deadly circumstances was one of the things that attracted me to the sport.
: As you know, there is an amazing clarity that one experiences in such
: situations that simply cannot be duplicated in daily life.

So true, Bryan. That accidental run over through the rapids is like a video in my mind that I can replay whenever I want with total clarity. I was never attracted to the sport for those experiences, it just happened. I've always enjoyed being very physical but never wanted any activity that I engaged in to be life-threatening, I'm just not wired that way. Yet, things happen and when they do you have to react. I have been surprised a few times in my life with how my instincts kick in to do the right thing when I got into trouble. This happens because I read a lot about a myriad of subject, survival one of those subjects, and I can apply it when I need to without thinking.

: I don't fear death, either, but I also have no particular desire to die any
: time soon. A serious cycling injury a few years back has changed my
: self-view somewhat. It woke me up to the fact that I'm not indestructable
: and that injury or death can happen at any time. There's nothing quite
: like having your beliefs tempered with a hard dose of reality. There's a
: balance to be struck between challenge, risk and enjoyment. Admittedly,
: I've scaled back the risk percentage a few points over the years, but I'm
: having a lot more fun.

Same here.

: I would never try to discourage you from doing what you love, be it solo
: kayak trips or whatever. If you're injured or die while doing it, it's
: your choice. Just don't kid yourself about your ability to defend yourself
: against bears with a knife, that's all. Bravado won't save you and it may
: well mislead you into putting yourself at greater risk.

I will never kid myself, just defend myself to the best of my ability. I worry more about human encounters along the way than I do animal. Animals behave basically, humans are more wiley and therefore less predictable.

It's been an interesting discussion, I'll digest this for a while. Thanks for the intensity and the words of caution, I am sure I'll heed them moreso now than I did two years ago. Then again, I heeded them two years ago, just ran out of good luck.

Robert N Pruden

Messages In This Thread

Ditch Kit Contents Ideas For Long Kayaking Trips *LINK*
Robert N Pruden -- Sunday, 28 November 2004, at 7:29 p.m.

Re: Ditch Kit Contents Ideas THANK YOU
Magoo_ns -- Saturday, 4 December 2004, at 12:06 p.m.

Reentries
Robert N Pruden -- Saturday, 4 December 2004, at 7:29 p.m.

Re: Reentries
Brian Nystrom -- Monday, 6 December 2004, at 8:22 a.m.

Re: Reentries
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 7 December 2004, at 6:35 a.m.

Re: Reentries
Alan -- Tuesday, 7 December 2004, at 10:29 a.m.

Re: Reentries
FrankP -- Tuesday, 7 December 2004, at 2:22 p.m.

Agreed!
Robert N Pruden -- Thursday, 9 December 2004, at 10:22 p.m.

Re: Agreed!
Ed Hopkins -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 12:56 p.m.

Re: Agreed!
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 1:02 p.m.

Re: Reentries
Brian Nystrom -- Wednesday, 8 December 2004, at 10:44 a.m.

Re: Reentries *LINK*
FrankP -- Thursday, 9 December 2004, at 8:31 a.m.

Re: Reentries
Brian Nystrom -- Thursday, 9 December 2004, at 10:37 a.m.

Re: Reentries
Robert N Pruden -- Thursday, 9 December 2004, at 10:53 p.m.

Re: Reentries
Robert N Pruden -- Thursday, 9 December 2004, at 10:34 p.m.

That sounds like your testosterone talking
Brian Nystrom -- Friday, 10 December 2004, at 10:12 a.m.

Re: That sounds like your testosterone talking
Bert -- Friday, 10 December 2004, at 1:59 p.m.

Re: Esoterica
sing -- Friday, 10 December 2004, at 6:09 p.m.

IMO, the issue isn't the weapon...
Brian Nystrom -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 8:07 a.m.

Sounds like your inexperience talking, Bryan
Robert N Pruden -- Friday, 10 December 2004, at 8:26 p.m.

Re: inexperience talks, experience walks
Alan -- Friday, 10 December 2004, at 10:53 p.m.

Re: inexperience talks, experience walks
Robert N Pruden -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 2:22 p.m.

Not quite
Brian Nystrom -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 8:25 a.m.

Re: Not quite
Robert N Pruden -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 2:30 p.m.

The panic reaction and a bear story
Pamela -- Sunday, 12 December 2004, at 4:37 p.m.

Re: The panic reaction and a bear story
sing -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 5:48 a.m.

Re: The panic reaction and a bear story
Will -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 10:55 a.m.

Re: The panic reaction and a bear story
sing -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 11:16 a.m.

BINGO! That's exactly it, Sing
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 12:57 p.m.

Guess I've been underestimating the pig threat *NM*
Mike Scarborough -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 9:55 a.m.

The Flow of Forces
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 12:46 p.m.

One final note on ditch kits
Robert N Pruden -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 3:37 p.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
Alan -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 5:08 p.m.

question for Alan
Don Flowers -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 11:11 a.m.

Re: question for Alan
Alan -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 11:24 a.m.

Re: question for Alan
Don Flowers -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 2:20 p.m.

Re: question for Alan
Alan -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 2:27 p.m.

Re: question for Alan
shawn baker -- Wednesday, 15 December 2004, at 3:38 p.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
Will -- Saturday, 11 December 2004, at 9:46 p.m.

Re: ditch kits and Bears
Paul Jacob -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 12:46 p.m.

I'll use it for a sweetgrass ceremony
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 1:05 p.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits *LINK*
KenC -- Monday, 13 December 2004, at 11:57 p.m.

Thanks for the link, the rad was totally rivetting
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 11:28 a.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits *Pic*
Bob Kelim -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 8:35 a.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 11:31 a.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
Bob Kelim -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 1:08 p.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 3:24 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
shawn baker -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 3:41 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
Don Flowers -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 5:30 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
shawn baker -- Wednesday, 15 December 2004, at 3:33 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
don flowers -- Wednesday, 15 December 2004, at 11:41 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
Bob Kelim -- Wednesday, 15 December 2004, at 9:10 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 6:19 p.m.

Re: guns not for bears
Alan -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 7:40 p.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
KenC -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 11:47 p.m.

Agreed
Brian Nystrom -- Wednesday, 15 December 2004, at 11:54 a.m.

Duct Tape *NM*
Don Flowers -- Wednesday, 15 December 2004, at 2:56 p.m.

The problem with that is...
Brian Nystrom -- Thursday, 16 December 2004, at 8:29 a.m.

Re: One final note on ditch kits
sing -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 1:15 p.m.

Bush Whacking Blade
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 3:30 p.m.

Re: Bush Whacking Blade
sing -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 3:54 p.m.

Re: One Final Bear Story
Will -- Tuesday, 14 December 2004, at 7:43 p.m.

What a thread!
Thomas Duncan -- Thursday, 16 December 2004, at 8:46 p.m.

VCP Igloo *LINK*
Nelson Labbé -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 7:22 a.m.

Re: VCP Igloo *NM*
Thomas Duncan -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 7:34 a.m.

Re: VCP Igloo Alternative
Evan Shaw -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 9:35 a.m.

Another VCP Igloo Alternative... *LINK* *Pic*
Brian Nystrom -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 5:49 p.m.

Re: Another VCP Igloo Alternative. yes it works!
Evan Shaw -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 7:43 p.m.

Looks like a beached walarus but...
Robert N Pruden -- Saturday, 18 December 2004, at 1:30 p.m.

It looks better in red. *NM*
Brian Nystrom -- Sunday, 19 December 2004, at 8:39 a.m.

One way I used my knife was to clear an area
Robert N Pruden -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 11:53 a.m.

Re: One way I used my knife was to clear an area
Pete -- Friday, 17 December 2004, at 1:51 p.m.

Re: What a thread!
Will -- Monday, 20 December 2004, at 12:48 p.m.

Big Knives revisited: Entymological Discovery... *LINK*
Robert N Pruden -- Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 9:51 p.m.

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