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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Poor Preparation and Negligence
Posted By: Matt Brammer In Response To: Re: Another tragedy of poor preparation? (Kris Buttermore)
Date: Tuesday, 1 March 2005, at 2:01 p.m.
I am so angry and sad at this point I don't know where to start. I guess I'll start with what they didn't have, but should have. The Orrtreks website states that clothing is 'whatever you have in your closet', so the kids were very likely in cotton jeans or shorts and t-shirts, maybe swimming suits. Safe bet that they were NOT dressed for immersion. The kids were in canoes as well as kayaks, so that indicates that at least some of them were in exposed water in an open cockpit craft - trouble looking for a place to happen. Water temps of 60 degrees and winds up to 35mph and no immersion protection and the kids probably had 2, maybe 3 hours at most before their body temperature dropped into critical range.
The trip leaders either did not have or did not use a weather radio - a $30 - $50 item. They did not have or did not use a VHF radio - a $100-200 item. Both of these are MUST HAVES for any professional outfitter in a saltwater environment, especially when leading a group of inexperienced paddlers. The weather radio would have told them to not set out that day. The VHF could have been used to summon the coast guard AS SOON AS THE KIDS WENT MISSING.
They apparently did not initiate S.A.R. until 9pm?!! that's about 2 hours after sunset. I hate to say this, but depending on when the kids capsized, they may have already been gone before the search even started. I'd like to know what they were doing between the time they 1st knew the kids went missing and the time they actively started to search. And rather than searching on their own, why did they not paddle to a town or house and call for help? They could not have just been sitting around; none of us would have. Knowing what was going on during that time might mitigate what is right now a very harsh judgement of the trip leaders.
Looking at the bio of the trip organizer, one of the teachers at the school, he makes no mention of ACA or BCU certification. He makes no mention of any wilderness rescue training. They only mention 1st Aid/CPR. He appears to have a lot of paddling & outdoor experience, but mostly on rivers, where the shore is never very far away. But experience is never a substitute for judgement and that's where things really went wrong here. He's certainly led his last expedition and that is too bad because I admire his intent, just not the manner in which he fulfilled it. Bottom line, two boys died because of hubris and ignorance. It could have been avoided.
Friends, before you send your kids on any outing, be it on the water or land, make sure the people leading 'em know what they are doing. I'm probably sending my kids to a YMCA kayaking camp this year and you can bet I'm going to be asking the Y some VERY tough questions before I sign 'em up.
Stepping off my soapbox now.
Paddle safe, paddle well, paddle often,
MB: I got this, forwarded to me via email: "I am familiar with this area it
: is fairly remote, and although the water is shallow, and there is
: protective cover behind islands and inside bays it can get rough during
: high winds. Paddling a Canoe in this environment, in even moderate weather
: is really a bad idea.: By Sunday wind gusts were up to 35 knots! Water temperature is the mid 60's,
: Air temps probably the mid 50's. They probably didn't have any coldwater
: protective clothing.: I was attending the Sweetwater Kayak symposium about 100 miles south of where
: this happened this weekend and the weather was nasty. Windy and heavy
: rain. By Sunday the organizers had to cancel all their morning on-water
: programs, and this was in a sheltered area.: The following is the tour company that organized the trip, with a description
: of the remote camping they were planning.
: http://www.orrtreks.com/index2.htm: One can only assume they thought the motorized support vessel could handle
: any problems.: Finally the following link from December describes the paddling trail, but
: its hard to read after learning of these kid's deaths."
: http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/770278951.html?MAC=701c04070003417993
: fb64b74a14dd5b&did=770278951&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Dec+23%2C+2004&author=&p
: rintformat=&desc=Up+around+the+Bend+Series%3A+PADDLING+THE+TANNIC+SEA: Here's the trip description for the "outfitters" site:
: http://www.orrtreks.com/trips/springbreak.htm: I would be very surprised if this guy stays in business.
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