DEATH OF A KAYAKER

Posted by james bengough on Apr 15, 2005

IN OUR AREA SOUTH JERSEY YESTERDAY A 61 YEAR OLD MAN DROWNED ON THE FIRST DAY OF USING NEW KAYAK... SO MANY TIMES COMMON SENSE IS LEFT BEHIND..HIS DEATH TOTALLY PREVENTABLE....COMPLETLY SAD....I FEEL FOR HIS FAMILY. BUT ARTICLE STATES HE WAS FOUND UPSIDE DOWN STILL IN THE KAYAK...NO PFD NO SAFETY EQUIPMENT AT ALL...HE WENT OUT ALONE HAD NOT TOLD ANYONE WHERE HE WAS GOING.WAS ON CALM WATER LIGHT WIND NO WAVES AT ALL...HAD NO WAY TO GET HELP...THIS FORUM ALLWAYS REMINDS ALL EITHER NEW TO KAYAKING OR OLD TIMERS NEVER GET OVER CONFIDENT ON THE WATER. ALLWAYS GO IN A GROUP SO SOMEONE CAN WATCH YOUR BACK (IE )ASSIST IN TIME OF TROUBLE...ALLWAYS KEEP CONSTANT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEVER TAKE THE WEATHER FOR GRANTED ALLWAYS PREPARED FOR CHANGE...JUST SAD ANOTHER KAYAKER LIFE CUT SHORT BY NOT BEING PREPARED OR TRAINED PROPERLY IN USE OF A KAYAK.ALL WATER SPORTS ARE DANGEROUS. PLEASE WE MUST DO MORE TO STOP LOSING PEOPLE IN OUR KAYAKING COMMUNITY....

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