(note to my readers: This post begins an occasional tribute to individuals who have made major contributions to sea kayaking)
Derek Hutchinson could be called the father of modern sea kayaking for his paddling prowess, long distance journeys, kayak designs, his entertaining talks and advanced bracing classes worldwide. To me, he earns the title by penning the first book on how to sea kayak. Called SEA CANOEING, it was published in 1976 and has been reprinted many times. I bought the third edition, published in 1984, when it first came out, and it transformed me from a wannabe to a full-fledged sea kayaker (read more about what I and many top kayakers learned from this book and Derek by linking to: https://tsunamirangers.com/2010/12/28/four-ways-to-learn-sea-kayaking/). From this book I learned how to outfit my kayak, how to navigate, how to surf, self-rescue, and roll my kayak.
Derek led a grueling North Sea expedition in 1976 from Felixstowe to Ostend. This was a long open-sea crossing, which many kayaking mariners would agree is more difficult than a coastal expedition, because there are no landmarks to guide you along and you feel so vulnerable when out of sight of land (at least I do). He also paddled in the cold Aleutian Islands—without immersion clothing!
And that brings me to an important aspect about Derek. He is very knowledgeable and opinionated—downright cantankerous in fact! If you ask him, he will tell you all about boat design, Alaskan paddles versus Greenland paddles, soft cover versus hardback books, and his development of self-rescues (for example, the “all-in” rescue). And if you prod him a bit, he will describe and then show you his patented hat trick! To see and hear him discuss various kayaking topics, click on http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1885031127921188402# and enjoy Derek pontificating in 2007 at the kayak symposium in Port Townsend, Washington. Note that not everyone present at Derek’s interview agrees with him on everything!
I don’t go along with him on some things either—for instance, his insistence that an advanced kayaker is unlikely to capsize and can at any rate roll easily on the first try in rough conditions and therefore should dress like a “sensibly turned-out hill walker” when kayaking, instead of in “a stinking, sweating, steaming and prickling” wetsuit “like an out-of-work frogman.” I think he is dead wrong about that—as even experts can mess up big time on occasion and end up swimming (I’ve blown my roll and swam dozens, perhaps hundreds of times—of course, this could be because I’m a lousy roller).
But even though I don’t always see eye to eye with Derek, I respect him for all he has contributed to sea kayaking. He has designed over a dozen sea kayaks, he has written several seminal sea kayaking books, he has made long distance trips and surfed and did seal launches and landings and paddled in ice and wind. He has developed innovative ways to rescue. And he was the first modern kayaker to accomplish these feats, now standards of modern sea kayaking. We have all benefited greatly from his contributions.
I owe Derek so much for what I know about sea kayaking, and for inspiring me to go for it and pursue my kayaking dreams. Decades ago I tried his seal launch—and it worked, even 25 feet up! And then I tried his seal landing—and it worked, even in big crashing surf on hard rocks. So when Michael Powers and I wrote our book, EXTREME SEA KAYAKING, we asked Derek if he would write the foreword, and he graciously obliged. We consider him our Sea Daddy, because even though we never took an on-water class from him, we absorbed every word he wrote.
Further, Derek is a great orator. He is the most entertaining kayaking speaker I have ever heard. He doesn’t need a multimedia show to keep his audience riveted. His sharp mind and dry British humor, combined with his myriad experiences and unique perspectives gained over a long lifetime of paddling, make for a spellbinding talk. If you ever get a chance to see and hear Derek give a presentation, and you have box seats for the symphony at the same time, give away your symphony tickets and walk right up to the front row and enjoy the Derek show.
Though Mr. Hutchinson is getting up there in age, he still goes out and paddles, still designs and produces. And he is still teaching people how to go “beyond the cockpit” in style. For those lucky enough to be in the San Francisco area next month, Derek and Wayne Horodowich will be teaching a master on-water class on bracing and edging a kayak on October 8th and again on the 9th in Emeryville. Sponsored by Bay Area Sea Kayakers (BASK), it will be a memorable seminar. Contact Mark Silowitz at marksilOO@msn.com for more information.
Please share what you have learned from Derek C. Hutchinson, a living legend. I didn’t have space to talk about all his books, his innovations, his years as a senior BCU coach, his sea stories, and his artwork and illustrations. So please, tell us your Derek story or share what you learned from him by commenting below this post.
Eric, thanks for this essay on Derek. I also was introduced to sea kayaking by Derek’s book and, quite literally, by the man himself. My friend Rick, my wife-to-be, June, and I were browsing in the newly-opened Sea Trek shop, way back in the mid ’80s, thinking about taking up sea kayaking. We’d done a minor amount of whitewater kayaking and then found out we could paddle on the bay and sea, right here in our ‘back yard.’ We were looking at these shiny new kayaks and suddenly out of nowhere, this Brit started spouting poetry (I think it was Keats, or Wordsworth, or Shakespeare, who knows?). It turned out to be Derek Hutchinson and after talking to him, and buying his signed book, we immediately signed up for a class with him.
The class went well, we learned all the basic strokes and rescues, and found out what it was like to immerse ourselves, upside down in a kayak, in San Francisco Bay on a freezing day in January! By the way, Derek was dressed like a sensibly turned-out hill walker and stayed snug and warm in his kayak while we flailed about in the cold water. He also pointed out that we completed a rescue in near-record time, almost, but not quite, as fast as the group of mentally retarded he had in a recent course (well, you have to know Derek to understand). In spite of all that we were hooked and bought three sea kayaks (one each) the following day. I went home and devoured Derek’s book “Sea Canoeing,” and to this day I think it’s one of the best books ever written on sea kayaking.
Thus started my many years of kayaking adventures on the sea, and I’ll be forever grateful to Derek Hutchinson for introducing me to this wonderful activity. I should also point out that back then, there were few instructors and few resources available for learning how to kayak. After that first class we had just enough information to get into trouble and also to get out and learn our lessons from the sea. Thanks Derek!
A nice write up of another living legend. Thanks Eric!
On a side note: “even experts can mess up big time on occasion and end up swimming” Really? I have *never* blown a roll or gone for an unintentional swim. Just ask Michael, Anders, Gregg, Rick, Neil, Kenny, Marcus…… (Yeah, I just wanted to give them all rescue practice.)
I’m trying to hold back Eric – but man, you know how to pick your essay topics! So many hysterical memories of Derek. So many formative teaching moments and important things were learned by so many. He filled a huge void in a Golden Age of sea kayaking on San Francisco Bay. Before we met him, we were in awe over his book. The stuff he wrote about seemed impossibly challenging, and wonderfully exotic. Seal launches? Surf landings? All-in rescues? OMG! The man that introduced me to kayaking – Bob Licht – went to England for a boat show in the early 1980’s, met Derek, and invited him to come to California to help teach sea kayaking to a groovy , eager audience in marvelous Marin. For Derek, California was a wedding in heaven. He loved the naked ladies in the hot tub, the Mediterranean weather, the adoring young paddling students that flocked to his lectures. But, he hated the food – claimed he was allergic to vegetables. Derek’s refuge: the infamous grease-bomb known as Fred’s Place in Sausalito. The proprietor, Fred, had died of colon cancer, so you know how healthy the grub was…Only a Brit could stomach it on a daily basis.
I was about 21 years young when I took my first class from Derek. He taught us fun and interesting ways of thinking about stroke technique and rough water paddling that I recall vividly, and long-ago I adapted some of his stuff for my own teaching. He also exhibited a teaching style that made grown men cry, children flee, and beautiful women blush. In some ways, he was our “anti-role model” as an instructor! He never seemed to understand why Americans didn’t appreciate being berated by their instructor.
Anyone contemplating taking the upcoming Masters Clinic mentioned in Eric’s blog, beware! You will laugh, and be laughed at. John Lull and I were sent to the clinic about 10 years ago by our employer to check out what Derek was up to. We already knew most of the content, but had forgotten how brutally funny the old maestro could be. He tormented one student for trying to use a Greenland paddle in the class. “Someday, you’ll learn better”. He humiliated me for wearing paddling gloves; “Take them off, now!” Another student was singled out for having a paddlefloat tucked carelessly under his deck lines on the front deck. “What is that on your deck, a dead rat?” It was abusive behavior, but it still made us snicker…And the man could make his kayak dance, no question about it!
The best bit of advice we got that day was Derek’s response to a barrage of questions about all manner of minutia from the class. He just summed it up for me by saying, “First you must learn the rules. Then you can break them.” I knew what he meant, it made sense, and it’s a good way to view one’s pursuit of a kayaking education. And I’ll NEVER forget something he said that day that was very inspirational. “Sea kayakers are the last true free spirits”.
Thanks for the super fun essay!
-Kenny
My signed copy of Derek’s ‘The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking, Vol. 4’ is one of my most treasured books. I met him in 1998 at the International Canoe Exhibition. He was truly charming and inspiring. Though he did pay more attention to my (ex) wife than to me!
I and three other friends subsequently attempted a North Sea crossing and were forced to turn back due to the conditions after less that 50 miles so my respect for ‘the old man’ is founded on an understanding that he can not only ‘talk the talk’, but he can and truly has ‘walked the walk’.
Great blog post once again. Thanks Eric!
All the best
Sean
Eric asked me to comment on this essay since I am (or was) facilitating Derek’s “Master Conversion” clinic for BASK. It will be in Emeryville on October 8 and 9 – (2 one day clinics), co-taught by Wayne Horodowitz. Due to a schedule conflict I had to hand over the job to Mark Silowitz (marksil00@msn.com). Anyone interested should contact him. The clinic is a BASK event but open to non-BASKers as well for a slightly higher fee. BASK members can see the article in Bay Currents, (page 7) for lots more information. Note the facilitator name has not been corrected http://www.bask.org/members/bcurrent/jun2011.pdf
I am feeling envious about how much interaction the other commenters have had with Derek. I haven’t been around kayaking that long but being in the presence of the man has been a memorable privilege.
I’ve heard a lot of stories about Derek terrorizing students but I believe (and I know others share this opinion) that he has mellowed in recent years. Greenland paddles are now at least okay for the clinic – and I don’t think he’s as directly critical as he used to be – or at least not as often. Derek had a bout with cancer in 2010 which kept him from doing clinics. He’s back this year and we’ll have to see if that has mellowed him more or …
Thanks Eric for this article. I got a wonderful feeling of his presence and his importance from it. You’ve done kayaking a service.
He may have changed his tune recently, but at least in the past, I think Derek’s comment on using a Greenland or any non-feathered paddle would be something like this:
“Learn to use a proper paddle first, then do whatever you want.”
I tend to agree with him on that point. Now I’ll duck out of the way!
My first sea kayak rolling lesson was my then girlfriend (now wife) sitting on the bank of a clear running river giving me instructions from the original book
I wouldn’t have had any general knowledge of seakayaking living in a remote area with out that book
Still got it too !
I am really enjoying the comments about Derek. As I was prepping to write this post, Wayne Horodowich sent me some good Derekisms–things that he has said that are funny or acerbic or both. I so love the “stinking sweating frogman” quotation that I just had to use it.
Anyone have any good Derek sayings they want to share?
Boy, Eric, you sure know how to bait and set the hook. Like others who have commented on this post, I eagerly devoured Sea Canoeing when I first got my hands on a copy back in 1984. It became, with one very notable exception, my trusted sea kayaking companion and guide during my early years in the sport.
There’s no question that Derrick is a highly skilled paddler; nor is there any question about the courage, tenacity, and judgment that it took to safely make that dangerous, pioneering North Sea crossing back in the day. He’s certainly made enough contributions to our sport for two lifetimes. Most unfortunately, however, he has never been an advocate, friend, or supporter of cold water safety.
The full quotation was “In order to be prepared for a likely capsize, is [ the kayaker ] to paddle stinking, sweating, steaming and prickling in rubber equipment like an out of work frogman? Or is he to dress like a sensibly turned out hill-walker, depending more on his skill and experience to keep dry, and meet the freezing rescue when the time comes – if ever.”
For those readers unfamiliar with Derrick’s terminology, “hill-walker” is a common British term for a hiker or backpacker, “frogman” is a World War II era term for a military Scuba diver, and “rubber equipment” means wetsuit. His advice is straightforward and clear: When paddling on lethally cold water, dress the same way you would for a walk in the woods, and rely on your skill, rather than protective gear, to save yourself in the event of a capsize.
Derrick has never been shy about candidly and forcefully expressing his opinions, and when he really takes a dislike to something like dressing for the water temperature, you can rest assured that he will spare no effort in letting thousands upon thousands of people know about it, both personally and in print. I can’t think of another quote that has done more to undermine cold water safety.
Over the span of several decades, Derrick has managed, through a combination of skill and good fortune, to dodge the bullet while paddling around on lethally cold water dressed like ”a sensibly turned out hill-walker”. Sadly, the same cannot be said of a legion of unfortunate paddlers who misguidedly followed his extraordinarily bad advice on the subject.
It is certainly one of the great tragedies of sea kayaking that both Derrick Hutchinson and John Dowd, two of the best known and influential founding fathers of the sport, expressed such great disdain for the idea that paddlers should dress for the water temperature rather than the air temperature when paddling on cold water. What’s worse is that they stubbornly continued to do so in the face of a large and growing number of fatalities and a mountain of scientific evidence that thoroughly discredited their position on the issue.
Moulton you make a very good point here. And no way will I defend Derek on the cold water immersion issue. While I do agree with his point that you should work to be sufficiently skilled that a capsize out at sea (as opposed to, say, the surf zone) is highly unlikely, it’s foolish not to dress for the possibility. However, I don’t think we can hold him or John Dowd responsible for those who dress like ‘hill walkers’ on the water and then get into trouble. That is a decision each paddler makes for himself or herself.
As I said earlier, I devoured Derek’s book early on, but after one swim during that first course in the Bay, in a wetsuit (note that he did have us in wetsuits for the class), I knew I wouldn’t be out on the sea in hill-walking attire. So I discounted that piece of ‘advice’ from Derek. And I’ve always stressed the importance of dressing for the water, as have 99% of sea kayaking instructors and instruction programs. So the message is out there, clear and bright. Anyone who chooses to ignore it, is doing just that; ignoring it.
Sure, it would have been better if Derek had been more willing to point out the dangers of cold water immersion, but it’s so well-documented elsewhere, that it’s common knowledge these days. Not to mention simple common sense.
John, I have a lot of respect for your knowledge and experience, but I have to disagree with you on this one. I certainly wish that the dangers of cold water immersion were so well documented that it was common knowledge these days but from where I sit, that’s simply not the case. What’s more, some very influential organizations go to great lengths to justify the position that their clients or students don’t need to dress for the water temperature.
When I wrote my Cold Shock article for Sea Kayaker in 1991, Eric’s no-nonsense letter to the editor supporting my safety argument was the only positive response that appeared in the next issue. All the others disagreed with what I was saying and sought to minimize the danger. While we’ve made a lot of progress in the intervening years, I don’t think you’ll find any advocate of cold water safety who thinks the job is done. If that was the case, Eric would have had no incentive last February to write his post about Kayaking and Cold Water Immersion.
While I agree that it’s an individual paddler’s decision whether or not to dress for the water temperature, that decision isn’t made in a vacuum. Derrick and John went further than just failing to point out the danger; they actively spoke out against dressing for the water temperature. They did so at a time when sea kayaking was in its infancy and they continued to do so, despite the evidence, year after year. Had the reverse been true, had they been strong advocates in favor of dressing for the water temperature, I don’t think the pernicious and widely-circulated “challenging conditions” argument would have had a leg to stand on.
I don’t agree that dressing for the water temperature is a matter of common sense. In fact, it’s always been my contention that the exact opposite is true. If cold water was a predator, it would be accurate to say that it had perfect camouflage, because unless you know the score, it looks perfectly innocuous.
Moulton, you’re probably right, sadly, at least in some places. I think maybe there is greater awareness of cold water danger here in Northern California, because due to upwelling the ocean water is always cold, year around. So I’m probably giving way too much credit to the ‘common sense’ of an individual. Watching the politial scene and populist attitude these days, where science and factual data is considered ‘elitist,’ or ‘theoretical’ (most people don’t understand what a scientific theory is), I should know better!
I sure as H have always emphasized the need to dress for the water temperature. Here’s a direct quote from my book: “In cold water (less than about 70 degrees F), a wetsuit, drysuit, or equivalent, is needed.” Period–I said needed, not desireable or optional. I did expand on that quite a bit, but there’s no room for misunderstanding that statement.
Also, a custom-fitted modern wetsuit can be very comfortable. I know that because I have one.
Thank you Eric, for highlighting a man that I am proud to call a friend and mentor from my days on the east coast. Yes, he wasn’t the kindest tongued teacher, but he brought the reality of the dangers of the sea to you before the lessons were learned in a less desirable way. Although many have experienced the “rougher” side of Derek during his classes, I’ve sat with him in the off times for long discussions on many topics. He is a man of principal and conviction and he’ll keep me laughing for years to come with memories of classes past.
I am also fortunate to have Derek teaching for me here in Seattle on Oct 1st & 2nd. I will cherish every minute I get to spend with him.
Bob Burnett
Bob,
Can you provide a link for Derek’s class in Seattle on October 1st and 2nd? That way, interested readers can get more information on the class.
Thanks!
From my perspective, dressing for the water is a mater of calculated risk. One should know the potential risk, and make a decision based on that. Drysuits, made of breathable fabric like Goretex, are much more common among sea kayakers now than when Derek was dissing the using of wetsuits based on their discomfort. I bet he would not object to the comfort of a cozy drysuit, which is very safe in cold-water immersion situations when used with the proper technical undergarments. Eric Soares has often promoted the superiority of a wetsuit for the obvious advantages the material gives in certain situations (like swimming and rock garden paddling).
If you guys only knew how lightly we dress for the cold Pacific Ocean on our surfskis, you would fear for our safety. But, I rely on thin “fuzzy rubber” layers to paddle at a highly aerobic pace without overheating; this fabric is suitable for quick immersion only – if I fall in the water, I need to get back on the boat and start paddling quickly to stay warm. Too many layers limits the mobility required for a competitive surfski paddler. We dash offshore several miles, but are back on shore within one or two hours typically after an intense workout. In the event of catastrophic equipment failure while offshore, hypothermia is a risk given the minimal protection. I know the risk, and chose to take it – along with the great reward and freedom.
I just remembered a quotation Derek liked to use; not sure he is the original author. “Thou shall only kayak on days ending in y.”
John, you Tsunami Rangers have always been strong advocates of cold water safety, and there’s no doubt in my mind that, leading by example, you’ve had and continue to have a tremendous influence on how paddlers view the issue. I think credit for that position goes well beyond the fact that you have perennially cold water off the coast of Northern California. There’s plenty of cold water off the coast of New England and the state of Washington, but that hasn’t always resulted in a positive response to the issue. When I wrote the ’91 article, I cited Eric’s swim in storm conditions on San Francisco bay as s shining example of a paddler who respected the power of cold water and took more than enough precautions to keep himself safe in the event of a capsize. If I was asked to sum up what I believe to be the Tsunami Ranger philosophy it would be Safety First, and Always Look After Your Mates. It seems to me that having fun has always taken second place.
Thanks Moulton, for saying we have always advocated cold water safety, as John Lull’s book exemplifies. And though it would have been groovy if Derek and John Dowd had later changed their tune and advocated dressing for immersion, I’m with Kenny in that it is a choice, always a choice.
Even though paddlers die like flies in cold water year after year, only an ignoramus or total dumbship would be foolish enough to not know that cold water is cold–and that they should (duh!) dress to be in it or not go out. Little kids are careful around cold water. Surely adults can be also. My belief is that if an adult novice or expert kayaker purposefully chooses not to wear a wetsuit or drysuit in cold water, then they are doing their part to help the planet with the overpopulation problem.
Meanwhile, I, like you, who strongly emphasize dressing for immersion, will continue to spread the gospel to those who have eyes to see. I also tell everyone I know to listen to “gurus” like me and you and Derek and John Dowd with a skeptical squint and a critical mind. I tell all my students not to take my word on things, but instead to test the veracity of my statements for themselves. If we would all just “question authority” now and again, we’d do a lot better.
Eric wrote: “I also tell everyone I know to listen to “gurus” like me and you and Derek and John Dowd with a skeptical squint and a critical mind. I tell all my students not to take my word on things, but instead to test the veracity of my statements for themselves. If we would all just “question authority” now and again, we’d do a lot better.”
Man, there it is in plain English. That’s what I meant to say,but I got off on a tangent! Thanks Eric.
Hey, just got back from a walk to the beach with June. It’s absolute paradise here today. Best weather of the year so far.
I’m glad it’s “absolute paradise” in Half Moon Bay today. I miss living next to you and June and enjoying the gorgeous fall weather (of course I can live without the 60 days of fog in a row which characterizes summer). I may come down and visit soon, as I want to go out with you and take pictures of seal launches and landings for a future post. Remembering what Derek wrote about them all those years ago has inspired me anew.
BTW, I’ll be posting a new essay on paddling pourovers in a few minutes. Guess who is featured in the first photograph?
Eric, Although we part company on Hillwalker vs Frogman, there’s no doubt in my mind that Derek Hutchinson is the Grandest of the Grand Old Men of sea kayaking. In a world of vanilla, we’ve been truly fortunate to have a colorful, larger-than-life character passing on the gift of his vast knowledge and experience to fellow paddlers. As I said in my first comment, he’s made enough contributions to sea kayaking for two lifetimes.
With respect to natural selection and cold water paddling, I don’t have any more sympathy for those folks who knowingly and consciously choose to skip the thermal protection than I do for those who skip wearing PFD’s because it cramps their macho style. Like everything else in life, however, it’s not always that black and white. As I pointed out in my recent article, Anatomy of A Bad Decision, even a smart, experienced paddler can be seduced into making a bad, virtually unconscious, emotion-based decision; in that case, to leave his wetsuit at home and go paddling on the icy Mississippi River on a beautiful December day. Randy Morgart fell into the same emotional-decision trap that Michael Powers did with respect to paddling solo that memorable time on the Oregon coast. You had the opportunity to arrest him before he left the beach, but demurred.
None of us are perfect; we all make mistakes, and it’s surprisingly easy to slip up and fall into a bad decision that can leave others wondering: “What in the world was he or she thinking?” The only reason I’m sitting here writing this today is because every time I really screwed up in the great outdoors, I was lucky.
It would be a lot more reassuring to the living if all the paddlers who died as a result of an unprotected immersion could be written off as nimrods who should have, and in fact did, know better; Darwin Award morons who made stupid, irresponsible choices despite having the unequivocal evidence right in front of their noses.
Much to our chagrin, however, that’s simply not the case. A lot of the time, they’re good, thoughtful, decent, intelligent people who just never got the word. Unlike Kenny, they took a totally uncaculated risk and didn’t even know they were taking it. They never heard of you, me, Derek, John Dowd, Matt Brose, John Lull, Kenny Howell, Steve Sinclair, Andy Taylor, Wayne Hodorowitz, Roger Schumann, the Tsunami Rangers, Sea Kayaker magazine, cold water safety etc. etc. They were members of the tribe who, for one reason or another, were simply out of the loop. They went paddling because they were drawn to it for some of the same reasons that all of us were years ago: beauty, solitude, excitement, and just plain old fun.
Cold water has perfect camouflage and most people really, truly don’t see the danger until it’s pointed out and explained to them. For those of us who’ve been looking at it as a potential deathtrap for decades, that lack of awareness can sometimes be hard to fathom, but it’s true nonetheless. At some point in all our lives, we didn’t know the score either. I know I sure didn’t. Those poor girls who died in Casco Bay summer before last; the loving father who died in Nova Scotia a few weeks later; the well-respected ornithologist who died with his young son in Great Britain a few weeks after that; the new husband who died on his honeymoon in New England this past summer; it’s a long, sad, and tragic list that goes on and on and on. If you think about it, I believe you’ll agree that those people are the reason we keep preaching the gospel of cold water safety. If it was just reckless idiots dying, I doubt that any of us would bother to waste our breath.
Eloquent response, Moulton. And you are right, many of the folks who mess up and fail to wear the wetsuit or drysuit, especially when they had it right there in front of them, suffer from an awareness issue and are not just reckless idiots. And that’s why it’s important to get the word out to them about the effects of cold water immersion–and the solutions. Just a day or so ago a kayaker aged 27 died off Bainbridge Island in Washington. If he had known how cold the water was, if someone had warned him, perhaps he would have prepared better.
I always let people (novices and experts) know about danger and what to do ONE TIME. Hopefully, just before they do it. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t.
A case in point: I was on a beach in Hawaii and a father left his 2-year-old daughter on the edge of the surf while he fetched a cup of coffee. He left her there for 5 minutes while he went upstairs. I unofficially watched the little girl to make sure she was safe, since there was no one on the beach to do it. When he returned, I firmly told him “Never take your eyes off a toddler near the water.” He was incensed that I offered advice. I pray that the ignorant dumbship will reconsider my words in the future. It could save the life of an innocent person.
As for the Michael Powers incident, where he took off on a solo journey through dense fog and big surf, that was a different situation. Michael, though 70 at the time, was a competent kayaker and in top shape. But he has a perception issue regarding fog. In my opinion, a good kayaker should have been able to do the five-mile paddle in the fog no problem, without techno instruments such as a GPS (see my essay on gadgets: https://tsunamirangers.com/2010/11/10/gizmos-and-gadgets-for-sea-kayakers/). But all of us Tsunami Rangers present described the dangers to him and urged him not to go alone that day and offered suitable alternatives. He CHOSE to go anyway. And though he is one of my best friends, I let him go, though I knew the risk to be great. Competent adults sometimes make choices that I think are wrong. I will always warn them. And then, if they do it and die, they die. In the case of Michael, had he died, I would have felt bad because I lost a person I cared about. But I would also feel that in the grand scheme, it is part of nature’s way that we all go sometime. BTW, Michael did get lost but eventually made it–without any assistance.
Just found out that Derek is giving a public talk and will be telling his North Sea adventure story this Thursday in San Francisco! Hopefully this will not be the last time, but there won’t be many more chances to hear the Old Master in person. I’m going, come hell or high water. Here are the details, please spread the word!
An Evening with Derek Hutchinson
Tales of the North Sea Crossing
Thursday, October 13
Sports Basement, Presidio
5-6pm Meet & Greet
6-7:30pm Presentation followed by a Q&A session
Call 415-474-7662 ext. 12 for more information
Thanks for spreading the news, Kenny. Who knows if Derek will be willing to cross The Pond again from his home in South Shields? I recommend that everyone who can go to his talk do so–you won’t be disappointed.
I was extremely fortunate to have Derek and Maureen and Wayne stay at my house on their way down to San Francisco. I can attest that Derek is a wonderful guest who, even after a long drive from Seattle, will swap sea stories until he is ready for bed. Also, he looks quite hale and healthy, which gives hope to all of us folks who’ve suffered through major medical issues.
Just came back from Derek’s talk on his North Sea crossing, which took place nearly 40 years ago! The man is a master story teller. My 15 year old son was on the edge of his seat. Derek had us eating out of his hand for about 90 minutes. No slide show, no power point, no multi-media tricks with flashing lights. Just a great man telling a wonderful story. This is how it’s been done since time immemorial. He painted pictures in our mind of a fantastic tale. We laughed, we cried, we were on the floor howling with delight. Really glad I went. Derek looks great – despite a survival adventure with cancer. He gave it 100% tonight. The man has a gift. Very special.
Sounds like a great time Kenny. Yeah, Derek always cracks me up. I would have been there if one, I knew about it (my own fault that I didn’t) and two, if I wasn’t in Oregon at the time! Just got home.
Glad to hear Derek is still as good a story-teller as ever.
P.S. I see Kenny advertised the event just above! I don’t take my computer with me on vacation, though…
John, sorry you didn’t know about it. It was a full house – Derek packed the room. I’ve been thinking a lot today about his gift for story-telling; he has obviously polished the tale in many re-tellings over the years and it’s a first-rate, hair-raising adventure story. The 100 mile crossing from England to mainland Europe in the North Sea (from west to east) has never been repeated in solo kayaks according to Derek (it took him 2 attempts, they were rescued on the first attempt only 10 miles from France!). The story reaffirmed my long-held desire to never to spend a night paddling at sea in a kayak. As Sean noted in a previous comment with this post, it’s really a tribute to Derek’s skill, determination, and courage that they completed this challenge back in 1975.
I’m glad Derek’s talk was great and to a packed house. I’m sure the bracing class he taught with Wayne was also a success.
Yes, after the North Crossing story (and Ed Gillet’s paddle to Hawaii, Franz Romer, Hans Lindemann, etc…), I also vowed never to spend a night in a kayak. Of course, I do like paddling at night–but not after paddling all day!
Yeah Eric, paddling at night is fun under certain conditions. Like a full moon, a beautiful sea among sea stacks, an easy beach launch, and when you can finish it off with a hot buttered rum sitting around the campfire! Then retire to a snug, dry sleeping bag under the stars or in a warm tent if the fog rolls in.
That’s my idea of night paddling.
Mine too. In fact, we’ve done that on more than one occasion, right John?
I believe we have. In fact, my memory of those events is what sparked my comment. For those who haven’t done any night paddling in ocean rock gardens, there is nothing quite like ‘riding the surge’ under a full moon. A very surreal experience!
I’m coming late to this discussion, but I fully share Moulton Avery’s less-than-adoring critique of the influence of Derek Hutchinson (and John Dowd) on modern sea kayaking. Regarding the risks of cold water immersion for the growing flotilla of enthusiasts that both Hutchinson and Dowd hoped to draw into sea kayaking, both Hutchinson and Dowd, and their many West Coast and British Isles allies should have known better. As even a few moments’ reflection reveals to anyone familiar with open water, sea kayaking is marine boating using the most primitive and limited equipment. Any paddler in a typical single must remain physically awake, alert, and able in cold, turbulent water, or, if not rescued, he or she dies. This is not necessarily the case with almost any other type of seagoing vessel, no matter how small. Hence, if it is one’s goal to induce large numbers of ordinary folk out onto open water in sea kayaks, it is essential to both instill this basic truth about the activity, and to prepare for the probability that many sea kayakers will eventually end up overturned and immersed in cold water.
Many East Coast and Great Lakes sea kayakers realized these truths about our activity early on, despite the prevailing “wisdom” handed down by the likes of Hutchinson, Dowd, TASK & Company. While we appreciated much of the knowledge and effort of these author/entrepreneurs, we turned to people like John Ramwell, and, especially, Chuck Sutherland for guidance on proper cold water attire, and reveled when Chris Cunningham published Moulton Avery’s bombshell Cold Shock article in Sea Kayaker these many years ago, finally breaking the TASK “challenging conditions” requirement for donning wetsuits or drysuits. Eric Soares deserves equal credit for penning the only defense of Moulton’s article in Sea Kayaker’s Letters section, amongst an ocean of TASK-induced nonsense in reply. The remarks of both Hutchinson and Dowd as quoted in the Spring 2008 issue of Adventure Kayak indicate that both of these gentlemen mimic the French Ancien Regime–they learn nothing, and they forget nothing.
Carl,
Thank you for your comments! It’s been many a moon since you and I have conversed. You express yourself well and clearly, just as you did with AnorAk years ago. I invite you to comment on any posts I’ve made. And don’t feel like you have to agree with me; I want to hear divergent (and convergent of course) opinions, as that leads to doors opening, gears whirring, and we are all better paddlers and people as a result.
Something I should have added to my remarks about Derek has been on my mind lately, so I’m going to add it to the list. His extraordinary book, Sea Canoeing, with the exception of the frogman, was my bible as a beginning sea kayaker. What he wrote, and the advice he gave, saved my ass on many occasions, but even more to the point, it influenced the entire way that I came to view sea kayaking. It not only taught me the skills I would need as an open-water paddler, it also enabled me to clearly see that sea kayaking was an entirely different undertaking from the river canoeing with which I was familiar. He set the bar high, and as a consequence, I worked harder, gained more, and became a better paddler because of it.
I have known Derek as a family friend and metal work teacher since I was 8 years old (47 now). A truly charming, charismatic man who ruled the metal work room at school with an iron rod (literally). I have paddled many of his kayaks over the years and I am recently the proud owner of an Iona, made for him by P&H Kayaks. It has all of the traits of a narrow beam Hutchinson design, but with all of his modifications to make it more stable. Unfortunately due to ill health he no longer paddles, I still enjoy his books and long chats when I see him. A truly incredicble character, whom I have learnt a great deal of lifes lessons and kayaking skills from.
Sadly Derek passed away yesterday aged 79 after a long illness, bravely and tirelessly fought. We will all miss him.
Another legend of the paddle passes on. Just one year ago, Derek was on a roll (pun intended) here in San Francisco. He gave us one more riveting account of the North Sea crossing to an adoring audience, and was properly regaled at the 30th annual Sea Trek Regtta in Sausalito by his first host in North American, Bob Licht (thanks to whom I became a paddler, and was introduced to Derek in the dawn of Bay Area sea kayaking). Bob is planning a little memorial for Derek at this year’s Regatta, set for Oct. 20. RIP DEREK!
I’m very sorry to hear that. As I said earlier in this thread, Derek gave me my first sea kayaking lesson. And he always cracked me up. I knew he was having health problems but it’s sad to see him go. We’ll all miss him.
Moulton let me know yesterday that Derek had passed. I am so sorry. I only met him once, when he came to visit (was it only last year?) with his lady Maureen and Wayne H. You could see he was rough but he could be really sweet too. A lot like Eric. Reading this blog post and all the comments,wow… I’m going to read Sea Canoeing. It sounds too good to miss.
Really sad. He fought a good fight. Eric and Derek, both gone, and in the same year. Hard to comprehend that much loss. Both were colorful, unique, larger than life mates who did so much to share their love of the ocean with paddlers all over the world.
Well I would like to give my little homily regarding my friend Derek.I met him many times as I live oposite one of his favourite canoeing sites the Farne Islands of the north east uk coast. He was allways interested in what you had to say and gave freely his advice ( I think he called me the lone canoeist as did most of my canoeing round the Farnes on my own) but he never put me down over that, Derek was a true gentleman even when I said about one of his earlier designs was a bit barge like. He truely was a mine of info regarding all thing about the sea. He and a close neigbour Tom Caskey were the kayakers I tried to emulate and yes I do go along with his idea of canoe clothing, you stick to your boat through thick and thin. Well my homily over I will repeat again what a grest guy he was God Bless Derek
So Derek has passed away at age 79.? Therefore, out of respect, I will temper my comments. But I do very much take exception to the headlines that he was the father of modern sea kayaking.
I was at Bede College Durham 1975 to 1979. Peter Davies was on my course, and Sam Cook was my teaching practice tutor. Both had been members of the pivotal and influential Norkapp Expedition. Inspired by them in 1978 we organised a kayak circumnavigation of Ireland ( using Dereks Baidarka Explorer which we really did not like at all ) The next year, and to test my theories on expedition leadership I led an expedition to the world famous Moskenstraumen (Maelstrom ) in the Lofoten Islands, Arctic Norway. That second exped was in the Vyneck sea kayak designed by Nigel Foster which we really liked…Those expeds got me to several outdoor ed job interviews, the first job being 20 miles from Nigels center at Burwash Place, and I did do quite a few trips with him and we became firm friends.
Unfortunately then as now recession was clobbereing our carers in Outdoor Ed. Burwash closed and Nigel went on to an very influential job at Plas Menia . The Welsh Sports Council Centre on the Menai Straits.And he was and probably still is the leading expert on tide races.
Because I was diversified in my interests with RYA MLC Skiiing qualifications too, I eventually ended up 7 years at a big international school…. Very hard to have a professional career in O E , so I was lucky . Seems it hardly exists now and people are making a living out of writing books , designing boats and selling stuff… Good luck to them…
But my memory of Derrek was of a massive ego and very domineering personality. He put people off in the Coaching Scheme , and I once had an apology from Chris Hare, the Regional Coaching Officer of the BCU in the north east England Dereks home panel
There were actually many more of us already doing it and Nigel Foster had already gone round Iceland! So please get Derek in proportion in the great history of the modern sport of Sea Kayaking
Oh and I went on to SAIL the Atlantic and the Pacific and all the way to Malaysia. Only stopped because of the pirates in the Arabian Sea which has halted everybodies sailing circumnavigation.
Sea Kayaking is a big sport . With many influences! Look up Gino Watkins
Hi All, I have just been researching Derek’s life after picking up one of the yellow Kayak’s from the Ostend 1976 crossing. What a guy!! I believe one of the other 2 Kayaks is in the Cornish Maritime Museum, I have tried to contact them but no reply as yet. I am just wondering what to do with this one? Is there a society who I may contact? regards Paul.
Mark, As DCH is no longer with us I will take the liberty to answer on his behalf (He would take great delight in this) I have know Derek pretty much all of my life and I might vouch for his overbearing nature, however, please be aware that this thread is about Derek, and his ‘positive influence’ and not merely a blog to air your sad life’s story and the negative influence Derek might have upon your poor soul. Derek was undoubtedly an inspiration to many; I have witnessed this first hand, in the UK and overseas…by the way – how many books have you written? In my opinion your contribution is merely a ‘self indulgent’ whinge and by the way – why did you never air your views when DCH was alive and kicking; what has Sailing and other AT activities got to do with Sea Kayaking, or are we talking about the spirit of adventure that is in us all ?????? Sea kayaking is now undoubtedly a big sport – during DCHs’ time this was a fledgling activity….Of note: I have raced the Isle of Man TT and Circumnavigated the Roof of Britain – all of which have nothing to do with Sea kayaking – but do embrace the spirit of adventure and endurance….
Paul,
You can contact me at stuhandy@hotmail.com for guidance.
I was waiting for someone to respond to Mark’s comment. Obviously Derek was a unique guy and had strong opinions that not everyone agrees with. Eric, writing this post, said as much. I’ve looked over Eric’s copy of “Sea Canoeing” and you wouldn’t believe the margin notes. Let’s just say they’re not all complimentary. But how we feel about people personally in no way reduces their contributions. In fact, how we feel about people is largely irrelevant. Respect, on the other hand, is something we owe to people who have made valuable contributions. Actually, we should respect everyone regardless of the quality of their contributions. It’s just the right thing to do. Thanks, Stu, for your comment.
I find Stu Handy’s reply to Mark Harrison’s post did not address the substance of Mark’s thesis, which is that DCH is not the father, certainly not the exclusive father, of modern sea kayaking. I will grant that Mark’s post has the tang of spleen, but his case, to my mind, seems to be that modern sea kayaking has had many fathers (some mothers, too)–Mark mentions Nigel Foster, among others, and we all could, each of us, list quite a few more. John Ramwell, whom I referenced in my own previous post, comes to mind–Sea Touring also came out in 1976, the same year that Eric quoted for Sea Canoeing, and I thought Sea Touring the more thoughtful book, overall. A case can be made, and I and Moulton Avery have made it, that DCH and John Dowd, among others, proved not to be infallible guides to a proper evolution of sea kayaking, either in their notions of cold-water safety or of ginning-up sea kayaking into an activity like cross-country skiing or hill walking (Derek’s own analogy) appropriate for large sectors of the general public. My aim here is to strive for some objectivity in our view of DCH; I trust he would not want to be remembered as a plaster saint.
Thanks, Carl for your thoughtful comment. Your point is well taken. The true father of sea kayaking is probably some nameless person who first put together something resembling a modern kayak and went to sea millenia ago. It depends on how we define our terms. It was actually suggested to us in a private email by one of the commenters on this thread that Mark’s post be deleted because it was uncomplimentary. However, the only form of censorship I favor is self-censorship. As Eric said a few comments above, he wanted divergent opinions because that’s how in his own words you get “doors opening, gears whirring, and we become better paddlers and people”. Hopefully, Mark Harrison’s post is spurring just such a process.
Nancy, let me throw another name into the mix as one of the many, many people who contributed to the birth of modern sea kayaking, especially focusing on the use of hardshell singles: L. Francis Herreshoff, the prolific and cantankerous designer of beautiful, practical, memorable sailboats but also the designer and ceaseless advocate of the “double-paddle canoe”. Readers of his classic The Compleat Cruiser (1956) and other of his writings are familiar with Herreshoff’s enthusiasm for these little wooden hardshells (he designed quite a few–some for touring, others for racing) as the ultimate craft for an individual open-water boater when comparing pleasure received for treasure expended. The plumb-stem and -stern boats of Epic and those designed by John Winters are close offspring of Hereshoff’s boats.
Who knew? Thanks again, Carl, for your contributions to this website (always thoughtful and well-written) and for telling us about Herreshoff, of whom I’ve never heard and I bet I could say the same for many others. As you say, sea kayaking has many fathers and mothers. As Eric used to say, “It takes a pillage”… No one is an island, entire unto themselves. Everyone has help, and when it comes to sea kayaking I think we can safely say that it evolved, and continues to evolve, because of the great ideas and enthusiasm of many.
Many fathers. OK. But let’s all sing a song of praise to Mom: The Native American paddlers who invented & gave birth to cool stuff like canoes and kayaks. What a magnificent heritage – and the whole world its lucky heirs.
i just came across the discussion about dressing for cold water and what my attitude to it was purported to be. It made me wonder if Moulton and others had actually read my book. To save having to go out to buy a copy, (tricky after my published went belly up); the essence of my attitude is that the paddler assesses the risk and dresses accordingly, balancing risks of hypothermia against hyperthermia. GoreTex drysuits offer a nice common sense option. the emphasis therefore is upon risk assessment and sound decision making, not following rules that are sometimes foolish.
Hey John,
Thanks for chiming in. And I agree with your statement above 100%. I read your book (from cover to cover, more than once) and Derek’s at about the same time when I first started sea kayaking. I really enjoyed your book and got a lot out of it. And I certainly didn’t go away with the idea that you had a cavalier attitude toward dressing for cold water. Quite the contrary. Yes, it is all about risk assessment and sound judgment.
A question for John Dowd: the most recent issue of your Sea Kayaking that I owned had your guidance, in the case that you capsized, that you would struggle into the wetsuit that you were sitting on, and then you would fire off your largest flare. Has this notion been changed in subsequent editions? And I’d like to see the data on the hyperthermia threat that wetsuits or drysuits allegedly pose–I remember Lee Moyer bringing up that old chestnut back in the 1980s.
The fact is that the strange notions about cold-water safety that were first postulated by Dowd, Hutchinson, TASK & Company have been largely superseded by the work of Moulton Avery and Chris Brooks, with the strong endorsement of people like Eric Soares, Chuck Sutherland, and any number of other kayakers, so that the baseline state of a large and growing number of experienced sea kayakers is to be “dressed for immersion”, when in a cold water environment. Rewriting the past is not an option.
A question for John Lull: How does one integrate your statement on this same thread of 18 September 2011, 2:119 PM, with your 100% agreement with John Dowd, just above?
Carl,
That’s a very good question. You are asking me to be consistent? LOL. But to try and answer, when I read John Dowd’s book ages ago, I don’t remember coming away with the idea that I shouldn’t wear a wetsuit when kayaking on the California Coast. Or that I shouldn’t dress for the water temp. Maybe I missed something (wouldn’t be the first time). But here’s what he said in this thread that I agree with 100%:
“…the essence of my attitude is that the paddler assesses the risk and dresses accordingly, balancing risks of hypothermia against hyperthermia. GoreTex drysuits offer a nice common sense option. the emphasis therefore is upon risk assessment and sound decision making, not following rules that are sometimes foolish.”
My sound decision is to wear a wetsuit (a good one; a comfortable one) whenever paddling in cold water, where there is a risk of hypothermia, NOT hyperthermia. When paddling in Baja, I have never worn a wetsuit, although an argument could be made for wearing one there on a long crossing in the northern part of the Gulf in winter. I can’t imagine a scenario where hyperthermia is an issue outside of the tropics, but I sure wouldn’t wear a drysuit with layers of pile on a hot day anywhere.
Still you have a point. Maybe I haven’t reconciled the two posts you ask about. So if in doubt, just stick with what I said in the 18 Sept 2011 post! Always dress for the water!
John, while I appreciate your reply, the fact does remain that John Dowd and many of the sea kayaking gurus of the 1970s and 1980s had notions about the cold water threat that might have seemed perfectly fine to them as skilled and experienced mariners, but were (and are) wholly unsuited as prescriptions for the large general public that they hoped to lure into sea kayaking. They all clearly disliked wearing wetsuits (drysuits were only just beginning to surface as alternatives) unless conditions were “challenging” in their opinion, and, very inappropriately in my view, allowed this “challenging conditions” threshold to permeate the sea kayaking manuals and articles with which they hoped to guide the growth of sea kayaking. But cold water was itself the challenging condition for so many open water kayakers, both beginners and TASK-indoctrinated “experienced” kayakers, that Dowd’s idea of sitting on his wetsuit and Hutchinson’s of dressing like a hill walker and “facing the freezing rescue when the time comes” were very close to idiocy.
Many of us East Coast and Great Lakes sea kayakers fought these notions right from the get-go in ANorAK, in Letters to the Editor of Sea Kayaker, in articles and letters in Atlantic Coastal kayaker, and anywhere else we could gain a hearing. It would be a marvelous thing if John and the other remaining sages of that era indicated that their thinking had changed on this subject–that they were wrong then, and have since changed their views. But instead we have…….mush.
Hi Carl. Actually the bit about climbing into the wetsuit in the water was lifted from a chapter on the military use of kayaks that I had in my first edition of ‘Sea Kayaking’. It was standard training procedure in the special forces I had been working with. The chapter was removed by my publisher who wanted nothing to do with military, but I kept the bit about getting into the wetsuit in the water since I thought it was useful. You should try it. You may find your wetsuit goes on easier wet in the water than dry on the land. (it does depend upon the wetsuit design). As a commercial diver it was also part of my training and I wrote that first edition almost entirely from my own experience. When I realized how much resistance there was to this idea among sea kayakers I clarified my position in later editions. That is what later editions are for.
As for you wanting to see the data on Hyperthermia from wearing wetsuits; hey lighten up! You risk sounding like single issue obsessive compulsives. I know of no one who has died from Hyperthermia because they refused to take off a wetsuit that was stewing them, though I seem to remember a piece by Chuck where he was paddling off the Carolinas wearing a full quarter inch wetsuit -hood and nose clip (I kid ye not) and he advocated rolling repeatedly to cool off. It gave me a Chuck-l.
Chuckle away all you want, John – it won’t change the facts or rewrite history. I remember very well the discussions I had in the 1980’s with TASK members like you, Lee Moyer, Necky and others. Your dislike of wetsuits and cold water safety was crystal clear, as was your hearty support for the pernicious “challenging conditions” argument that TASK created and then foisted upon the fledgling sea kayaking community.
As a direct result of your efforts, thousands upon thousands of sea kayakers have been told that if you don’t plan on capsizing, if your level of skill is sufficient to safely handle the conditions in which you expect to be paddling, then you don’t need to worry about dressing for the water temperature.
Your “challenging conditions” argument is really insidious, and it undermines cold-water safety precisely because it encourages paddlers to equivocate, make excuses, or rationalize a decision not to dress for the water temperature.
Capsizing on cold water without a wetsuit or drysuit is the direct cause of at least 90% of sea-kayaking fatalities, and it’s safe to say that none of the paddlers who died this way ever, in their wildest dreams, anticipated encountering conditions “challenging” enough to kill them when they went paddling on that final occasion.
If you want to see two good examples of your bankrupt reasoning in action, pay a visit to the National Center for Cold Water Safety website and read about Randy Morgart’s and Dave Dickerson’s ill-advised decisions to follow your bad advice. Morgart came within a whisker of dying. Dickerson was not so fortunate. Both were paddlers with a lot of experience who capsized on calm, flat water.
The really interesting thing to me is that you remain so impervious to reason. Even today, you just can’t resist poking fun at someone like Chuck Sutherland for dealing sensibly with a situation in which the water was dangerously cold but the air temperature was warm. For the record, the water temperature off Cape Hatteras, NC is dangerously cold 6.5 months of the year, and is in the maximum cold shock range for 5.5 months of the year.
Your sit-on-the-wetsuit position for paddling on lethally cold water has always been crystal clear, John, and you’ve never so much as lifted a finger to say anything whatsoever in support of cold water safety. That’s your legacy, and were you not so stubborn, it would shame you.
Curious after reading the recent comments on this post I checked out Derek’s “Sea Canoeing”, third ed. It was sitting right by my computer waiting to be read. I’ve skimmed it before, and its margins are riddled with Eric’s comments. Many times Eric writes, “No!” as in Figure 41 (the vertical storm roll) p. 91. Clearly he didn’t always agree with Derek. But in Chapter 1 (Equipment) Eric underlined almost the entire section on clothing. I quote Derek: “The novice who has never had the benefit of advice usually faces sea canoeing with a bathing costume, shirt, jeans and sandshoes. After his first chilling capsize, he will seek guidance. He might then buy a wet-suit…” p. 44. I also noted a photo of Derek on p. 112. The caption: “The author paddling his Baidarka Explorer in the choppy seas of a winter’s day. Note the neoprene paddling mitts.” He looks dressed for immersion to me, apart from the bare head. Just throwing that out there. I’ll have to check out Dowd’s book as well.
And by God I’m never going to write a comment again to pass the time while my cream soup warms up on the stove. Burnt the crap out of it.
In a previous post in this thread, I likened Dowd and Hutchinson to the French Ancien Regime, in that they too learned nothing and forgot nothing–this based on their quotes in the Spring 2008 issue of Adventure Kayak. Here, Derek stated, “People that I paddle with don’t dress for immersion. We dress for Eskimo rolling. But nobody has to roll. It’s a bit like asking a 747 pilot how often he has to use his parachute. Once you do all the exercises and the drills for learning to roll, you don’t have to roll because you don’t capsize. There’s no such thing as a capsize, it’s just degrees of lean.” Here, Derek clearly is reverting back to his early and most strongly-held beliefs about the part that one’s innate skills, judgment, and vigor alone will play, sufficient enough in his mind to keep one from harm on the sea. But both Dowd and Hutchinson felt that they must make some accommodation to the fact-based work on cold water immersion spread by Avery and Brooks, and somewhat updated their notions about proper cold water attire in further editions of their works. But one senses that their hearts were never really in it, and that they continued to regard wetsuits and drysuits with the disdain that was best illustrated in the early TASK handout, “Before You Go”. This curious pamphlet offered much common-sense advice to the beginner paddler, including a warning that “Cold Water Kills. Dress Appropriately. Learn About Hypothermia”. Yet the words “wetsuit” or “drysuit” never appear in the pamphlet, and only rarely ever appeared in official TASK literature. I could go on and on with other examples, and did so in the collected ANorAK Wetsuit Papers and subsequent additional documentation in Atlantic Coastal Kayaker and other publications, wherein there were important discussions with Lee Moyer, Matt Broze, and former TASK president Nell Walton (I would be happy to forward a copy of this material to those interested). John Dowd can twist and squirm to get out from under his burden of years of being on the wrong side of this issue, but the record is clear.
Hi Moulton, It seems you are confusing what I have said with the comments of any number of people from your past. I checked the first edition of my book and on P46 discussed the use of a “snug fitting farmer John” in conjunction with a heavy duty wetsuit top. (yes that one you were sitting on!) I make it clear that the wetsuit commonly used by sea kayakers provides a bit of time to improve the odds of doing a self rescue but if you are likely to be spending a prolonged period in the water you’d better pull on a proper wetsuit – Not bad advice for thirty five years ago. I also discuss immersion suits and recommend them. My problem with your position is that you imply that those 90% who died of hypothermia would not have died if they had been wearing a wetsuit. That creates some dangerous expectations. A good kayaking wetsuit will probably increase your survival time by less than an hour in really cold water. Your one solution fits all is actually more dangerous than the point of view you incorrectly attribute to me. Even wearing a modern drysuit will not give you a great deal of time in very cold water since their thermal value comes from underclothing that is too warm to paddle in for far. Lets not kid ourselves and others that you have a simple solution. Practical answers are more complex than what you offer and usually involve a string of equipment and skill decisions not just wearing a wetsuit.
I am amazed to find myself lumped in with Derek with whom I agreed on almost nothing. I find myself accused and vilified for views I do not hold by a small(?) group of disgruntled paddlers who feel the message on which they have based their reputation is not being heard by the paddling community. I would suggest this is because it comes across (to me at least) as shrill and off balance. I also think you have not thought it through thoroughly.
To John Lull: sorry you felt you had to back paddle a bit there. You were right the first time. These guys are intellectual bullies on a very wobbily platform.
Your views on cold water safety have been very well-documented over the years, John, so you can spare us the shocked, incredulous outrage. No one is bullying you or putting words in your mouth, just objecting to your attempt to obfuscate and bury the facts.
Your true position has always been clear. You couldn’t resist poking fun at Chuck Sutherland a few comments above and warning Carl White about being taken for a single-issue obsessive compulsive – the issue, of course, being cold water safety. That’s your signature style; it hasn’t changed a bit.
However, the simple fact remains that a mountain of evidence stands in direct opposition to your attempt to rewrite history. I chose the words I wrote earlier very carefully and I stand by every single one of them.
Moulton,I suggest you give specific quotes since my political heresies are so well documented or stop the libellous allegations. You could also raise the level of debate by answering my points about your flawed dogma.
No flaws in my “dogma”, John, just the same old scientific facts you’ve heard before about what happens to people who wind up in cold water without thermal protection.
And please, don’t characterize my “always dress for the water temperature – no exceptions” position as being dangerous advice to paddlers. That’s just silly. Wearing wetsuits and drysuits doesn’t endanger paddlers, it saves lives. That much should be obvious, even to you.
If you want more specific information, it’s spelled out in considerable detail on the National Center for Cold Water Safety web site. That’s all I’m going to say on the matter.
Moulton you don’t just throw out slanderous allegations then walk away from the table. Either justify the comments you have made or retract them. Same goes for Carl. You seem to have been maligning me and my reputation for years. I don’t normally spend much of my life on line so I only discovered this while researching the upcoming sixth edition of “Sea Kayaking”. Maybe you are safe to elevate yourself on Derek’s reputation. I’m not yet dead and thus it is not safe to do that with me.
Regarding your dressing for cold water obsession. The problem you seem to have is not with the science but with your application and interpretation of the science. Dressing for cold water is not a silver bullet. A strong 190lb paddler in a standard kayaking wetsuit is incapacitated by cold within seven minutes of immersion in water below 48 degrees. What sort of assurance do you offer there? You focus on only one aspect of Kayak safety. Choice of boat makes a huge difference to whether or not you find yourself in the water in the first place. And of course skills. But most of all, a thorough understanding of seamanship is the key to surviving by avoiding trouble in the first place. People who follow your advice and dress for the water are in for a surprise if they think they are safe. That narrow focus on a single – be it a useful – part of the equation is why you were not taken as seriously as you might wish by the bulk of the paddling community. And you won’t get there by trampling the reputation of others dead or alive.
well said there is far too much of this going on wherby those who often know far less via their own exp are riding the coattails of others who do know what they are saying have put in the hardtime I am a sea kayaker from devon and cornwall a native not a blow ins and I bought my first dereck c Hutchinson umnak ice floe in 1980! and it was is the best boat I have ever paddled! I learnt from dereks book solo!! and the hard way! I live in s west of france now and am looking for a replacement kayak to go to Tasmania with later in year? to explore the island a bit with! I need advices as ive had a sabbatical from sea kayaking for past 15years or so but I like what you said here respect it!! as I myself have met quite a few legends in the industry or subject and they’ve all been respectful there are many now within the outdoor inds that are riding on the coattails of others rehashing what others have already said! but only a few real experts really do exist and dereck was one of them even tho I never met him! I can tell by how safe his kayak has kept me! he knew what he was doing when it came to sea kayak designs I am a bigger guy and I always felt super stable even in rogh weathers wave action I thank dereck for the wonderful kayak he designed and have made my life so enjoyable!
I miss my kayak it got stolen and sold whilst I was outa the country such is uk club life now you have to lookout even for the thieves that have memberships of club stores provisions! so there used to be a time in outdoor life when other persons could be fully trusted but not now! it seems to many are trying to make money at it or trying to reinvent the wheel without paying their own dues at it! it takes a long while to gain experiences a lifetime often in facts! so respect it! you got to earn it!
John, your efforts to deflect criticism are heroic, but they are futile. We all know that neither Moulton nor I ever promoted the wearing of wetsuits/drysuits for sea kayakers on cold water as a panacea, a cure-all, a one-solution answer to the many hazards to which kayak mariners may be exposed. In my case, had you followed my postings on various sea kayaking message boards or several Letters to the Editor of Sea Kayaker Magazine, quite recent, you would be well aware of this.
The problem that you shared with Derek and with your fellow TASKers was that you all somehow equated open water kayaking with hill walking or cross-country skiing or maybe mountain biking, without fully understanding the enormous difference that the cold water substrate makes in the overall safety/danger ratio for the “ordinary folk, especially women and families” (recognize your words?) that you hoped to entice, cajole, persuade out onto the wide waters. You all certainly loathed wetsuits–you didn’t need them: Derek because of his skills; you in your beamy Klepper double–and too much emphasis on wetsuits and drysuits, as opposed to the empty sanctimony of urging people to “dress for immersion” or to “dress appropriately”, might be bad for business, might scare people off.
No, the single-issue, obsessive crowd here were those who pointedly avoided talking seriously about the concrete, realistic, specific responses (dress: wetsuits/drysuits) to the cold water threat that all along were being worn by whitewater kayakers, by surfers, windsurfers, jet-skiers, by virtually every other sort of people at play out on the water. The record is clear; the verdict is in.
John, for more insight into my recent postings, check out the “Sea Kayaker’s More Deep Trouble–Gotta Have It, or Make it Stop!?” thread right here, just above this thread.
Wow. Judge jury and executioner and to hell with the evidence eh? Provide some evidence of my contempt for cold water survival and I will quote you many more examples of how I have given it priority ever since the first edition of my book. You even presume to claim I don’t like wetsuits. huh? What an ignorant statement! For what it is worth I have bags of wetsuits…Industrial suits, a free diving suit (my favorite) and several paddling suits that I wear during the appropriate times. I also have a Kokatat dry suit. How do you presume to accuse me of hating wetsuits? It seems we only disagree on when they should be worn and you and your little special interest group seem to have created a bogy man out of the people who disagree with you, vilifying them and in the absence of evidence, creating a slanderous self serving fantasy and intimidating others to keep agreeing with your extreme position. That is the intellectual bullying part I mentioned. Provide evidence or shut up!
Very well, John, I’ll return to the table to both justify my position and respond to the substantive comments that you’ve made. Stay tuned.
Where to begin? I had hoped to have a serious discussion of both the evidence base and the long history of the differences between the Dowd/Hutchinson/TASK/Sea Kayaking Industry (SKIN) view of how serious is the cold water threat to sea kayakers, and more evidence-based views. This includes whether the wearing of wetsuits/drysuits should be encouraged as the standard response to a cold water situation, or whether this protection should be donned only after the kayaker(s) concerned believe that the conditions are severe enough to justify the alleged discomfort of such apparel. We all know that newcomers to an activity quickly pick up what they perceive to be the established norms, usages and practices of that activity. Here, in my neck of the woods, years of familiar donning of wetsuits and especially drysuits have become the standard, habitual response to cold water sea kayaking, largely due to the powerful influence of mentors who themselves took seriously the data base accumulated by experienced and thoughtful sea kayakers like Moulton Avery, and widely promulgated by being published in Sea Kayaker Magazine following the departure of John Dowd.
The case for habitual wetsuit/drysuit use is very strong, as Eric Soares correctly understood, and as did many, many others; the case for kayakers donning the suits only after some particular threshold of danger is perceived, is very weak, especially given the peculiar, particular nature of the cold water substrate upon which the boosters of sea kayaking wish to launch a broad, general cross-section of the public. Matt Broze, in Sea Kayaker, has written, “The large increase in inexpensive recreational and fishing kayaks sold like commodities (where there is little or no kayaking expertise) are far more likely to result in a huge increase in what will be reported in the media as “kayaking fatalities” than the few sea kayakers who are out on the edge and pushing the limits of what is possible in a sea kayak.” While Matt’s remarks are in a different context than that of whether cold water wetsuit/drysuit use should be seen as an integral part of kayaking, nevertheless Matt is clearly looking ahead to the possible fruit of years of TASK/SKIN promotion of kayaking (sea kayaking particularly) to a general public who have not been habituated by SKIN to understanding the threat of cold water. As an aside, one of the real benefits of habitual wetsuit/drysuit use is that it makes kayakers more aware, more conscious of the potential danger of cold water, rather than dismissive of the threat.
What is sad is that there is much here that could be discussed in a thoughtful way (I’m certainly trying), but it seems to be all too much for John, and we get the sort of spasm that precedes this post. I had indeed hoped for better.
Carl, just a quick comment on this statement:
” This includes whether the wearing of wetsuits/drysuits should be encouraged as the standard response to a cold water situation, or whether this protection should be donned only after the kayaker(s) concerned believe that the conditions are severe enough to justify the alleged discomfort of such apparel.”
As I’m sure you’d agree (but I think it needs to be stressed), the main problem with the strategy of donning cold water protective clothing only when conditions are perceived to be severe, is the fact that, on the sea, conditions change. And conditions can go from benign to severe in a very short period of time. I stressed this point over and over in my book as an argument for everything from dressing appropriately to learning to roll, brace, and attain the skills needed for rough water paddling.
Where I’m a bit confused here, or maybe simply uninformed, is your depiction of a “Dowd/Hutchinson/TASK/SKIN” viewpoint (conspiracy??) on safety issues. I’ve read Derek’s & John’s books, I knew Derek and in fact took my first sea kayak class from him way back in the stone age, and I’ve worked in the SKIN world. I just don’t see any particular, or unified viewpoint on cold-water or other issues, shared by these people. Quite the contrary. I agree that in some quarters sea kayaking is taken way too lightly, the sale of ‘safe & stable’ rec kayaks (I’ve called them death traps; they lack adequate flotation among other problems) are over promoted to the uninformed, rental programs are poorly run, etc. But this is not universal. I worked for California Canoe & Kayak for a number of years and the emphasis was on solid instruction/training and safety issues, along with selling boats and the proper equipment. And I know many other commercial enterprises are responsible and safety-oriented. Maybe too many are not, but I don’t think you can characterize the entire industry that way as whole (and maybe you aren’t).
As to John Dowd & Derek Hutchinson, from what I know they had very different styles and outlooks on sea kayaking so can’t and shouldn’t be lumped together. I can’t speak for either of them, so I’ll leave it at that, except to say I wasn’t aware that either of them were as slipshod on safety issues as you are implying. They both contributed a lot of solid advice and ideas, based on their own extensive experience to the sea kayaking community. If you vehemently disagree with them on the cold water issue, I don’t think it’s fair to dismiss everything they contributed to kayaking. No doubt we’ve all made claims that could be disputed or called unsafe. Eric stirred up some controversy with his statement: “PFD–BFD” at a symposium and Steve Sinclair felt the same way about PFDs. Eric did change his mind on that, to some extent in later years. Someone took me to task for not discussing foot pumps (to pump out water) in my book.
So much for my quick comment! 🙂
Hi Carl, Don’t worry. I just bite when I’m being attacked. Lets start by not considering TASK, Dowd, Moyer, Broze, etc., as speaking with one voice. Certainly no one there speaks for me nor I for them. The amazing thing for me was to discover people discussing something they thought I said twenty-five or thirty years ago. I have had nothing to do with TASK for over twenty-five years and I’ve been out of the industry for that long. The development of my ideas on risk and kayaking can be traced through the different editions of my book.
Let me share an insight that changed all my thinking about risk. It is the work of Professor Gerald JS Wilde who studied automobile statistics from around the world for the past seventy years. To the chagrin of the automobile industry which likes to sell cars based on their safety features he discovered that the ratio of fatalities to person hours driven remained constant despite improvements of roads, introduction of seat belts, ABS braking systems, crush resistant cabs, safety glass etc. He concluded that we adjust our behavior to achieve an acceptable level of risk or THE ACCIDENT RATE IS ULTIMATELY DEPENDENT ON ONE FACTOR ONLY: THE TARGET LEVEL OF (ACCEPTABLE) RISK OF THE POPULATION. This applied to risky activities has profound implications. For example it explains why a surge of fatalities did not occur when masses of plastic rec boats hit the market. More electronic safety gear, flares, VHF radios, surf helmets, and yes dry suits means we are more inclined to take risks in our sea kayak. Homeostasis is its name and it tells us that as our knowledge of an activity increases, the subjective risk (the risk that depends on our actions) remains a constant. That is why either the way you advocate dressing for the water or the way I perceive it will ultimately come up with the same result. I hope this will prove a helpful contribution.
Believe me, I appreciate the return to calm and civility encouraged by John Lull and demonstrated by John Dowd. John Dowd’s protestations against the vehemence and the unexpectedness of the comments directed toward his views were a little hard to digest, given that there is a very long history–anywhere from 19 to 28 years–of his exposure to these selfsame comments via articles in ANorAK (which Dowd’s SK Magazine received regularly as a member-subscriber)–and in Atlantic Coastal Kayaker–from 1987 through 1995, at the least. None of this recent exchange of views here could really have been news to him.
I nowhere implied that Dowd and Hutchinson were slipshod on safety issues, as a general rule: only on this issue of when to dress for immersion was there any real difference. John Dowd might even recall that I favorably reviewed the 3rd edition of Sea Kayaking in ANorAK, declaring it the best manual available despite its several flaws. And I certainly don’t dismiss everything they contributed to kayaking–who would? But like us all, even gurus can be very wrong about certain things; the problem is when they begin to believe in their own infallibility, and then dismiss accurate criticism with disdain. John Dowd again may remember that I penned one of the very first letters of criticism to the then brand-new SK, complaining (as is my custom) about the fact that PFDs and immersion-proof clothing were nowhere to be seen on SK covers as sprayskirtless kayakers paddled open water over cavorting sea lions. Or maybe it was among icebergs. I don’t remember his reply, but I’m sure it did not satisfy.
The homeostasis hypothesis is an interesting one, but whether it is applicable to sea kayaking, or to kayaking in general, has yet to be demonstrated. The Coast Guard, the ACA, and just about everyone else concerned with water is constantly urging people to wear PFDs while in small craft. Is it correct to deduce that, if no one wore their PFDs, the fatality rate for small craft would remain the same. What if everyone wore PFDs? It remains a hypothesis.
John-
I’ve never slandered or libeled you. The criticism that I and others have made over the years against the pernicious “challenging conditions” argument that you continue to promote dates back decades.
The gist of the matter, which you know only too well, is that with the active participation of people like you, the Trade Association of Sea Kayaking (TASK) went out of its way to denigrate and brush off everything that I or anyone else had to say about the hazards of cold water, cold shock etc. That’s precisely what you’re doing in this discussion.
Instead, TASK promoted an alternative concept – “challenging conditions”. It advised paddlers that if they didn’t “plan on capsizing” – if they “thought” their level of skill sufficient to safely handle the conditions in which they “expected” to be paddling – then they didn’t need to worry about dressing for the water temperature.
I personally consider it to be the single greatest blow ever dealt to the safety of our sport, and my most detailed criticism of it appears in Anatomy of a Bad Decision, Sea Kayaker magazine newsletter, November 2010:
http://seakayaker.us/newsletters/November2010.html#1
John, earlier in the thread, you stated your position on cold water safety as follows: “…the essence of my attitude is that the paddler assesses the risk and dresses accordingly, balancing risks of hypothermia against hyperthermia … the emphasis therefore is upon risk assessment and sound decision making, not following rules that are sometimes foolish.”
“Dress according to your assessment of the risk”. That’s “challenging conditions” from start to finish, but you’ve gone one step further and added the hypothermia / hyperthermia canard – yet another excuse for skipping thermal protection. Here’s an example of that one in action:
“Practically, we’d have many cases of heat illness if actually dressed for Arctic water on a warm PWS [Prince William Sound] day. We balance our clothing for both the water and surface conditions”
In other words, if it’s a warm day, don’t dress for the water temperature.
This advice makes no sense whatsoever when it comes to safety. As I pointed out earlier, even experienced paddlers like Randy Morgart and Dave Dickerson get into trouble – sometimes lethal trouble – by following it.
You made a number of statements about me or cold water safety, and I’ve answered them below:
You said: “Regarding your dressing for cold water obsession. The problem you seem to have is not with the science but with your application and interpretation of the science.”
I don’t interpret the science, John, I simply state the scientific facts. I also emphasize cold shock – a term that, oddly enough, you have yet to use in this discussion. What I’m saying about the danger of cold water isn’t my “opinion” – it’s the conclusion of scientific research that’s been conducted for the past 30+ years.
You said: “Dressing for cold water is not a silver bullet.” You’re right, it’s not. I never said it was. No type of thermal protection can keep you alive indefinitely, but as I stated in a recent letter to Sea Kayaker, ““Cold water immersion is a race against the clock, and the virtue of cold water gear is that it buys you time.”
It also eliminates cold shock. That’s huge, because it prevents a whole bunch of nasty problems – like total loss of breathing control (including gasping, hyperventilating, hypocapnia, and reduced breath-holding time), swimming failure, being dazed and unable to think, and being physically unable to help yourself – problems that occur immediately upon immersion.
You said: “People who follow your advice and dress for the water are in for a surprise if they think they are safe.”
It’s not the paddlers who listen to me who are in for a surprise, but rather those who listen to you and mistakenly follow the flawed logic of your “challenging conditions” argument. They’re the ones who wind up paddling on lethally cold water dressed like they were going for a walk in the park.
You said: Choice of boat makes a huge difference to whether or not you find yourself in the water in the first place.
You’re saying that paddlers don’t have to dress for the water temperature if they paddle a certain kind of boat. That makes no sense. People die every year because the “very stable” kayak or canoe they were paddling somehow managed to turn over – often in flat-calm water. That’s what happened to Dave Dickerson.
All this cold water safety stuff can seem like much ado about nothing – until you wind up in the water with no protection, fighting for your life.
I too welcome the more civil tone Carl. That does not mean I will ever accept what I consider to be unfair criticism. As for the old debate I was aware of it but along with many from the West coast viewed it as a quirky East Coast thing. I only became concerned when some of your group decided to give the ACA the tools to regulate Sea Kayaking. Hey you can’t say I didn’t warn you.
After selling my share of Sea Kayaker magazine and stepping aside as editor I went off on a new life tack. It was with great surprise that I discovered that ancient debate continued thirty years later with me as the villain credited with things I never said and attitudes I did not share.
As for Wilde: his views are very disturbing to many people, particularly those in the security and safety industries. Automobile manufacturers hated what he said. His observations pertain to human nature not just the auto industry. It applies to climbing, diving and yes kayaking too. I believe it is one of those universal truths uncovered.
Moulton, I am not aware of any concerted effort to deny the value of wetsuits. Indeed the race against the clock idea for wetsuits was something I discussed in the first issue of my book. It is an old and obvious idea that I would not at the time have thought to be contentious. The problem seems to be that only a small number of sea kayakers agree with you that all kayakers should dress for the water all the time. You seem to take this very personally and rather than re-examining your basic idea, you suspect a conspiracy among those who view it as ‘over the top’.
As an editor I did not publish your work because it seemed to be unbalanced and it reminded me of the advocates for helmets and body armor when we drive a car – over fifty thousand people a year die in traffic accidents and 90% of those through head and chest injuries. If I was likely to crash that is what I would want to be wearing. But we don’t unless we are driving stock cars.
Most people assess and accept the risk before going into the water. That is not silly and it is not a skilled process. (thus the failure of the rec boats to produce hundreds of bodies. The people who buy them normally understand their limits) That is normal. Tsunami Rangers always wear a wetsuit because it makes sense to do so if you are exposed to the elements as they are. White water paddlers are far more likely to swim than sea kayakers, as are kayak surfers. For these situations a proper wetsuit makes sense. On a private trip up the BC coast then a farmer John, neoprene booties and paddling jacket is a good system even if a capsize at sea is unlikely since it makes launching and landing comfortable and of course in the off chance you did fall over and fail to roll, it will give you a better chance of re-entry since it buys a bit of time. If that’s what you call dressing for the water then few would disagree with you.
I did not say that paddlers of a certain kind of boat should not dress for the water. Paddlers should always consider that option…just do the usual cost benefit analysis and the type of boat will be part of that equation.
I really did not want to re-enter this ancient dreary debate. What I wanted to hear from you was either evidence of the evil of which I was accused or a retraction.
It seems that John and I share the same fear that sea kayaking might become (more) regulated. On the basis of no known fact, John says that “some of (Carl’s) group decided to give the ACA the tools to regulate Sea Kayaking.” I say HUH??? John, what are you smoking these days? I honestly have no clue what you are talking about.
However, years of SKIN failure to properly locate sea kayaking at an extreme end within a broader spectrum of boating safety may certainly cause sea kayaking to go the route of SCUBA and become thus subject to odious regulation. I refer to the following 3 points which I have stressed many times on this forum:
A) That sea kayaking is marine boating using the most limited, basic, primitive equipment. We must be therefore the best-informed, wisest boaters on the water, as our margin for error is so small.
B) A paddler in a standard single must remain awake, alert, and able in turbulent water, or, unless rescued, he or she dies. There is no provision to lie ahull, perhaps below deck, and ride out the situation.
C) The mariner’s substrate will almost immediately try to kill anyone who finds him or herself immersed in it, by drowning, cold shock, or hypothermia.
TASK, SKIN, and John have explicitly promoted for decades the notion that sea kayaking is or can be a mass-market, general population, family, children-friendly activity. His 2008 and 2012 comments in Adventure Kayak indicate that he is still devoted to this mission. The nature, though, of open-water kayaking is such that it is most safely pursued by a “natural constituency” of mariners drawn to sea kayaking by its own appeal, and who have the necessary judgment and self-discipline to safely practice it. The real danger to the long-term health of sea kayaking comes, not from some ACA plot (about which I know nothing), but from decades of TASK/SKIN failure to understand the dangers of what they have gotten this wonderful activity into. They are literally playing, not with fire, but with cold water. Someday the various state boating law administrators/Coast Guard/Marine Police may catch up with us all, and John and his allies will have to explain their behavior to the greater sea kayaking. community.
I now turn to the homeostasis argument.
I’m sure (or I ought to be sure, if Prof. Wilde’s work is accurate) that the Prof’s facts about auto accidents and safety features are correct. I’m not convinced, though, of his conclusions. The late Stephen Jay Gould observed that, everywhere, there are trends going up and trends going down (there are also those trends going nowhere). The trick is to tease out actual causality from coincidence, when we look at the possible connection among these various trends. While it may be true that we adjust our behavior to achieve an acceptable level of risk, it does not necessarily follow that we cannot move the level of actual risk, of actual accident rate, up or down, as John’s interpretation of Wilde’s work suggests. I may be erroneously interpreting John’s notion, but I think he is saying that, whether we urge people to wear wetsuits or not, there are going to be X many fatalities, no matter what. If that is your conclusion, John, I think it is a very wrong one.
I think the real situation is that, in any sort of choice situation, we have forces driving up risk/hazard/accident, and forces driving them down. In Wilde’s automobile case, improvements in safety/design work to increase safety, and forces work against. Wilde postulates risk homeostasis. I can think immediately of driver distraction (electronics), driver impairment, the possible influx of young and inexperienced drivers, the growth of an aging driver population, the contraction of driver training opportunities. It may be that these two trends cancel one another out, by coincidence, and there is no homeostasis at work here at all.
Let’s look at obesity. There are factors up and factors down. But rather than overall population weight remaining constant, it goes up and up. According to the homeostasis argument, maybe the population will reach some level of weight where it is “comfortable”, and there is nothing to be done about it. I think this is nonsense. I hinted also at the role that PFD use might have on overall small craft fatality rates. In short, I think those that have capitulated to a homeostasis argument in order to advocate a laissez faire attitude instead of more rigor in advocating for cold water immersion protection (and PFD use) may be following a false god.
Carl I did not mean to imply homeostasis applied to everything. That is clearly not the case. Wilde was just dealing with acceptance of risk as far as I know. Look at it this way; if you were going onto freezing water wearing just your bathing suit, you would behave differently than you would if you had a full dry suit on. You would have adjusted your behaviour to reflect an acceptable level of risk. And yes that varies between individuals. It is an idea worth exploring.
what persons aren’t looking at manufacturers is using fabric or clothing that Is both suitable comfy enough to wear on land and in good conds and also performs if immersed fully thermally! polyesters are a by products of the petro chemical inds and as yet nobody has found a way to make them feel comfy next to the skin despite investing billions into fabric technologies if a socttish fisherman capsized can last 4.5 hrs in rough waters swim to shore and his survival is largely put down to his own genetics cold water resistances as he was predominantly of Viking stock origins and a woolly jumper retaining residual warmth close in to his skin whilst he swam to shore I am sure that those that manufacture design sea kayaking wear can do better at designing performant clothing that keeps kayakers warm during full immersions and less of the reliances on synthetics which have very few actual warmth related charachterisitics as they are merely plastics and chemicals being worn next to skin or for protective covers coatings it needs to looked into how to stay warm in water during full immersions yet remain comfy in ambient temperate climates when dry also! its a tall orders but a talented design team can invent a suit or garment to achieve this!
Carl, I realize you are referring to John Dowd (not me) here:
“On the basis of no known fact, John says that “some of (Carl’s) group decided to give the ACA the tools to regulate Sea Kayaking.”
I was a bit puzzled by John D’s statement also, but I’m pretty sure we’re all in agreement regarding regulation of sea kayaking. I’d like to point out that includes the ACA (at least back when I was involved with it). The ACA has a saying: “Education, not regulation.” The idea being that by providing training, instruction, and education about the marine environment, we can avoid the need for regulation. Presumably by lowering the number of casualties & expensive rescues, which would lead to the desire on the part of government agencies to regulate.
I probably don’t fully understand the homeostasis argument, and I don’t know the statistics, so I may be way out of my element here, but I can’t believe the number of serious ‘incidents’ among sea kayakers wouldn’t increase without the use of safety equipment and proper training (I’m in agreement with you there). John is probably right that the reason we aren’t seeing dozens of rec boat deaths is because those who use them do so mostly in calm lakes, etc. But I did help rescue a couple of guys in bathing suits, drifting in the cold water on an outgoing tide on SF Bay, headed out the Golden Gate, after capsizing in a tide rip. Their rec boat was 99% submerged. Lucky for them, we found them right after they capsized and they suffered only mild hypothermia.
As to selling the idea of sea kayaking to a broad swath of the public, I agree with you on the one hand. On the other, and maybe this is the homeostasis argument, the idea is easy to sell, but when a lot of folks confront the reality of a cold, wet scary environment, in a tiny craft that they actually have to paddle themselves in shark-infested waters, many/most of them don’t pursue it. So there’s at least some ‘self-pruning’ going on.
Ah ha, John, I just saw your latest post above on homeostasis, and yes what you say there makes sense, although I’m sure there are plenty of exceptions. But it is an idea worth exploring and a very interesting one.
Let me give you an example. I know I take greater risks in the ocean when wearing full cold-water gear and a helmet, in a kayak that I’m familiar with, and doing something I think I have the skills for, than I would otherwise. I could be argued that the family member piddle-paddling their rec boat next to shore in the local pond is much safer than the experience, skilled kayaker out in ocean rock gardens. And for sure the more skilled & confident you are, the greater risks you’ll take. At least until you finally realize that the ocean can toss something at you that no one could handle.
So maybe it all balances out, but I’m still on the side of stacking the deck in my favor as much as possible.
But yeah, vary interesting idea.
john Lull that is exactly what I mean about the homeostasis of risk. The ramifications are profound.
I shudder at the thought of re-entering the ACA debate but I read above that Moulton was lamenting having to start from scratch and pay for courses in a program he helped start for the ACA. Surprise surprise. I stuffed a manila folder with letters to Chuck imploring him not to give them the skills they needed to take control of instruction. ,The slocan About education not regulation is a smoke screen. They regulate by controlling access to who is teaching. They are in the business of regulation as is the BCU and PAddle Canada. If you doubt that just look at the fee structure.
John D wrote: “I shudder at the thought of re-entering the ACA debate.”
LOL, so do I; let’s not enter that morass!
I’ll only say that while I think there is great value in training/instruction, the ACA, BCU, etc suffer the same problems as any bureaucracy. I don’t really think they control who’s teaching, though. There’s no law that you have to be certified to teach kayaking, and I would hope there never would be. I probably shouldn’t have said that and opened the door to such a discussion…
I mean VERY (not vary!).
For the past few years I have been working on a book(?) about Freedom and responsibility in the outdoors in which I explore, amongst other things, the nature of bureaucracies in a culture of fear. it is one of those works that look like it will never be finished. Mostly it was designed to help develop my own thoughts but I am trying to convince my publisher to include at least some of it in the sixth edition of Sea Kayaking. it is relevant to this conversation.
That sounds really interesting. I hope your publisher includes it!
I’ve always been interested in risk management and I have a lot of ideas on it; but ultimately, risk is risk. It it’s not risky, it’s not risk. And that’s my zen saying for the day.
The discussion we were having earlier isn’t some old, tired, worn-out debate best left in the dustbin of history, and anyone who thinks it is should keep reading. Cold water immersion has always been the most significant safety issue in our sport, and the kind of advice we give paddlers has life or death consequences.
John Dowd has done a really great job of making this discussion as confusing as possible, but it’s actually a very simple debate about whether paddlers should always dress for the water temperature – or not. One side says yes, they absolutely should, and the other side offers a bunch of threadbare excuses for why they don’t have to.
Dowd accuses people like me and Carl White of making up slanderous accusations against him. We’re not. What we’re saying is that he was on the wrong side of a big debate about the most important safety issue in our sport. He keeps asking for “evidence” when in fact he’s provided all the necessary evidence himself.
John, you said “It seems we only disagree on when they [wetsuits and drysuits] should be worn and you and your little special interest group seem to have created a bogy man out of the people who disagree with you, vilifying them and in the absence of evidence, creating a slanderous self serving fantasy and intimidating others to keep agreeing with your extreme position. That is the intellectual bullying part I mentioned. Provide evidence or shut up!”
That quote perfectly summarizes everything that’s been said so far in this discussion.
John, you’re absolutely right that we disagree with you as to whether wetsuits or drysuits should always be worn when paddling on cold water. We think they should and you don’t. The remainder of the paragraph is how you characterize people like me and Carl White when the subject comes up for discussion.
You said “As for the old debate I was aware of it, but along with many from the West coast viewed it as a quirky East Coast thing.” That’s like calling a grizzly bear a puppy dog. You were more than aware of it, John – you were one of the biggest players in the entire debate. As the author of the book Sea Kayaking, and as a founder, shareholder and editor of Sea Kayaking magazine, what you said had enormous influence.
You also characterized this as an East Coast / West Coast thing. It wasn’t. There were plenty of people on the West Coast and in the Great Lakes area who were staunch advocates of always of always dressing for the water temperature. Expert paddlers like Eric Soares and Steve Sinclair were among them.
In February, 2011, Eric posted an article entitled Kayaking and Cold Water Immersion. A lot of people commented, and it developed into a very interesting discussion. Cold shock, something you have yet to mention, was a big part of it. So was dressing for the water temperature. At one point, Andy Taylor commented about the uphill battle faced back in the day by experienced kayakers who understood the danger of cold water. He said:
“We tried and tried but it was very difficult to convince people to wear wetsuits at that time, and most of the then brand-new ocean kayaking industry actively opposed the idea. Steve actually had one well-known outfitter pull him aside and say, “What are you doing? You’re going to raise the entry level of the sport!”.
That “industry” is what Carl White and I are referring to when we say TASK (Trade Association of Sea Kayaking). Everyone on our side of the debate used the term “challenging conditions” to describe TASK’s argument because that was the term that TASK itself used when it said paddlers could skip wearing wetsuits or drysuits if they didn’t think the conditions were going to be “challenging”.
John, I never submitted an article to you for publication when you were the editor of Sea Kayaker because it was obvious to everyone that you would never have published it. Not, as you stated above, because you “viewed it as unbalanced”, (you never even saw it) but because you weren’t interested in anyone calling attention to the single greatest hazard in our sport: cold water.
When Chris Cunningham became editor I found a much more receptive ear and he published Cold Shock in the Spring, 1991 issue. Every letter to the editor in response to my article was negative and reflected the TASK point of view. Except one – and that letter didn’t just come from some no-name paddler. It came from Eric Soares:
“Moulton Avery’s article, “Cold Shock” should be taped to the forehead of every sea kayaker contemplating a paddle in cold water. For every death attributed to cold shock, hypothermia, and exhaustion, there must be a hundred close calls and a thousand miserable experiences – all due to poor judgment regarding paddling attire.
For inexplicable reasons, intelligent and knowledgeable paddlers often choose to wear waterproof anoraks, baggy paddling pants, rubber boots, hiking clothes, and other paraphernalia guaranteed to fill up with water, lose insulating properties, inhibit swimming, and provide passage to the promised land. Avery’s article shows that we must wear this apparel on shore and dress for the water when kayaking.”
If you could ask all the paddlers who have died from cold water immersion over the years how they feel about it, there’s no doubt about which side of the debate they would stand on. And I guarantee you they wouldn’t like the way in which the “challenging conditions” argument has wormed its way into the fabric of our sport. Here are two examples from the sea kayaking instructor’s manual of a very well known wilderness school:
”Putting on a wet or dry suit means that you are planning on encountering serious sea conditions and have planned accordingly.”
“We balance our clothing for both the water and surface conditions. Our best protection from cold shock is to be off the water if a capsize is likely. If you cannot get to protected water or to the shore, dressing for cold water immersion may help, with a focus on insulation on the head and neck. Some people advocate wearing wetsuits and other extreme cold water protective gear. This would be wise for an aggressive paddler who is likely to tip over or be slammed in the face by a cold wave, but for the more casual … expeditionary paddler, this extreme is unnecessary.”
This debate isn’t dead, folks. It’s very much alive, and those two quotes are a good example of what cold water safety advocates like myself have to deal with every day.
Well I can’t add more I guess except for one correction. We did receive your article. My position on the debate can be explained thru the lens of Wilde’ observations of the homeostasis of risk.
Moulton, I can’t help but comment on this rather absurd (I want to say ‘idiotic’) statement you cite from a well known wilderness school, and I share your frustration if this is typical:
“We balance our clothing for both the water and surface conditions. Our best protection from cold shock is to be off the water if a capsize is likely….”
They might just as well say, “to prevent capsize or cold water shock/hypothermia, stay out of a kayak.” Their statement totally ignores the primary fact that conditions can change quickly in the marine environment, far too quickly in many cases to get to safely by simply paddling to shore, assuming a safe landing site is available. IMO, dressing for the water is only the first step. Attaining the necessary skills, ranging from paddle strokes to bracing to rolling, along with knowledge of the marine environment, are what constitute the BEST protection from cold shock, capsize, etc. Short of just staying onshore. In fact, I’d advise anyone who isn’t willing to train, learn the appropriate skills, and use the proper equipment, to do just that: stay ashore!
Regarding getting the message out, there’s a point where you have to accept the fact that “you can lead a horse to water….” etc.
John (Dowd): based on what I sense about your understanding of Wilde’s homeostasis hypothesis, I would urge extreme caution. I don’t purport to be that knowledgeable about it, but you may be following a fatuus ignis into an even more uncertain and unstable safety argument than you’ve before espoused. If it has indeed “changed all (your) thinking on risk”, you may be in danger of again falling in love with a false god.
Regarding the ACA, I recall that their sin was to set up standards and criteria for certifying their own instructors. Is that correct? If correct, in what way is that evil? I am truly a stranger to this area, and have difficulty understanding how or why this is important.
I would also like to see my notions about the 3 areas I outlined above that serve to place sea kayaking at or near the far end of a safety spectrum and thus render it not suitable to a general population, mass-market, family and child target audience. The cold water issue is really only a part of the very problematic TASK/SKIN effort to get lots of people out onto open water. I do recognize that if you address this, it could be very unsettling, as years of effort and ideology would need to be re-examined.
John, unfortunately it is typical, and it provides a clear look at how deeply the bankrupt “challenging conditions” argument has become embedded in the culture of sea kayaking. That’s why I said earlier that I felt it was the single greatest blow ever dealt to the safety of our sport.
John, I hear what you’re saying about leading a horse to water. Not too long ago I was really upset about a particular cold water tragedy and Chris Cunningham gently pointed out that I couldn’t save everyone. I said yeah, I know, but that hasn’t stopped either of us from trying.
I agree with you about training and seamanship, but I also think that there are thousands of recreational paddlers who have absolutely no idea how dangerous cold water is. My hope is that if they find out, it will influence their decision about paddling without protection.
When I get discouraged about the uphill battle, I think about the people who have died. Many recent fatalities are positively heart-rending: A Scottish wildlife expert and his seven year old son; a young man on his honeymoon; two young women in the prime of life who were just out for a short rec-boat paddle; a father who took his two year old son out for a canoe ride on a shallow lake to give his wife a break on her birthday; a young woman who went out for a short canoe trip with her boyfriend, who wanted to serenade her with a guitar; and three little kids who died with their father on Loch Gairloch in Scotland.
It’s a long list that gets longer every year, and the victims are fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, grandfathers and grandmothers, none of whom expected to die when they went out on the water that final time.
Nancy, this is an interesting and possibly even important discussion. I am not familiar with how this site works, but would it be possible to let people know that this discussion is taking place? Somewhere right in the Home section? If you think it’s a good idea, of course–certainly not my place to decide. I’ve done more thinking about homeostasis, and would benefit from the input of others, on this subject and all of the others discussed here.
It might even make sense to detach much of the preceding very long thread, say, starting with John Dowd’s February 3rd post, and set it up as an independent discussion on cold water safety, its history in sea kayaking, and also homeostasis and its place.
Carl wrote: “I would also like to see my notions about the 3 areas I outlined above that serve to place sea kayaking at or near the far end of a safety spectrum and thus render it not suitable to a general population, mass-market, family and child target audience. The cold water issue is really only a part of the very problematic TASK/SKIN effort to get lots of people out onto open water. I do recognize that if you address this, it could be very unsettling, as years of effort and ideology would need to be re-examined.”
I understand your concerns, Carl (and Moulton), and I’ve always said that sea kayaking has been inaccurately viewed and promoted as a safer or tamer activity than say, whitewater kayaking, to the general public. I guess if it was limited to small lakes or ponds it would be, but the marine environment encompasses a much wider range of conditions and some areas can be more treacherous than say, a class 2 or 3 whitewater river. For one thing, river rapids can be rated, scouted, or portaged, and at a given flow level, are predictable. I don’t want to start up a river vs sea comparison, just used that as an example.
Having said that, I don’t think the industry has been all that successful in selling sea kayaking as a ‘family-oriented’, anyone-can-do-it activity to a wide swath of the public. I’m not saying they haven’t tried to, but a LOT of the general public has a healthy (for many of them) fear of deep water and paddle sports; otherwise those of us who have been involved in the business side would be rich! Sure, it’s more popular than it was 30 or 40 years ago, but I think it peaked and there really is a ‘filtering’ process whereby a lot of people give it a try and decide it’s not for them. I don’t see hoards of kayakers out on the water around here (thankfully).
I’ll admit I could be totally wrong, and while I do feel for those who go out unprepared and pay the price (as Moulton pointed out), I think the necessary safety information is out there and easily accessible. Numerous articles and books have been written, instruction is widely available, and I don’t think the industry is suppressing that info. You guys may be right that some promote the idea that you can paddle in shorts & a T-shirt, but the opposite viewpoint is widely available, and I’d say more common. I’ve heard the phrase “dress for the water” ever since I started paddling, many years ago.
My viewpoint may be skewed a bit. The notion of paddling out here in the ocean on the Northern California coast without wearing a wetsuit has never been entertained by any sane person. In fact, not even by some who might be viewed as insane!
John Dowd makes a very good point about certification programs, and he saw that downside one hell of a long time before it ever came up on my radar. I like to teach people to kayak and I was ACA certified at one time, but the certification lapsed. Every sea kayaking instruction program that I’ve looked – from REI to Mom and Pop would consider me unqualified to teach so much as a puppy intro flatwater class because I don’t have a current certification. It’s the inflexible confluence of certification and liability concerns, and the result is that there’s no room for folks like me in formal teaching situations. So I mentor.
The problem with re-hashing this argument on a website entitled “Extreme Sea Kayaking” is that most of the people who subscribe to it already dress for impact as well as immersion and take precautions against cold shock, hypothermia, etc. because they’re used to cold water and bashing around in waves, caves, and rock gardens. The victims Moulton mentioned, the husbands, wives, and kiddies who died don’t fall into this class and those are the people it seems need to be reached.
Nevertheless, in the for what it’s worth department there are already multiple articles on this website that cover this issue:
https://tsunamirangers.com/2011/02/07/kayaking-and-cold-water-immersion/
https://tsunamirangers.com/2011/10/31/risk-assessment-kayaking-exposed-coast/
https://tsunamirangers.com/2012/10/29/the-golden-rules-of-cold-water-safety/
https://tsunamirangers.com/2013/01/21/cold-water-safety-field-test-gear/
https://tsunamirangers.com/2013/04/15/cold-water-safety-rule-4-swim-test-your-gear/
https://tsunamirangers.com/2013/08/26/cold-water-safety-rule-no-5-worst-that-can-happen/
However, if anyone would like to continue the discussion I have a couple of suggestions. First, Moulton informs me he’s writing a book on the subject. When that book comes out I’ve promised to review it and promote it on this website. In the meantime, Carl or Moulton or anyone else who’s interested can refresh this argument and bring it into the 21st Century by looking at books, magazines, manuals, etc. that have been published within the last five years or so. What’s being said, if anything about this issue? Who’s saying it? Is the “challenging conditions” argument being perpetuated? What’s being done to protect the people who are most vulnerable? Who are the outfitters, the organizations, the writers and the websites that are promoting awareness? What can be done to reach the people who need information the most? Who are they talking to, what are they reading, what websites do they frequent?
If someone wants to copy and paste portions of the thread on this post they are welcome to do so, but get permission from the players first. The main thing, from my perspective, is that any new article on this topic for this website be CURRENT. And please, no ad hominem attacks which weaken even a good argument. Once this article is written, I’ll be happy to publish it. It can also be offered to kayaking websites all over the world, although it seems like it might be better to get the info out to more general outdoor recreation sites since the audience for kayaking even if it’s not extreme is comparatively narrow and people who drown as a result of cold shock and hypothermia aren’t just kayakers.
On the other hand, I’d love to hear more about the homeostasis concept. Dowd, are you still out there? Want to do a piece for our website? I’d welcome your contribution and you’d have an opportunity to get input from a lot of good people.
Hi Nancy. Thanks for the invitation. I will see what I can do. I dont feel the current discusssion is likely to go anywhere since we all seem to be talking past each other.
I’m no specialist in the Homeostasis of risk however. I just read Wilde’s book and saw the implications. I do have some stuff ready to publish on ‘Freedom and responsibility in the outdoors in a culture of fear’ (north America). It also deals with the power of process and the nature of bureaucracies in the likes of sea kayaking. i’ll look and see if there is anythiing suitable for an on-line discussion.
Hey, Dowd (I’m going to keep referring to you by your last name to avoid confusion with Lull) you don’t need to be a specialist. If you check out Eric’s article (the one on kayaking and cold water immersion listed above) you can see he did not consider himself an expert on the topic and specifically referred to himself as a layman. But this homeostasis concept is something that sounds like it fits well with extreme kayaking, and I know it would be of interest to our readers. It’s certainly interesting to me. And it’s new: I’ve never heard of it before.
I’ve often thought about the culture of fear in America. At my dojo I am surrounded by guys who are infatuated with weapons. Some of them have spent small fortunes on their arsenals. These are guys I love and train with all the time but I have a theory that the more weapons one has, the more paranoid one is. Could be wrong on that, but of all of us at the dojo I’m the one who indulges in the most risky behavior. Yet I have no guns.
At any rate, please don’t feel anything you write for us has to be definitive. It just needs to lay out the concept in such a way as to trigger discussion.
Glad we didn’t lose you there 🙂 Let’s keep in touch on this.
I’m with Nancy. I find the general topic we are discussing here to be of great interest. And I don’t really think we’re talking past one another. I’m reading what everyone is saying very closely and several good points have been made in all these posts.
One thing that may be related here is the idea of personal responsibility. While I totally agree we want to put the best info out there and should put right any ideas we think may jeopardize the safety of those wanting to get out on the water, there will always be a certain amount of disagreement among the ‘experts’, ‘gurus’, and some of us who just have a big mouth and like to spout our opinions (I’ll raise my hand to that). Especially in this computer era, there is a ton of info available on any topic, including sea kayaking safety. So, at least to some extent, the would be paddler has to sift through that info, use some common sense and reason, and come to some conclusions on their own. Then temper that with experience on the water, hopefully in increments and training sessions in a relatively safe environment; one with some bailout options. I covered a lot of this in my book.
The bottom line is for those who want to get a certain answer, if they want to be told sea kayaking is totally safe and easy, no training or skill needed, no wetsuit or dry suit necessary in cold water, etc, they can probably find something written or spoken somewhere to tell them that’s the case. If they are foolish enough to buy it, then they’ll likely get into some trouble. I mean, if you want to believe the earth is only a few thousand years old and evolution is a myth, you’ll be able to find plenty of nutcases to ‘verify’ that for you. So it’s not limited to sea kayaking. I know I’ve read a lot of nonsense regarding sea kayaking and every other topic I know anything about. That’s why when I taught kayaking, I urged students to put everything to the test. So ultimately it’s up to each individual paddler to figure it out and sift the wheat from the chaff. (sorry for the cliches).
In response to Nancy’s request for current input on how sea kayaking is being presented to a general public today–now—I’m offering my mailman’s contribution: the latest Eddie Bauer catalog. On the cover we have four Eddie Bauer guides–Lynsey Dyer, Ben Stookesbury, Julia Dimon, and Trevor Frost–all identified as having strong outdoor credentials (way more impressive than mine!). They are shown paddling sea kayaks on open water, along the cliffs of the Canary Islands, and later, inside, coming ashore. No sprayskirts or PFDs in evidence. I was rocketed back in time to 1984 and the first Sea Kayaker covers. Ahh, change!
That will be all from me for now, but I’ll have an opportunity in a month or so to see what other literature is being widely made available to would-be kayakers, and will report on my findings.
Next question: what are you going to do about it? See “What’s being done to protect the people who are most vulnerable?” and “What can be done to reach the people who need information the most?” above.
If the question is: “What are You–(in the rhetorical sense of We)–going to be doing about it?”, I add my full-throated Amen!: What indeed? If it is: what are you–Carl White–going to be doing about it?, my answer is that I’ll be soldiering on into the gathering darkness, doing what I first started doing in 1984 with that first of many annoying Letters to the Editor of Sea Kayaker Magazine. Then CAME the several overview articles I penned in ANorAK harshly taking to task TASK’s vague and airy approach to cold water safety, and the resulting dialogs with its several defenders. I sent off carping letters to Wayne Horodowich and to Nell Walton when I was solicited by them for input on how TASK’s SKEG (Sea Kayak Educators and Guides Alliance) guidelines should be formulated (no reply). Atlantic Coastal Kayaker later reprinted my censorious overview article, “Bared SKIN: Where the Sea kayaking Industry Went Wrong on Cold Water Safety”, along with several Letters from me commenting on recent New England cold water fatalities, and this prompted a very clarifying exchange of Letters to the Editor with Nell Walton, former President of TASK. It was from this exchange that I understood just how deeply rooted was the avoidance on the part of the industry to discuss the cold water issue in terms of sea kayaking as a mass-market, general public activity. And, of course, there continued the decades-long series of Letters in Sea Kayaker, most recently on the Storm Islands incident and on PFD usage.
Everyone of us has a task (pun!) and a gift. Mine is to be a pest. I am very grateful, first to Eric Soares, and now to Nancy for allowing me to air my views here on this site, and hope that it will continue to be a forum for ongoing discussion of these issues.
Carl, I agree that writing letters to the editor of magazines that market kayaking in this devious, inaccurate fashion, and getting the word out to the industry regarding any safety issue is an admirable and necessary enterprise. I even wrote an entire book on safety issues; not just cold water safety, but many other issues that have been, and continue to be, ignored or distorted. For example, the idea of paddling a closed deck kayak out on open water without a spray skirt is asking for serious trouble (there’s a horror story on this topic in the first “Deep Trouble” book, I think). Now compound that lack of a spray skirt with wearing only a bathing suit in cold water, insufficient flotation in the kayak, a lack of rolling or rescue skills, and you definitely have a recipe for disaster.
Over the years all these problems have existed and continue to exist. The best we can do is get the best info out there and take the marketers to task (I guess that’s a pun) when they misrepresent the activity. However, you won’t stop such marketing, no matter what you do. This is not limited to sea kayaking. The glut of information in today’s world encompasses as much (or more) BS as truth, and so it really is up to the individual to do their homework and use some intelligence and common sense to sift the wheat from the chaff (as I said already). Here’s a little something for everyone who takes up any activity:
If it’s depicted as being too easy to be true, it’s not true.
This is doubly important for activities like kayaking or mountain climbing or skiing or anything involving risk.
I see the lips that still move on the gurus of sea kayaking over the last thirty years and the same noise coming out. Doesn’t matter what the particular perspective or prejudice is, there is a uniqueness that defines that individual’s philosophy. And there will be found many within that encampment supporting the tribe and spokesperson. Some of those individuals are no longer with us. When Hutchy came over here to Noth America, he brought his own ideologies, some representative of the BCU, some perhaps not endorsed. Many of us just starting out sea kayaking laughed off the nonsensical parts and took to heart the information that analytically made sense to adopt. So too with Dowds. I always tried to take what he said as purposely being a bit overstated precisely because he was in a heartfelt manner trying to counter some of the nonsense being promulgated at the time and he truly was concerned about freedom and keeping regulations at bay. I have spent time with these men and all are good men and love life and this sport. There is much more that unites than brings disunity. But they are strong personalities. Even Eric’s perspectives were unique, acquired pursuing a more active engagement of paddling coastal conflict zones where high energy dynamics exist. Hardly something applicable broadly. Guys like Lee Moyer had again an entirely different perspective emphasizing seamanship, navigational adroitness and keen awareness of tide and current factors. No deep blue paddling emphasis. That wasn’t his bag.
So what about the regular paddling bloke? Well, most of us just took our ques from all these varying perspectives putting together a philosophy that incorporated those principals and priorities we felt binding to our own style of paddling. No one I paddle with does not recognize the importance of immersion apparel, nor the fact it only buys you time and can give one a false sense of security. It is a psychological balancing act . But stand on the corner and preach it? No. Others can do that. Good gear, communication equipment, tested skill sets, experience gained incrementally, etc: These are reasonable notions and realities. If a Tsunami Ranger or deep water paddler or rec boat bloke wants to make fun of any one them fine. If someone is overemphasizing the importance of a marine radio or hears a paddler saying he can take any risk wanted and just call for help when things go south, well then the criticism is deserved.
Locally, there are a contingent of paddlers going back to the light paddling attire, high skill set orientation of yesterday. I am not going to sanction that for me, but who am I to wax critical about it? Most of us know about risk homeostasis. It was comical to read Dowd’s comments above like it was some kind of revelation. Old news bro. I am with Carl and Moulton. By default cold water paddling upon any capricious body of water or one prone to tidal turbulence, all things being equal, should be done with immersion apparel in mind. One can then make choices further to the levels of risk and possible outcome, and live with the consequences. As do their families and loved ones. As does the sport as a whole if cumulatively agencies see trends that do not amuse them. No one is saying we are there yet. I just refuse to accept everything that comes out of the mouth of any one individual in this sport. Lull, Cunningham, et al, have been traditionally, a little more balanced. That’s all most of us really want.