Pavilion Beach Ipswich Saturday 6/13,

[hoppy09]

I noticed our group count fell to 10 shortly after Gene left and was told he went to the beach to eat. someone called him and he had landed on the beach from our play area I could not see him on the beach so as he said he went around the point it had to be plum island and ther were boats anchord there he also radiod he was heading back to putin when we headed back it had been 1.5 to 2 hours since he had left the group after landing and loading boats we realized his car was still at the putin so we made several atempts to call him on the radio and no ansewrs we drove to little neck to see if he had got pushed up the ipswich river by the tide still no sign of him we asked several other boaters coming in if they had seen him but no luck finaly a call was made to the ipswich police and we were told the harbor master was responding to a kayaker in trouble we left a name and number with them and then we left after nearly 2 hours.

[Suz]

My question -- was there a designated or understood leader (or anyone taking an interest in the status of more than just themselves) at any time during this trip, and if so, who and what times, and how did that overlap with Gene's departure and failure to return. (I have my guess, but certainly could be wrong, and would like to hear from the group.)

CAM is not "no leader", not "no structure", but as it's been told to me, the "leadership" may rotate and "structure" is by group agreement. I guess it's also possible that there indeed is no leader and no structure at a particular time, or for the entire trip. In fact, that seems to be the usual way it's implemented on the CAM trips I've attended.

Another, more practical question -- was anybody counting the group and/or taking census at any time, leader or not.

I am absolutely not being accusatory here, of the group or of anyone in particular. I just think that this is an excellent opportunity to do some work on CAM. Let's not ignore the elephant on the table, or the perhaps the walrus on the deck.

Maybe it should be another thread, however.

--David.

David - I agree wholeheartedly that it should be discussed in principle in another thread on the general message board. I wasn't with the group and therefore don't want to speculate but without a doubt, there are some principles to be stated about trips.

I will post to the GMB a thread on principles of paddling in groups.

Suz

[Gcosloy]

There seems to be some confusion about where we were surfing so here's a photo and a chart.

-- assorted landmarks as seen from our location.

-- chart showing our approximate location.

The picture and map helps. If the surf zone area was were we were, I was positioned just to the east of this zone and paddled back toward the entrance to Pavillion into strong ebbing current crossed over to the tidal flat on the south tip of Plum Island and hooked into a calm nook on the backside. The sand bar rose up high so I could not be seen from the surf zone. I thought I was at the other end of Castle Neck because the topo is similar: Entrance to a Bay, beach on the left (Wingaersheek vs. Cranes, and a spiny sand spit on the right with a major water channel behind it. (Castle River vs. Plum Island sound). When I left to return I turned sharply and headed north. At that moment the surf zone and presumably the other paddlers would have been enough behind me that if I wasn't looking in that direction would miss them completely. Sorry for the confusion but it was that very confusion that led to this incident.

[ayong]

The most important thing is that Gene is okay.

NSPN has an invaluable tradition of discussing mishaps as learning experiences. The commentary is usually perceptive, well informed by a variety of backgrounds, thoughtful and intelligent. We all strive for wisdom (and empathy) Whether we use this thread to explore the issues, set up another thread or drop the matter is up to the readers.

There are a number of topics that come up for comment.

1. The common adventure model

2. Communications skills

3. Communications technology

The concern showed by the group of 7 who waited for Gene, went driving around to get a better view of the waters and contacted the authorities demonstrates that NSPN people feel connected to a group member who’s possibly in trouble. (the folks who left earlier knew that there were concerned people looking out for Gene)

As Gene recounts, he left the edge of the group and transmitted over channel 72 that he was on a beach. His precise location wasn’t clear. There was a series of conversations, marred by totally garbled transmissions, with many “I can’t understand, please repeatâ€. Gene later commented that at one point he either put his radio away or turned it off�"indicating that communications were frustrating, not helpful. He then transmitted that he was leaving the beach and heading for the put in. About an hour later, the surfing was over and everyone headed for Pavilion Beach, but Gene wasn’t there.

Several people tried to raise him on Ch 72. (I tried the garbled VHF and verified that it was sending degraded signals.) The Ipswich police said that a paddler in yellow life vest and kayak was in contact with the Harbor Master; later we were told that the Coast Guard was involved and finally the Coast Guard told us that he was okay and his wife was coming for him.

In this specific instance, counting boats every moment on the water wouldn’t have helped, because Gene signed out when he said he was going to the beach, and later that he was leaving the beach and going to the put in. It wasn’t until we got to Pavilion that we got concerned. What should/could have been done then? If it were a difficult day, with bad weather and little recreational traffic, notify the authorities sooner rather than later and also send out our stronger paddlers with VHF radios as ‘search and rescue’ teams? On a nice day with boaters swarming every inch of the Bay, leave a message on his car to call one of us, and if he didn’t call by 6 PM, notify authorities? …?

Group protocol"when an experienced, well-equipped paddler, on a day with good conditions, indicates that he’s leaving the group, what’s called for? Perhaps it would help if we tried to develop a standard that one is either “in†or “out†of the group. When you start from the beach you are all “in†and stay “in†until you decide to leave, in which case you signal clearly that you are “out†and leave the umbrella. Some group dynamic has to account for individuals who are leaving because of a problem, in which case they need an escort…otherwise, we’re free to set out on our own, using our own judgement. But one’s responsibility to the group does demand a clear signal that you’re departing.

Communications protocol and equipment are concerns. When someone is going to leave the group, it’s best to deliver a clear message and get it verified. Obviously, the best communication is face to face, but that’s often impractical. Radios can help "BUT they can let you down and they can even aggravate the situation.

We have some pilots in the group; perhaps we can profit from looking at the aviation model "which is well designed by a long process of using the lessons learned approach. Communications protocol "stating your message clearly and, on the other end, confirming reception, comprehension and acceptance of the message. Is it proper to converse on a VHF radio as you would on a cell phone? Is it necessary to identify yourself and end each transmission with “over�

Communications equipment "faulty equipment can cause problems. We all need to inspect and maintain our equipment. Radio checks might include identification of handsets that are failing to send clear signals.

So, what can we learn from all of this?

Tom H

[rick stoehrer]

The most important thing is that Gene is okay.

NSPN has an invaluable tradition of discussing mishaps as learning experiences. The commentary is usually perceptive, well informed by a variety of backgrounds, thoughtful and intelligent. We all strive for wisdom (and empathy) Whether we use this thread to explore the issues, set up another thread or drop the matter is up to the readers.

There are a number of topics that come up for comment.

1. The common adventure model

2. Communications skills

3. Communications technology

The concern showed by the group of 7 who waited for Gene, went driving around to get a better view of the waters and contacted the authorities demonstrates that NSPN people feel connected to a group member who’s possibly in trouble. (the folks who left earlier knew that there were concerned people looking out for Gene)

As Gene recounts, he left the edge of the group and transmitted over channel 72 that he was on a beach. His precise location wasn’t clear. There was a series of conversations, marred by totally garbled transmissions, with many “I can’t understand, please repeatâ€. Gene later commented that at one point he either put his radio away or turned it off�"indicating that communications were frustrating, not helpful. He then transmitted that he was leaving the beach and heading for the put in. About an hour later, the surfing was over and everyone headed for Pavilion Beach, but Gene wasn’t there.

Several people tried to raise him on Ch 72. (I tried the garbled VHF and verified that it was sending degraded signals.) The Ipswich police said that a paddler in yellow life vest and kayak was in contact with the Harbor Master; later we were told that the Coast Guard was involved and finally the Coast Guard told us that he was okay and his wife was coming for him.

In this specific instance, counting boats every moment on the water wouldn’t have helped, because Gene signed out when he said he was going to the beach, and later that he was leaving the beach and going to the put in. It wasn’t until we got to Pavilion that we got concerned. What should/could have been done then? If it were a difficult day, with bad weather and little recreational traffic, notify the authorities sooner rather than later and also send out our stronger paddlers with VHF radios as ‘search and rescue’ teams? On a nice day with boaters swarming every inch of the Bay, leave a message on his car to call one of us, and if he didn’t call by 6 PM, notify authorities? …?

Group protocol"when an experienced, well-equipped paddler, on a day with good conditions, indicates that he’s leaving the group, what’s called for? Perhaps it would help if we tried to develop a standard that one is either “in†or “out†of the group. When you start from the beach you are all “in†and stay “in†until you decide to leave, in which case you signal clearly that you are “out†and leave the umbrella. Some group dynamic has to account for individuals who are leaving because of a problem, in which case they need an escort…otherwise, we’re free to set out on our own, using our own judgement. But one’s responsibility to the group does demand a clear signal that you’re departing.

Communications protocol and equipment are concerns. When someone is going to leave the group, it’s best to deliver a clear message and get it verified. Obviously, the best communication is face to face, but that’s often impractical. Radios can help "BUT they can let you down and they can even aggravate the situation.

We have some pilots in the group; perhaps we can profit from looking at the aviation model "which is well designed by a long process of using the lessons learned approach. Communications protocol "stating your message clearly and, on the other end, confirming reception, comprehension and acceptance of the message. Is it proper to converse on a VHF radio as you would on a cell phone? Is it necessary to identify yourself and end each transmission with “over�

Communications equipment "faulty equipment can cause problems. We all need to inspect and maintain our equipment. Radio checks might include identification of handsets that are failing to send clear signals.

So, what can we learn from all of this?

Tom H

i think we're moving this to the gmb.

and i disagree with some of what you said...not the least of which is how a head count wouldn't help and that the radio's didn't work...actually, sounds like they worked exactly how you should expect a hand held vhf no more than 2 feet or 5 and change if standing ought to work in an area with mutliple dunes and obstructions to block the line of site transmissions.

[EEL]

Is it proper to converse on a VHF radio as you would on a cell phone?

Not a good idea for a variety of reasons and you should not expect to be able to speak softly and communicate with a VHF radio as you can with a cell phone.

Is it necessary to identify yourself and end each transmission with “over�

This may provide some answers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedure_word

Ed Lawson

[tyson]

We have some pilots in the group; perhaps we can profit from looking at the aviation model "which is well designed by a long process of using the lessons learned approach.

I think that the part of flying that applies here isn't about how to talk on the radio. I'll post a reply later on the GMB thread and try to elaborate then.

Ty

[ayong]

Not a good idea for a variety of reasons and you should not expect to be able to speak softly and communicate with a VHF radio as you can with a cell phone.

This may provide some answers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedure_word

Ed Lawson

Thanks Ed--that good information is exactly why I posed the rhetorical questions.

Our VHF protocol ranges from correct to non-existent; I'm going to try to do better, using this info.

Equipment must be maintained; messages must be distinct and when we're talking about something important, make the effort to be sure it's been received.

Let's move this discussion to the main board, CAM topic.

Tom

[Rob Hazard]

To Gay and JonD,

In answer to your questions: It was first noticed that Gene was "missing" after everyone had returned to the beach and someone noticed that Gene's car was still there but Gene was not.

As I see it, Gene had quit the group. He told Tom and Deb that he was leaving and going to shore, in spite of their both advising him that it was a bad idea. At Tom's insistence, Gene radioed from the safety of dry land that he was OK. He then said that he would head back to the launch.

The conditions at the time were quite benign. Visibility was unlimited, the sea was smooth, except for the one surfing spot where we were playing, the tide was incoming and what breeze there was was onshore. The bay and harbor were dotted with boats, both kayaks and bigger boats. I saw no cause for alarm.

At that point I felt that our responsibility to Gene as fellow group members was ended. He had left us of his own free will and was back on shore, safe and sound. Should we have forcibly towed him back to the group, or escorted him to his car?

I apologize if I sound upset over this. I lost some sleep last night second-guessing our actions. The only step we missed, that I thought of last night, was to make a "pan - pan" call to the boats in the area asking if they had seen Gene. I wish I had thought of that when we were scanning the water.

Rob

[Gcosloy]

"As I see it, Gene had quit the group. He told Tom and Deb that he was leaving and going to shore, in spite of their both advising him that it was a bad idea. At Tom's insistence, Gene radioed from the safety of dry land that he was OK. He then said that he would head back to the launch."

Rob- this is exactly the kind if he said -she said BS that I wanted to avoid. I hoped that by taking responsibility for what I did or did not do others would not embroider the facts defensively. The quote above is not what happened at all! What happened is in my post! Because of what you have written I will have nothing more to say on this incident except the following: It is more than ironic that of the 11 paddlers on this trip at least 8 were in my estimation expert or advanced. Several sport BCU awards for competency and coaching ability and several are members of an elite paddling club that prides itself on demonstrating very strong paddling skills. Not one of these eight thought it appropriate to hold a beach briefing before scrambling out on the water. In retrospect it was inappropriate for me to have joined this group. It won't happen again!

[PeterB]

If you read over the available material , you will see that no one lost Gene.

A lost paddler situation is when a paddler is unnacountably missing. This was not a lost paddler situation. Here, Gene clearly stated his intention to leave the group. Even Gene will confirm that.

No paddler could have devined the events that would occur thereafter. It is unreasonable and disrespectful of this groups collective judgment to imply that they acted with disregard to his safety.

[rick stoehrer]

If you read over the available material , you will see that no one lost Gene.

A lost paddler situation is when a paddler is unnacountably missing. This was not a lost paddler situation. Here, Gene clearly stated his intention to leave the group. Even Gene will confirm that.

No paddler could have devined the events that would occur thereafter. It is unreasonable and disrespectful of this groups collective judgment to imply that they acted with disregard to his safety.

cam's need a leader too and being a leader doesn't take divination; it takes judgment based on experience, foresight and sort of a dark (within reason) what if, view of the world. so i disagree with you, i think it didn't work....if cam says a leader arises on a trip, then the leader made this decision. this was not a good leadership decision.

the group had one guy (gene) make the decision through his poor decision on whether or not they'd be running around later in the day wondering if he was alive. had he not made it to shore the conversations might run closer to "i coulda done..." as opposed to "he decided..."

in truth, gene lost gene. he made the decision to leave the group, he didn't have a chart and he was literally miles off in his estimation of where he was at the time and ended up washing ashore on a dumpy beach getting window shaded. he made a series of mistakes he is unlikely to make again.

in hindsight, everyone involved mighta made different choices.

[Larry2002]

This is the question that has been running through my mind since reading the post earlier...

When was it that Gene was noticed as missing? What was done at that point?

Jon

I had heard Gene on the radio saying he was planning to go into shore. I watch the surfing fanatics for a while then noticed Gene wasn't around any more. It was at that time that I and several others contacted Gene and he said he was nearing shore. I set off in search of Gene a short while after that. Unfortunately, my radio transmitions were garbled and although I could hear and understand Gene, he couldn’t understand me. I paddled over to the nearest beach (Crane?) and didn’t see him so I paddled over to Plum Island. As I approached the western point, I could have sworn I saw Gene leaving the eastern point. I tried to contact him, but no one was responding to the crap coming out of my radio (the radio is less than a year old, this really pi**es me off). It looked like he was headed back to the group so I landed on the western point and changed into a dry set of clothes. From what I can guess, Gene headed north.

Larry