JohnHuth

I don't know about "best" - but I use thick neoprene gloves. Simple, cheap, and pretty reliable. Even in the coldest conditions they work well, and give me a good grip. I have a graphite composite shaft. I also like the tactile feel they give. You have to keep an eye on the seams, however - they tend to fray with heavy use. John

I had two questions on Iceland for any of you experts out there. 1.) Has anyone kayaked in the NorthWest Fiord region and have any useful information about this area? I'm toying with the idea of a trip there next summer. (for those unfamiliar - Iceland's Northwest Fiord region is a huge maze of fiords and islands. Part of is is a very wild national park). 2.) There was a recent group who circumnavigated Iceland and had made slide show presentations about it. Does anyone know whether they're writing this expedition up as a book? (I was in a town called Vik last summer, which has a large basalt beach - pitch black. I stood on the edge of it and saw huge breakers coming in with a 45 knot cross-wind blowing spume off the tops. I can't imagine how anyone traversed this section of coast.) Many thanks in advance, John Huth

A neighbor of mine, Jim, died suddenly last week of a major coronary failure. I'd periodically pass him on the beach, while I was going out into Nantucket Sound, or jog by him when he was weeding his garden. Jim seemed to understand my aversion to houseguests. One day, I was driving off to the Swan River race (thanks to folks here!), and he said "So, are you going and not coming back?" We had a memorial service for him on the beach in front of my house this morning. It was rainy, wet and windy, and people would fidget trying to stay warm. All of the speakers kept saying how much he loved life and loved the sea; how we could honor his memory by being part of the ocean. Well, it might have been totally bone-headed on my part, but I decided to go out solo on the water, with a wind forecast of 30 knots and gusts up to 45 (sez here at the NWS forecast). I wanted to honor Jim. My wind gauge was reading more like 25 with gusts up to 35. I stayed close to shore, but had one slightly hairy open passage. This was just going from Harwich Port toward Chatham and back. Since the wind was from the north, and I was on a south-facing shore, I could duck in and out of little sheltered spots. There were times when I got caught by a gust and was glad I was able to hang in the lee most of the time. The rain was splattering on my face and glasses and the wind whistled over the water, making a kind of hissing,moaning sound. Moored fishing boats bobbed up and down, and there wasn't a moving vessel to be seen, where once there had been jet-skis driving me crazy. It took just the right amount of "push" on my part to get down and back. I also wanted to see how the seals in my kokotat held up, and jumped in the water after my little adventure. It was *too* good - I floated around like a sausage in a zip-lock baggie. Goodbye Jim. Be free.

Geeze, you folks are such a good resource! Thanks! John PS Yes, PAM is not a pretty sight on a drysuit...it's downright embasrassing

As long as you're on the subject - what do you use to lubricate the zippers? I have a kokatat, and was told that bees-wax is advisable. Only problem - I can't find bees-wax and my zippers are starting to get a little difficult (but keep me dry). I tried using PAM, but it puts some greasiness on the goretex, which I'm a bit worried about. Sorry about your dissappointing experience. John Huth

One thing to keep in the back of your mind when paddling is to ask yourself the question "what if I have to roll?" This kind of mental preparation is helpful. One thing I got surprised with in my first encounter with "real" conditions was the effect of wind. In trying to roll on the downwind side of the kayak, I had a lot of difficulty, but on the upwind side of my (upside down) kayak, it was far easier. Having some idea of the waves and wind conditions that you're in and how to respond to a capsize in those conditions can be very important for a successful roll-up. In terms of breath - try rolling with zero setup and even in conditions where you might have to fumble around with the paddle underwater - it'll increase your confidence, which ultimately helps fight the panic reaction.

A possibility for me for Monomoy. I have a house in Harwich Port, so it's pretty close. Let me know. John Huth

Sounds good. I found out that Shirley Gomes, who introduced the bill, is running for reelection in my district. I'll pay her a visit, I think my message will be that there are some very thoughtful and experienced kayakers out there, who are eager to help her craft something better in terms of promoting safety. If she is interested in hearing from someone in NSPN, who should I steer her to? Thanks! John Huth (who just got back from a lot of business travel and is finally working on his offside sweep roll again)

Good points. Concretely - how do you pass legislation that encourages education on hypothermia? This goes far beyond kayaking. I don't think a winter goes by when we don't hear about three or four separate fatalities in the White Mountains from hypothermia. Maybe cotton outdoor gear should have a warning label? "you are wearing the fabric of death"? I'll let you know when I contact people on the Ways and Means. John

Let me add: inflatables require a decision to deploy them - in many cases, having that floatation available in a passive fashion is desirable (you whack your head). Also - I find that the added buoyancy makes rolling easier in a foam vest (but I'm a wuss compared to y'all). I know some places - outfitters and guides - who won't allow you to use an inflatable. Still, the CG rates them as type III's. John

I contacted some people in the Ways and Means committee. I'll probably set up a meeting. I don't know what precisely I will say, but I'll be checking this thread before I do. John

Thank you for the encouragement. I'd be willing to follow up on this and am happy to work with some of the more veteran members. First item of business - I'll try to find out where it stands in the legislative process. I believe it's before the Ways and Means Committee. The obvious next step would be to contact the relevant principal on the Ways and Means committee. The next step would be to schedule a meeting - but before doing so, I think you (North Shore) have to have a collective decision on whether you speak as an organization or as individuals. As an organization, you carry more weight, but then you also have the burden of forging a representative consensus, which has its pluses and minuses, clearly. Since I'm new to your organization, I don't feel that I can speak on this last matter. By the way - I don't view myself as an expert on kayak safety. As I said on one of my previous posts here, I was in the same water at the same time as the two girls who died. I know Tom Leach and some of the background of the bill. Because I was in close proximity to their deaths, I've become more conscious of my own kayak safety - largely because I paddle solo so much (one of the reasons for learning about your group was so that I could find people at approximately the same skill level and increase my own skills - which, to me, is the bedrock of safety). If you wish to form an "interested party" e-mail list, I'd be happy to help on that too. I'll dig in on the Ways and Means Committee issue (who is introducing the bill), but await other commentary on how you, as a group, would like to handle this. Best, John Huth

If you feel strongly about the subject, contact the people in the Senate: http://www.mass.gov/legis/ and the actual e-mails for the senators are: http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm Although I'm new to the group (and sure feel the heat in posting), I assume that if, as a group, you advocate a certain position in which you are undoubtedly both experts and an interested party, then your views may very well prevail. John H.

I asked Tom Leach about the bill. Evidently they stripped out the whistle and compass requirement, but kept the PFD. In my understanding, there is already a PFD requirement for roughly Labor Day to Memorial Day - the only effect of the bill would be to make it year round. Don't shoot the messenger....I'm just reporting! Finally, I did take a lot of Brian Nystrom's suggestions to Tom. I'm awaiting Tom's reply. John H. Quotation to follow: ---------------------------------------------------------------- Hi John, Thanks for asking. The bill is back in the Senate. Nop whistles and No Compass! Tom Kayak safety bill moves on to Senate By Scott Dalton/ sdalton@cnc.com Tuesday, August 31, 2004 Less than a year after a kayak tragedy took the lives of two young women, the state Senate is poised to require that all kayakers wear a personal flotation device at all times. The Senate Ways and Means Committee will now consider the bill in anticipation of a review by the full Senate. Harwich Harbormaster Tom Leach said the bill has received backing by harbormasters throughout the commonwealth. The House of Representatives unanimously approved the Mary Jagoda/Sara Aronoff Kayak Safety Bill Aug. 18. The bill is named after Mary Jagoda, 20, of Huntington, N.Y., and Sara Aronoff, 19, of Maryland. The pair disappeared on the afternoon of Oct. 12, 2003, after launching their kayaks off Ayer Lane Beach in Harwich Port. They were reported missing an hour later. Searchers later recovered Jagoda's body. Aronoff's body has not been found. State Rep. Shirley Gomes sponsored the original legislation less than a month after the tragedy. The bill would require that kayakers wear life jackets all year, rather than only between Sept. 15 and May 15, as now required by state law. "The Harwich harbormaster requested this legislation after the terrible tragedy," Gomes said at the time. "It is my hope ... that people become more aware that safety on the water is not just for larger motor boats and sailboats, but for canoes and kayaks as well." Although kayakers are required to have a life jacket in their vessel at all times, the existing legislation only mandates that they wear it between Sept. 15 through May 15. It is unknown whether Jagoda and Aronoff carried life jackets with them when they set out. Leach said the families of the young women are in full support of the bill. In addition to keeping the person above water, a life jacket can also slow down the effects of hypothermia because the person does not expend energy attempting to stay afloat. Leach said more than 100 kayakers die each year, adding the Coast Guard estimates that 84 percent of drowning victims would have survived had they been wearing a life jacket.

I think Tom would like nothing more than to actually hear from kayakers. I'll pass this on to him. There's an interesting parallel here, if you'll allow me: the Maine lobster industry was in trouble for a while. Rather than to craft legislation from afar, the state spent a lot of time working with the lobsterman's union to devise sensible regulations. This has worked reasonably well. If there is an interest effective ways to prevent deaths in ocean kayaking, I think it does necessarily involve people who are experienced. I've tried to talk with Tom about this, but he was already launched on this particular bill before I was able to get to him. It's worth taking another shot. Thanks for your comments! John Huth

I kind of had a feeling this would create responses along these lines. I was out in the same time and place as those girls and was having a great old time fishing for striped bass. I was out of sight of land serveral times, and never had any problems. When I talked with Tom Leach, who searched for the girls, and "created" the bill, I pointed out all these arguments. He said "yeah, but you're experienced". I wouldn't call Tom "sleazy" or "bad" or "gutless". He's a well-meaning guy, who is trying to do something in the wake of a tragedy. This kind of bill is a bit like a seat-belt law in the minds of many. You could imagine passing a law that requires pedestrians to carry compasses because they might turn into hikers in the woods. Obviously there is an absurd limit to all this. On the Cape, there are a ton of outlets that sell cheapo kayaks. The people who sell them don't really think about potential dangers of inexperienced people going out in conditions over their heads. I've had to rescue a number of people out in Nantucket Sound. I guess I'm an agnostic on the bill, but that's because Tom Leach is a friend of mine, and although I sympathize with the point that you can't legislate intelligence, if I put myself in the position of SAR personnel, you can't but try to see it from their perspective. John Huth

I spoke with the Harwich Harbormaster, Tom Leach about this last spring. He said that it had gone through a lot of changes, but I *think* is close to being voted on. One legislator objected to the inclusing of a compass because she had no idea how to use a compass. Her logic prevailed for a while and the compass requirement was stripped out. I think it eventually got put back in. I have an e-mail into Tom to find out about the status of the bill. I'll post to the list then I get a reply. BTW - I was out in the fog at the same time, within 100 yards of where/when Sarah Aranoff and Mary Jadoga went out. It was a very rattling experience to hear of their deaths. Tom was involved in the search. This upcoming Columbus Day marks the one year anniversary of their deaths. I have to say that I was spurred on personally to become much more vigilant about my own kayaking safety because of this accident. John Huth

The week before Labor Day, I was out around HarwichPort in Nantucket Sound. Being the nerd that I am, I keep my VHF on to listen to the harbormaster channel (68) and 16. There was a guy on an inboud fishing boat to Chatham (Stage Harbor), who reported seeing a Great White in the "Chatham Roads" area. I'm assuming this was the same shark. The sighting last year was also around this time. I'm guessing that the sharks go after the bluefish and striped bass that both congregate around Cape Cod this time of year. BTW - if you're interested, in the book "Deep Trouble", there's an interesting true story about a guy who was kayaking off of California and was attacked by a great white - tore off a chunck of his kayak, but he was ultimately unharmed. Probably the shark thought the kayak was a juicy morsel, and thrashed it around quite a bit.