From boatertalk Yaker dies Sherman Falls/Cinnamon

insolence · Post by **insolence** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:09 pm

this is one of the most sad storys I have heard in my life. I can only imagine the pain and dreadful feelings his family and girlfriend must have.

I also agree the ones who say that our actions have an impact on others.
Respecting any possible safety aspect should be a habit to anyone of us.

But maybe we should also consider that an accident with deathly outcome can always happen. I have thought a lot about the dangers of boating. Deathly obstacles can be in any river. I do my best avoiding them by not overestimating my skills, respect water level, take along a reliable group of paddlers and safety equipment. But even then I know that I could end up dead. But this is not only while boating - it can happen tomorrow while crossing the road and being hit by a car, by falling badly off the stairs at university - the risk is always there and everywhere, and sometimes even best precaution cannot avoid it.

cadster · Post by **cadster** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:01 pm

In order to enjoy whitewater, do we always have to seek greater challenges and their increasing danger?

One of the things I like about canoeing is that you can challenge yourself in situations where the risks are more manageable.

As far as the public image issue see:
http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/show ... ostcount=1

Sir Adam wrote:It is each persons decision the amount of risk they are willing to take.

Realize that what may be too risky for YOU may not be deemed too risky for someone else. There are many, many people out there that firmly believe that ANY whitewater paddling is too dangerous... and I suspect most on this board would fervently disagree with that.

Some consider driving (which is far more deadly than boating IIRC), taking an airplane, etc... too dangerous and risky, yet most of us have no problem with it... and that is TODAY. If it was deemed "too risky" years ago we'd still be walking around, or riding horses (some still are, and likely healthier for it, but that's another discussion). While I do not expect any technological advances from paddling, I do believe it plays an important part in our lives, just as golf, football, skiiing, etc... do for others (the skiiing / paddling analogy is quite a good one really, from a risk standpoint).

Every year we lose some in our paddling community, and every time it is a tragedy. Sometimes it is to the sport / rivers we love, other times cancer, car accidents, or other activities.

Let's all try and enjoy it while we can, and remember to support those that are still here, be it fellow paddlers or family members of those that are no longer with us.

Sir Adam · Post by **Sir Adam** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:03 pm

We each make our own choices about what aspect of the sport we wish to explore.

Rather than paddling more difficult water, I try different craft - a class III river is plenty difficult enough for me in a super-low volume squirt boat or WildWater boat! I am comfortable in class IV water (especially if I know it), and stick to class II-III-IV runs. That is my personal choice.

I have many friends (some of whom are no longer with us unfortunately) who prefer more difficult water. It is part of who they are.

I firmly believe in evaluating the consequences, and making a personal choice. I hope folks respect my choices, as I respect theirs, regardless of whether I would make the same choice or not. We're all different - it is far more constructive to embrace that difference than to reject it.

For the record, my post is not aimed at 'cadster', or anyone else in particular - I'm just tossing my 2 cents in.

cadster · Post by **cadster** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:46 pm

Divisiveness amongst boaters has come about with the growth in the sport.

Some paddlers compete for their place in a hierarchy for social and monetary reasons.

cadster · Post by **cadster** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:06 pm

Seems like this could be an interesting book and movie.

"There's a book by Chris Hedges, 'War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning,' which is a fascinating read," Bigelow says. "And he delves into the fact that there's a sense of purpose that moments under extreme pressure can give you that normal life can't replicate. It's a kind of peak experience, and you can extrapolate it to race-car drivers, to hang gliders, to all sorts of endeavors."

'The Hurt Locker,' director Kathryn Bigelow

cadster · Post by **cadster** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:19 pm

Media attention for running waterfalls continues:

http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html ... d=playlist

Alden · Post by **Alden** » Sat Jun 27, 2009 9:08 pm

Great headcam footage. I'd seen that somewhere else, too.

I always thought the label of "extreme" sounded funny. Like "ultimate" frisbee. Nobody's called a "moderate" kayaker, after all.

The funniest exploitation of that was in the movie Paddlequest when they show the guy flying them into the river and the caption says, "Craig Bower, Extreme Helicopter Pilot."

cadster · Post by **cadster** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:30 pm

Here's an Outside article for more perspective:

http://outside.away.com/outside/culture ... ion-1.html