C-Forum

This was posted on our local board ... thought I would post it here as well


http://www.boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/1654561

Reminds me of Rick Weiss and other high ability paddlers who have died doing something they were competent to try, but which was not a sure thing. Wish there had been a third or fourth person along to attempt rescue.

I've been whitewater paddling probably for too long.

I cannot identify with the motivation of someone to run a 60' waterfall. The risk to reward balance seems way out of whack.

I also haven't seen such a clear example of the impact an individual's risk taking can have on another person.

Sad news. My thoughts are with her and the family.

I knew Ed a little bit. A few months back we paddled the Blackwater together. He told me about his plans to boat as much as possible before heading to medical school in the "flatlands" next fall. He was also engaged to be married. One of those guys you meet and think, "My parents would much rather I were like him." He was a nice guy and a good boater. I know another poster on here knew him quite well . . .

Just such a shame. I have been struggling for the last few years, seeing stuff like this (or Conrad Fourney's death in ID) with the fun/danger ratio of boating. It's almost like I can't have fun on the runs that I'm skilled enough for because all I can think about are the dangers. Certainly much of this is my individual psyche, but I think it's been affected by seeing incidents such as this.

Alden

What was Ed's last name?

Ed's last name is Gaker.
he's originally from Ohio and just graduated fron West Virginia Univ in May of this year.
i've known him for a few years now and he was a awesome guy and will be missed.
R.I.P Ed

http://www.legacy.com/middletown/Obitua ... =128175460

Ed Gaker posted his trip reports here:
http://www.kayakdayton.com//Shop-News/W ... ports.html

here is a video tribute to Ed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uppVjum4DhE&feature=fvsr

john

It makes one ponder the balance between risk and safety. How much is too much risk? Is a risk free life really living?

I'm sorry for his family and friends loss, beyond that of a fellow boater.

Phreon

Alden wrote:I knew Ed a little bit. I'd never met him, or heard of him, before this spring, but a few months back we paddled the Blackwater together. He told me about his plans to boat as much as possible before heading to medical school in the "flatlands" next fall. He was also engaged to be married. One of those guys you meet and think, "My parents would much rather I were like him." He was a nice guy and a good boater. I know another poster on here knew him quite well . . .

Just such a shame. I have been struggling for the last few years, seeing stuff like this (or Conrad Fourney's death in ID) with the fun/danger ratio of boating. It's almost like I can't have fun on the runs that I'm skilled enough for because all I can think about are the dangers. Certainly much of this is my individual psyche, but I think it's been affected by seeing incidents such as this -- young guy, same boating level as me, rolling the dice -- gone. That ain't no joke.

Alden

Very tragic, my thoughts are with Ed's family and friends.

Alden,

I can somewhat relate to your thoughs. Although I have not lost any friends to the river, I have to the mountains.
I was also at a stage, after breaking my shoulder while boating, where I had lots of questions about whether and how to keep paddling. I came to the conclusion that it was too important a part of my life to let it go, and I keep pursuing it, although nowhere near the difficulty and consequence level of what you are running.
One way of keeping paddling interesting might be to cosider getting into a different discipline that is still challenging, but does not have as many and/or dire consequence, like squirting. You looked good at the C-quirt, I am sure you would pick it up really fast.

TGG!

This article gave me more appreciation for the rewards of running multistory falls, but the risks still seem excessive:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... %3Darticle

Ed was my friend and a kayaker.

A waterfall, a seive, an undercut, or a bad hydraulic do we randomly weave through the maze or are we prepared to paddle through the obstacles? Tell Jay, Will, or Alden to stop paddling the rivers and creeks they do and you will not like the answer. The decision is personal and Ed felt that his decision was right. I won't ever question that.

I miss my friend.

You are of course correct it is a personal decision to boat, but we are social beings and nothing we do is independent of those around us.

You've got to continually assess the risks and know that any tragedy won't just affect yourself.

I do respect Jamie McEwan’s opinion, below:

Neither of us was the sort of daredevil whose brain lights up with pleasure as he launches himself off a 50-foot waterfall.

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.