Practice, Practice, PracticeIt's not just how you get to Carnegie Hall, it is how you (meaning "I"...but "I" digress) keep skills current. Especially life-saving rescue skills.

Yesterday, JB led an all day open water skills class and was kind enough to let me assist. He and I, as you know, frequently paddle together, and people are surprised when we tell them that we always spend some of that time practicing our draw, sweep and other strokes. Practice, practice, practice the basics.

Well, yesterday, while demonstrating the paddle float rescue, I actually inflated the bag before attaching it to the paddle. As I recall, I was caught up with making some point about the valves and got out of my usual routine and rhythm. A mistake like that, of course, could have led to the inflated (and unattached) bag blowing away and leaving me "high and dry." It was a good mistake because it happened during practice and has made me more mindful of what I am doing.

I cannot say how many times I've done that self rescue, and that is the first time I made that error. It was an eye-opener, I can tell you that. Take nothing for granted. Practice...always.

Paddle safe...
DS