Sharon and Alec

Tell Them Where To Stick It!

Sharon and Alec Bloyd-Peshkin paddle out of Milwaukee's southern most suburb of Chicago. Excellent instructors, they are familiar faces at Great Lake events and symposiums. The two of them have produced an excellent article on the T-rescue which appears in the December issue of Sea Kayaker magazine. It is well written and well illustrated with photographs. Of particular interest to me was the side bar at the end of the article, especially where they comment on where to stick the paddle during a rescue.

I have to admit that I almost failed an ICE when my paddle escaped during a rescue. I have been in the habit of sticking it under the deck line at the bow with the near end under my short tow line. The danger, of course (as they mention in the side bar) is having the end near the cockpit getting loose and swinging away and out of reach. Most folks, I realize, keep the paddle (their own and the victim's) tucked under their pfd. In their article, Sharon and Alec point out something I hadn't considered, that being the concept of letting a competent paddler hold onto his or her own paddle during the rescue.

I have not seen this performed but want to try it out with friends next time we do some drills. In any event, give their article a read. It will be time well spent.

Paddle safe...
DS