Downwind Safety Vid - The Gorge

[Off-Shore]

I think our friend Off-Shore is right, and it's time for a Gorge-specific safety video for downwind. People get fooled here. It looks harmless, it's anything but.

As Pono states, he and I have been communicating on a Gorge-specific safety video. I know there is a time and a place for everything, and this may be a bit premature. For that I apologise, but our intentions are well intended.. so here we go..

There is a great safety video about kiting in the Gorge (see below supported by a bunch of sponsors).... I'd happily contribute to get a similar vid to be made about downwind SUP safety in the Gorge.



If you Google "Gorge downwind SUP vid" you'll come across vids like the one below and these show why this place is such a mecca for downwind enthusiasts and why we love this sport. With downwinding growing in the Gorge and elsewhere, a professionally made safety vid featuring some well known SUP pros, catered to the downwind paddler on the Gorge and elsewhere will go a long way to keep people safe.

[burchas]

I'll contribute to a safety vid. If anything, it is long overdue not premature.

[Blue crab]

The target audience is key.  There is a certain demographic that is probably unfixable.  In the Cascades, there is a beautiful ice cave that forms every spring due to a recurrent avalanche path. Every summer it melts . There are a gazillion trillion signs warning people to avoid the caves. My wife and i were there this summer on a scorching day, perfect for ice cave collapse. We saw at least a dozen people in the caves and were flabbergasted. Later that week, there was the inevitable yearly death when the cave collapsed. This group is probably immune to the benefit of safety videos. On the other hand, they also seem less likely to strap a board on their car and head to Viento, though the risk of heading out anywhere on the river is not trivial. 

Then there is the uber-experienced down winding group, many of whom are on this forum.  This group is not immune to close calls.  Pono has regaled us with war stories of swimming to shore in Maui. DJ taught us all a lot with his recent video of board escape x 2.  We have all had experiences on the water that were not optimal.  Nevertheless, as evidenced by the arguments regarding pfds / buddy systems etc., we are all somewhat set in our ways.  (For example, I think the buddy system has the potential to enhance safety considerably, but am seemingly in the minority with this point of view).

Therefore, the group that seems like the perfect target audience for a video would be newbies who are seriously interested in the sport.  This weekend was so sad. However, it was awesome to see the growth of down winding: on Thursday & Friday I saw dozens of people on then river, many of whom were still in the early learning stages.  All seemed so stoked with their experience.  On a personal note, I took my 2 sons (aged 9 & 10) out for their first Viento runs this weekend and it was an overwhelmingly positive experience that I won't soon forget (yes, I was freaked out about safety and prepared extensively).

I think that there are a set of core principles that we could all rally around for the newbie group (leash that has been properly tested, +/- buddy system, how to avoid gill nets, how to avoid freighters, pfds or at least some flotation device that allows swimming, first couple of runs as part of a guided tour or with a very experienced rider etc.. etc...). The other issue is a broad definition of newbie. An expert surfer or flat water racer who has never downwinding is a newbie in my view: no shame in this at all but it needs to be stated explicitly in the video IMO.

[Off-Shore]

BC, I agree with the points you raise here. I have 3 kids who SUP, and I've taken my eldest downwinding here in a relatively sheltered bay without currents / rips. It would be a big leap taking them to a place like the Gorge, and so when I do, I'll be in touch as it seems your kids had a blast and you nailed the safety.

Big Winds do have a great list of the key safety points on their website, which would be a great start for any video

http://bigwindsblog.com/2014/06/23/sup-downwind-safety-guidelines-2/

[Blue crab]

OS, You should do a week in the gorge with your kids!  Of the places I've tried downwinding, (Seattle, La Ventana, Maui), it seems like the least scary place to learn. The Viento run is long (8-9 miles?). However, only the middle third is challenging due to bigger swell and some confused sections.  However, this section is very close to shore. The beginning is a perfect intro with small / moderate swells. The final third is corduroy: huge for confidence building. Of course, there are very real safety issues but in general the run is very lined up and there is a great cadre of locals who can show you the way.

[burchas]

Another point which might be obvious but worth mentioning is the "cool factor".

Many people will NOT wear safety gear as it makes them looks dorky or it is just to cumbersome (which could be true for the latter). It seems that appearance is more important than safety for some ( I was never cool so never had this issue).
So when making the video, I'd suggest to use the slickest, coolest gear available and make sure
the models looks fabulous using it.

Case in point, my wife refused to wear the gear until I found some very cool suit that goes
really well with the PFD and hydration, which made her look like a "Special Ops" agent.
I had to buy the same sh*t for my self, just to make her happy for when we're going together.

This could prove effective for youngsters as well which is even more important for future development.

[yugi]

^^^ Impact vests are not dorky looking. Plus they keep you a little warmer and are easy to swim with.