Messages

61

SUP General / Re: Seattle Times Article on SUP Related Drownings

« on: August 06, 2019, 09:50:25 AM »

Windwarrior—
Nothing is missing from the story.  Somewhere early in this post, there was mention of carrying a knife.  But, the writer had never seen anyone carry a knife. 
I reported seeing someone wear a knife on a regular basis.  I never asked him why.
That’s all.

Roger that.

62

SUP General / Re: Seattle Times Article on SUP Related Drownings

« on: August 05, 2019, 08:59:07 PM »

A paddler in Newport Beach always wore a dive type knife on his calf.  Most of the time he paddled out to the ocean for a two hour paddle.

Is there something missing from this story? I don't get it.

63

SUP General / Re: Seattle Times Article on SUP Related Drownings

« on: August 03, 2019, 05:34:30 PM »

My other thought is, would having a diving knife be a wise thing to have? Perhaps more than one strapped to calf, forearm, bicep or even a thigh??

Even though I've never been a diver, I know that most have a knife or two strapped for just in case moments.

64

SUP General / Re: Seattle Times Article on SUP Related Drownings

« on: August 03, 2019, 11:30:07 AM »

In some situations where there are heavy currents and fast-moving water it is simply not possible to reach down to an ankle- or even calf-mounted leash attachment. And some leashes that have quick release pins, actually won’t release under tension. A friend alerted me to this about the XM leashes. I didn’t believe him so tied the leash to a tree and pulled the pin from different angles under tension. From most angles the leash stayed firmly attached even when the quick release pin was fully pulled out.

So, make sure you actually try the “quick release” features of your leashes to make sure they work in the way you expect them to.

None of this is a reason not to use a leash, of course. But the limits and uses of pretty much any safety equipment (including a pfd) need to be considered carefully. Most of this stuff (like pfds) will save you in one circumstance but put you at risk in another. It’s tough to get this across in a simple message, and it doesn’t reduce to a simple law or regulation. For instance, for people who can swim, the primary safety device is a leash. But for complete non-swimmers it would be a lifejacket. I have no idea why someone who can’t swim at all would SUP. Madness. But they do.

Now THAT'S disturbing news to learn! Quick release that doesn't actually release? I'm glad this little bit of information was posted in here because I for one would've NEVER thought of this being an issue with tension applied. Ironically, in moving waters there's ALWAYS going to be tension!!

Thanks for sharing that CRITICAL piece of information!!!

65

SUP General / Re: Seattle Times Article on SUP Related Drownings

« on: July 30, 2019, 06:48:22 AM »

I was just at Lake Tahoe visiting friends that live there. Their son works at a sup and kayak rental company located at various beach locations. It was very windy one morning and he said they have learned to just not rent SUP's when there is stronger wind. They end up having to retrieve customers who've been blown out into the lake and can't get back. The kayaks do fine in high wind conditions so they will almost always rent those. They all have to wear life jackets and leashes.

As for Tahoe, I lived there for 4 years and one thing that stood out for me was one company that refused to rent sit inside kayaks unless the person was well versed in self rescue. It wasn't as simple as ", well , yeah I know how" it was nooooo, you need to tell me the steps or you're not getting in one of mine. However,  you CAN rent a sit on top. I applauded him for that. He was a customer of mine and he and his wife owned that shop on south shore along with another shop in the Bahamas. They hadn't seen a winter in a decade! Great folks! Good morals. Considering they can always just take the money.

66

SUP General / Re: Seattle Times Article on SUP Related Drownings

« on: July 30, 2019, 06:24:26 AM »

This doesn't surprise me one bit. When I lived out in Seattle (12 years) I was an organizer in the largest kayaking group in the state and when I organized paddle trips through the meetup group I was floored that some of the rental shops didn't even offer the basics such as an inflatable float and pump for self rescuing.

One of the very first things I would do when posting for any outings was PREPARE TO GET WET because we're going to do self rescuing exercises. I loved teaching people that simple task. We all had a great time splashing around in the process.

I'm a firm believer that companies should be offering those simple tools at the very least.

As for paddleboarding, pfd's are uncomfortable? Perhaps but it's far better than going to a funeral.

67

Gear Talk / Re: New Blue Planet 'All Good'

« on: June 26, 2019, 02:40:16 PM »

Pheeeew.....thanks for the warning. Luckily I had a helmet on and was prepared for unconsciousness!! LOL.

COOL REVIEW!!👏👏👏👏

68

SUP General / Re: Another shark bite in NC

« on: June 11, 2019, 06:15:06 AM »

This kind of stuff is not good for tourism.

That comment reads from a VERY popular movie. Ironically from this subject at hand.

69

SUP General / Re: Paddleboarder in Sunset Cliffs Assault Case Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

« on: May 16, 2019, 07:40:13 PM »

He got lucky on several levels.
Main one being, he could've killed the guy. Second thing being he could've gone away on attempted murder charges which could've given him a much stiffer sentence.

From the sounds of things he clocked the guy from behind since the blow was the back of his head(which in my book is chicken sh*t).

Having grown up surfing, in my days there were plenty of times my buddies and I went into territorial waters. Plenty of square offs in the water. None of which involved weapons. It was always toe to toe so to speak. Most of the time it involved a couple punches thrown and sometimes a lights out dive. After a couple of blows though, it was always broken apart and everyone just chilled. So long as nobody dropped into each other's waves.

It kinda s*cked a lot of times because, damn, it was SURFING!!! It's supposed to be about "the ride man" and chillin' with chicks!!! Eventually everyone grew up and got the idea.....mostly. There were always those certain areas where that just wasn't the case.

Where this guy's going for the next 5 years, he's going to understand what it feels like to get hit from behind.

70

SUP General / Re: SAD NEWS--Sunny Garcia

« on: May 03, 2019, 07:51:12 AM »

Good news to hear! Hopefully he finds happiness within himself and realizes the lives he's affected during all this through family and friends that come together before it's too late.

I can honestly say that once someone has their mind set on something like this, it goes one of two ways. Family and friends are critical!!

Wishing him love and hope in his time of need.

Hopefully he reads these comments.

Peace!

71

SUP General / Re: SAD NEWS--Sunny Garcia

« on: May 02, 2019, 08:32:41 AM »

Thanks WW for sharing your pain and experience. Talking helps. Asking someone you are worried about how they are doing, feeling helps. Human contact helps and if you are very concerned asking them if they are considering suicide does not prompt someone to act on it. If you can, get them to the help that they need. The loss of a child is heartbreaking. Your word have helped someone in need, they have helped me to reach out to a neighbour I know is struggling. Bob

I'm VERY HAPPY that it's helping someone out there!!!!

One thing I can say to look for is sitting in darkness with the shades shut when it's a clear blue sunny day out.

Even more so when it's gloomy outside. Open all the shades in the entire house/apt to brighten the mood indoors!!

Very first thing I was told and noticed when I landed in the PNW was that it was the suicide capital of the country due to all the "gloom." I moved there in the summer of 2000 and by September I started noticing commercials popping up for depression AND suicide prevention. So, I threw myself headfirst into the outdoors. Went to REI in Seattle and bought rain gear, hiking boots and a backpack. THEN I met a couple one day on Mount Rainier and told them I was hiking alone and new to the state. Well, they both asked if I'd heard of "meetup". They told me all about it and when I got home I liked what I saw. I  joined 14 different groups, met tons of new people and became an organizer in 10 groups. Next thing I know I'm at a grocery store one day wearing my signature blue bandana and a couple walked up to me and asked if I was "that hiker guy". I was stunned and laughed then said "why yes I am". I wasn't aware I was THAT popular or known. It was pretty cool though.

Meetup has been a godsend for me. It's free, very fun and gets people outside mingling with others!!! Any activity you could possibly think of you can search for and probably find it.

So yeah, get that neighbor OUTSIDE and active. One thing a doctor told me once was, the best thing for you is being active, it stimulates your endorphins, helps tire you out and you sleep like a baby. I can honestly say without a doubt in my mind, that has helped tremendously!!! I'm glad I listened.

72

SUP General / Re: SAD NEWS--Sunny Garcia

« on: May 02, 2019, 08:13:43 AM »

glad youre up again WW

and re "im afraid to say the wrong thing" ??  nope--be thoughtful about what you say, but say something--those who are in pain respond to compassion, even imperfect compassion

ABSOLUTELY!!! Compassion is key...

73

SUP General / Re: SAD NEWS--Sunny Garcia

« on: May 02, 2019, 07:09:29 AM »

So yeah, I totally agree with you on the constant reassurance of letting your loved ones or just friends KNOW that some out there IS caring about them.....no matter what.

Windwarrior, I wish you didn't have to speak out of experience, but it's that experience that made me realize how suck I'm at that. A simple gesture makes all the difference. Thank You!

Simple gestures ARE what it's all about!

I'll never forget the day my brother grabbed ahold of me with a great big hug then started crying. He yelled from the top of his lungs "DON'T LEAVE ME "

No matter how awkward it may seem at the time, it WILL leave a permanent thought in that person's mind. Just let it flow......

74

SUP General / Re: SAD NEWS--Sunny Garcia

« on: May 02, 2019, 06:40:23 AM »

Windwarrior - I am so very sorry. That is absolutely horrendous. Words fail me: I’ve sat here staring at my computer screen trying to think of what to say. But, really, I’ve got nothing. Thinking of you guys at this extraordinarily painful time.

I can only imagine you being mind blown after everything I typed. I know, it's a lot. Last thing you'd think you'd be reading on a paddleboarding forum right? Crazy I know.

We're(my family) all a very emotional family. Italian/Spaniard descent. So we tend to talk with our hands a lot. When something good OR bad happens, you can imagine the reactions that fly. So yeah, it's been a rough time.

It all happened about a month ago. Everyone flew in from across the country and just kinda hugged each other a lot. Last time we all saw each other was a decade ago after our mom passed. One positive thing that came from all this was we all talked about not being apart so much from this time forward. So we're going to make it a point to gather once a year to bond.

After our mom passed, it hit us all rather hard. All my siblings have 3 kids a piece so they all retreated into their bubbles. Only problem being is I don't have anyone to retreat to. No kids to hold, no gf, not even a goldfish. So I was pretty much left to fend for myself. Mom was my world. We talked every day after work. I'd call and talk to her about my day(I lived in the PNW at the time and she lived in S.Cal.) and she would tell me about hers. When she passed, that all ended.

The woman I was dating at the time for almost a year and was madly in love with decided at some point to take on a hobby (other men) and became distant with me. So rather than having a shoulder to cry on, I got nothing. I decided to enlist a good friend of mine to make contact with her through Match (where we met) to see how long it would take her to respond to his note. 20 minutes was all it took. He forwarded me her message, I met her for lunch and I confronted her. I asked her 2 questions. 1- I thought we were exclusive (her response was, yes honey I can see myself marrying you) and 2- then explain this, as I slide the fateful (not to be confused with FAITHFUL) note across the table. Her reaction? Tears start dropping onto the note. She looks up and says, I don't know what to say. My response? I thought so and I walked out. Called my bro and told him I'm leaving the PNW and heading your way.

I became a recluse for the first year. After that, I decided to rediscover my love for the outdoors and everything "ing."

This is how I discovered paddleboarding!!!! Took a while but I found it!!!! Have grown to love every single minute cruising around on top of this board and alllllll the cool bodies of water I've been on and all the planning of the future one's I'm going to hit!!! I'm an organizer of a paddleboarding meetup group and enjoy it very much. Meet cool people and enjoy the stoke together! This year? Crested Butte and the Slate River!!!

How's that song go again? "I get knocked down but I get up again."

 

75

SUP General / Re: SAD NEWS--Sunny Garcia

« on: May 01, 2019, 07:18:46 PM »

I have been lucky, depending on how you look at it. I have been to the ER twice with a kid after purposefully taking too much of something then deciding to come tell me. What really got me was when I was talking about his future not long ago and he said he really had not made plans because he didn't think he would live this long. He is much better now, making plans and doing things to achieve them.
I have been in the abyss. It's a nasty place.

I'm embarrassed to say it but, I've been down that path once. I was 15. It was in the 80's back when there was some nut job lacing tylenol pills with cyanide and people were being killed. I downed a bottle of 250 tylenol pills and went to bed. Later that night I flew into the bathroom and started throwing up and couldn't stop throwing up. Parents couldn't understand why I was puking until I told them what I had done. Next thing  I know dad threw me over his shoulder and bolted out the door while mom is in tow screaming bloody murder and starting the car. Yeah, THAT wasn't very fun AT ALL.

One thing I can certainly be thankful for is the fact I failed in that ridiculous attempt of taking my life. I wouldn't be able to tell everyone the wonderful stories of things I've done, places I've been, people I've met and the loves I've encountered.

It's difficult to describe what triggered that event. It boiled down to losing my first love and extreme heartbreak that followed.

I think RBGAR might've nailed it with the "going south" comment. Some are ok with love loss and some are not.