South Florida Paddler Missing on the Hood River

[pinoySUP]

Prayers and positive vibes for Andres.  As a new SUP'er in S Florida, I hope I get the opportunity to meet him.

[SuppaTime]

Normally the area where he fell in, Swell City, is packed with windsurfers and I am sure someone would have seen him and been able to assist. But as it was, Friday was forecasted to be much better sailing out east and Swell City and the Hatchery had very few people out sailing.

[Weeble]

Bill, thank you so much for the information you have been able to give.  I was hoping that you would see this and have something to offer due to your experience in the area.  And thanks to all for the kind words and non-judgement from everyone.  Many of the threads on facebook at some point or another ended  up going down the road of debating his skills, judgement, etc... and at a time like this, it doesn't really help.  There are many friends of Andre on the zone, those way closer to him than I, and I can assure you that they appreciate it.  As Bill reported, it does appear that he did not have safety gear with him.  Down here we are astonished by this, but we know it happens, we know that sometimes when you run the "cool kids" you just do what they do.  It is however, in such sharp contrast to the fact that as a coach for Special Olympics, they live by those rules.  However, we are all guilty of things like this, we just got lucky.

We've seen the photos of a massive 248 person paddle out in support of Andres and one is under way down here.  It won't be as big as the one in Oregon, but I'm sure there will be another one soon.  Besides his friends and family that are reeling from all of this, so are the Special Olympics Teams from Dade (Miami) and Monroe (the Florida Keys)

[Weeble]

Pics from the Paddle Out in Oregon today....

[Weeble]

A go fund me page was started today to help get Andres' family out to Oregon as soon possible and help with the costs that they will be incurring.  One way or another, the South Florida SUP O'Hana is going to help make sure that Andres comes home.

[PonoBill]

I was talking with some friends today about how the river is perceived. You can see the other bank, it looks like a friendly little river, but it's really a mile across. All the perceptions of distance and size here in Hood River are screwed up because of that. Very sad that the circumstances came together as they did. Even without the right gear he would have been fine if something went right. Perfect storm.

[SeaMe]

A go fund me page was started today to help get Andres' family out to Oregon as soon possible and help with the costs that they will be incurring.  One way or another, the South Florida SUP O'Hana is going to help make sure that Andres comes home.

Drive by link:
http://www.gofundme.com/cz2js8sw

[thorn]

thinking of him, hoping for good news

[Easy Rider]

This truly is a tragic event. 
Having first windsurfed in the Gorge in 1983 - I know how wild a place it can be. 




Unfortunately - if you look at this photo - the vast majority of paddlers are not wearing leashes - and that is a HUGE problem for our sport. 

[Weeble]

Easy Rider, I agree.  I'm not sure quite what the deal is with the safety equipment.  I have always worn a leash no matter what.  Mainly because it makes it's easy to pull my board up if I have to climb up a dock during low tide, or when my fiancee who's had two shoulder surgeries has a bad day  on the water, and I need to tow her back... but I've always had one and worn it.  As far as my PFD goes, I have a belt one that is usually in my cargo net unless I am doing a long paddle and wearing my Camelback that has the strap where I can put the PFD back there.  Otherwise, due to having no hips, that sucker is around my ankles in no time.  So I am guilty of it as well.  I don't know if it's a "cool kids" thing, or similar to where most people seem to have the one friend that swears they won't wear a seat belt in a car and they will reference some unsubstantiated "case"  where some guy survived a crash only because he was thrown thru the windshield.  I am hoping that this will end up with some type of a safety movement, like a "Least up for Andre" or the like.  I have a few friends that are sponsored in one way or another, and I have heard about some having agreements with their sponsors about codes of conduct and such.  If this really is the case, then why aren't sponsors telling their riders "hey, if you're going to paddle for our brand, you're going to show an image of safety as well".

Oh, and another note, it has been amazing to see the support coming in for the gofundme page.  Open ended airfare is not cheap.  Getting Andres back home is not going to be cheap.  The money has been coming in though and hotels out there are offering free stays for his family until they find him.  So along with our tears, our rage, our questions... we are overwhelmed to see so many helping in the aftermath

[SUP Sports ®]

Truly an avoidable tragedy that an inexpensive coiled leash, that sits on the deck of the board, could have helped prevent...sad...

I have also spent hundreds of hours on that river in nuking conditions...had my sail rig and board yanked out of my hands by a gust and pinwheel away...fortunately, the current was going opposite of the wind...we used to kid about it being a pond...but, when they release lots of water, the current really gets moving...

I was just involved in a water rescue last week...5 people involved...2 people caught in a rip...with 3 more trying to help, also getting sucked out...stoked to report that the incident ended with a very happy ending...but, with the level of panic it was touch and go for awhile...

[Glowmaster]

Pono is right as usual.  The river looks narrow and doable. But when my windsurf rig separated from my board off Rowena in 35 knots , I saw my life flash before my eyes. My friend saved me. Once your gear is not happening for whatever, the river owns you.

Prayers out for Andre...

ed

[capobeachboy]

Saw this on FB and Instagram taken prior to one of the Fanatic team downwind runs on Friday - Andres on the left.  Not sure what vest pack he is wearing or whether he had it on when they did the ill-fated run that afternoon.  No leash on the board on the left that I can see.  Looks like a sunny beautiful day in Hood River and I'm still in shock that this could happen to a paddler of Andres' caliber.

[stoneaxe]

So sad and so avoidable. I really hope everyone considers this when they head out. The only time I might consider not wearing a leash would be in warm flat water with others around. The MTI low profile belt pack that I wear when I go out off shore doesn't drag much swimming, certainly not as much as the spare tire I carry around. I think the benefits outweigh the risks.

[addapost]

No Leash, no pfd is idiotic. Don't even argue, STFU. With beginners it is mostly an ignorance thing. With experts it is mostly a "cool kids" "no one is going to tell ME what to do" thing. In both cases it is stupid. In the latter it is inexcusable. Here's a good article from Distressed Mullet
http://distressedmullet.com/2015/08/25/lets-talk-about-safety-because-someone-has-to/