very sad -- also makes you wonder what the death rate was for Polynesians in outrigger canoes

Mine is a 17' wood kayak (CLC Kit) The times I've ventured any real distance off shore I'd constantly get offers of rescue from boaters and on one occasion the Coast Gaurd themselves.

I doubt it is higher than NFL players on the water. Mainliy because the Polynesians had/have respect for the water.

Mine is wooden also, built it from a kit, Newfound. Marine plywood hull with cedar strip deck. I've been in rough seas, 5-6 foot swells. They are sea worthy vessels for sure.
I feel for the families not to much for them. If you don't show respect you recieve none. Mother Nature could care less if you are a professional athelete.

a 21 foot everglades is a very capable boat. Not in 14 foot seas - It's all about picking your days.

The latest twist is the families of the NFL players can't seem to be able to stay out of the front of a TV camera. They are giving local interviews to anyone that will tape them. The father of one went on Larry King last night. Instant celebratees:rolleyes:

The sole survivor says that sometime during the night they removed thier vests and started swimming. The families are saying they don't believe him. "My son is too strong willed- he would never give up."

They are also out in the Gulf looking for them. How long before the GC is called again?

When will the lawyers for the families hold a press conferance?

This story isn't over.....

I have encountered hypothermic people twice during my exploits, and I can absolutely believe that a rational, intelligent person might do something totally irrational like take off their life vest and "swim for it" if they are hypothermic.

The first hypothermic guy I ever encountered was wearing a down coat, completely unzipped, and was holding his wool hat in his hand. He tried to say something to me, but was slurring his words badly... he then yelled out that his name was Blake, stumbled and fell in the snow, barfed, and collapsed. He ended up pulling through just fine, but I don't think there's any good explanation for why someone who was obviously cold would unzip their jacket and take off their hat.

Yup. We pulled a guy out of an avalanche some years ago. He'd been under the snow for 18 hours and had dug himself a large breathing chamber. But his legs were broken and he couldn't move. When we found him he was singing "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so." And he wouldn't stop singing this all the way to the hospital. We found out later he was Jewish. The doctors thought the singing might just have kept him alive.

Or maybe it something else that kept him alive. I'm just saying.

You're right... the air-pocket shouldn't be discounted.

I was talking with some friends last night and we all agreed that they did just about everything wrong on this little trip. They made Gillian look like an Admiral.

My first rescue was off the coast of California in the summer...Guy had been in the water with only a life jacket for about 6 hours.

He was completely incoherent from the cold water...he kept babbling about some, "Is There a God" thread. I asked my crewman to move him to PARF:cool:

Hypothermia is a slow, inexorable slide unless arrested. The guy really was in distress and had, when we snatched him, no apparent will.

supposedly a fishing buddy told the owner of the boat..
you need to get one of those emergency beacons..
just a few days before this trip...

Rika