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--- stories:coastguard_rescue_safety_lessons [2024/08/20 16:44]
preavley
+++ stories:coastguard_rescue_safety_lessons [2025/03/23 22:10] (current)
@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 Thanks Dan. This opens up a lot of other questions. SInce you and Paul seem to peruse the archives of this site, I think you may find that the prevailing consensus was that VHF radios were the ticket and that EPIRBs and other devices may take too long for a response. Now, though, with new technologies, and knowing that DSC GPS points are only sent when the button is pushed, that may change the thinking. Would an EPIRB have resulted in you being rescued more quickly? Would an apple iwatch track GPS location at all times when you push the emergency button, or would it be more like the DSC function?
-**Tim Sturtz **12/12/22 #32847 \\ Thanks for sharing the story and safety takeaways Dan. It sounds like quite the harrowing experience and I'm glad you came out of it okay.
-I often wonder about striking the right balance between overheating and immersion preparedness. You mention wanting to be prepared for immersion in the future, but I'm curious what your gear setup was on Saturday. A 3/2 full wetsuit? A shorty? Hydroskins?
-Tim
 **zach **12/12/22 #32848
@@ Line 79: / Line 73: @@
 A further reflection regarding your comments and our paddling community; A few years ago, my uncle crashed his motorcycle and barely escaped with his life. After a full recovery, he sold his damaged bike and vowed never to ride again. This, I think, is how many normal people respond to such incidents. But amongst us paddlers, when things go awry, the solution always seems to be that we need another boat!
-</WRAP>
-===== Dan's Water Clothing and Immersion =====
-<WRAP indent>
-**Dan Mayhew **12/12/22 #32853
-To answer the gear question, I was **wearing a 3/2 NRS farmer john with a Nike dry-fit long-sleeve shirt**. I had a **1 mil Vaikobi vest**  and the **new Mocke paddling jacket**  on as well. I wore wool socks under R4 Patagonia wetsuit booties. On my hands were thin NRS paddling gloves covered by Braca-Sport poggies. I had a thin skull cap on.
-I am an unreliable narrator as far as time goes. it felt like a long time after I first attempted to send the distress signal to when the CG arrived. When I spoke with the boat captain he told me it was 10 minutes. Maybe only my last three attempts at calling were successful? I have no reason to doubt the CG's account of the timing.
-My Garmin was recording the paddle, but the data was lost when the battery died before Paul's amazing retrieval of the boat. I do have the coordinates of where they picked me up. Those are 48-45.62N, 122-33.27W.
-I like the idea of working on methods to reduce our time to rescue. So much of it is knowing when to call for help, and then of course how and using what devices and channels. I am up to contribute to these efforts in any way that is helpful.
-I cannot say it enough. Thank you all for your concern and efforts. When you are hanging on the side of a boat in cold, rough water it is abundantly clear that you are alone. But I wasn't was I? Not with what you and the rescue teams were doing. I am very grateful.
 **Reivers Dustin **12/12/22 #32854
@@ Line 113: / Line 89: @@
 Just to add more info to all this, Collin Smith stopped by my fire station at Marine Drive/Bennett Ave (around 12:05pm, 911 call came at 11:05) and grabbed a pair of binoculars. His plan was to head out towards Marietta and then Lummi Shore Drive. We both quickly realized that with the easterly wind, no shore based operation from Fairhaven or Bellingham was gonna be worth a s#%t. Our on-duty Battalion Chief was also heading that direction. \\ (Dan Mosely was scoping out Squalicum Beach & Romo was in charge of Locust Beach) \\ Within minutes of Collin pulling into Cliffside Park at Marine Drive & Alderwood Ave he watched the CG boat rushing to and picking up Dan.
-**beau whitehead **12/12/22 #32858
-Dan, the paramedics told me to tell you "sorry" for having to cut some of your gear off. They said they tried to cut as little of the "expensive lookin stuff" as they could.
-I told them that getting a wetsuit off is hard, even on the best of days.
 **Toby Cooper **12/12/22 #32859
@@ Line 131: / Line 101: @@
 Toby
-**Waterman Larry **12/12/22 #32860
-Hi all,
-As a fellow winter paddler and marine casualty investigator I have followed Dan's story with great interest. Good job Dan, Good job everyone involved!
-What are the water temperatures in Bellingham Bay this time of year?
-We are at about 44 degrees water temperature now in the gorge and cooling. My self rescue a couple of weeks ago included 5 remounts and approximately 30 minutes total in the water. I was just barely dressed adequately with the following:
-/3 Mateus Dante wetsuit with separate Excel neoprene hood \\ Full Drysuit over wetsuit \\ 7mm booties with wool socks \\ black plastic mechanics gloves inside of neoprene pogies.
-This rig is adequate for 60 minutes survival conditions at 45 degrees based on me testing for 30 minutes in 45 degree water.
-I can't paddle in less than 25 average wind with these clothes as I require constant splashing to keep core temperatures down. Fortunately, the winter downwinders are often in the 30's and 40's keeping me wet and cooled down. (super fun, just like summer).
-The hoodie is crucial for the survival swim and can be flipped down letting my head cool off when I am sweating heavily which happens when under 25mph wind.
-I will be adding my 1mm drysuit insert over the wet suit and inside of the dry suit soon as water temperatures decrease. \\ I will be adding my 2mm drysuit insert over the wet suit and inside of the dry suit soon as water temperatures decrease a bit more.
-In the wintertime, I paddle in two conditions only: \\ over 25 mph average downwind with full clothing as above (awesome conditions in winter). \\ under 10 mph with light gear such as a 4/3 wetsuit only with or without hoodie. In 45 degree water, one 4/3 wetsuit is adequate for sudden immersion shock protection and allows you 10-20 minutes of immersion to remount in 35-45 degree water.
-Between10mph and 25mph average wind, I don't paddle in the winter unless a big wind dies on me. Why? I can't wear enough clothes to survive the swim as I will over heat while paddling. So I only paddle flat water and big downwinders all winter. Mostly downwinders as I like to erg as much as I like flat water paddling. Since I can't dress for the swim in medium conditions due to the heat, I just don't paddle medium conditions until April or May.
-When my steering failed recently, I was kicking myself for not practicing paddling with no rudder more often. By the end of my self-rescue, my Strava shows I averaged over 3mph with no rudder at all allowing me to exit at Home Valley safely and with boat. At the beginning of my self-rescue, I had come within 20 minutes of abandoning my boat and swimming due to lack of practice paddling with no rudder. 5 remounts during my learning curve. Lack of practice is on me.
-This summer, Mary and I plan to become proficient at various forms of self-rescue and assisted rescue techniques.
-Thanks everybody for discussing this survival topic!
-Larry Goodson
 **swellrider62 **12/12/22 #32862
@@ Line 269: / Line 207: @@
 can u operate the watch with neoprene gloves on?
+</WRAP>
+===== Dan's Water Clothing and Immersion =====
+<WRAP indent>
+**Tim Sturtz **12/12/22 #32847 \\ Thanks for sharing the story and safety takeaways Dan. It sounds like quite the harrowing experience and I'm glad you came out of it okay.
+I often wonder about striking the right balance between overheating and immersion preparedness. You mention wanting to be prepared for immersion in the future, but I'm curious what your gear setup was on Saturday. A 3/2 full wetsuit? A shorty? Hydroskins?
+Tim
+**Dan Mayhew **12/12/22 #32853
+To answer the gear question, I was **wearing a 3/2 NRS farmer john with a Nike dry-fit long-sleeve shirt**. I had a **1 mil Vaikobi vest**  and the **new Mocke paddling jacket**  on as well. I wore wool socks under R4 Patagonia wetsuit booties. On my hands were thin NRS paddling gloves covered by Braca-Sport poggies. I had a thin skull cap on.
+I am an unreliable narrator as far as time goes. it felt like a long time after I first attempted to send the distress signal to when the CG arrived. When I spoke with the boat captain he told me it was 10 minutes. Maybe only my last three attempts at calling were successful? I have no reason to doubt the CG's account of the timing.
+My Garmin was recording the paddle, but the data was lost when the battery died before Paul's amazing retrieval of the boat. I do have the coordinates of where they picked me up. Those are 48-45.62N, 122-33.27W.
+I like the idea of working on methods to reduce our time to rescue. So much of it is knowing when to call for help, and then of course how and using what devices and channels. I am up to contribute to these efforts in any way that is helpful.
+I cannot say it enough. Thank you all for your concern and efforts. When you are hanging on the side of a boat in cold, rough water it is abundantly clear that you are alone. But I wasn't was I? Not with what you and the rescue teams were doing. I am very grateful.
+**beau whitehead **12/12/22 #32858
+Dan, the paramedics told me to tell you "sorry" for having to cut some of your gear off. They said they tried to cut as little of the "expensive lookin stuff" as they could.
+I told them that getting a wetsuit off is hard, even on the best of days.
+**Waterman Larry **12/12/22 #32860
+Hi all,
+As a fellow winter paddler and marine casualty investigator I have followed Dan's story with great interest. Good job Dan, Good job everyone involved!
+What are the water temperatures in Bellingham Bay this time of year?
+We are at about 44 degrees water temperature now in the gorge and cooling. My self rescue a couple of weeks ago included 5 remounts and approximately 30 minutes total in the water. I was just barely dressed adequately with the following:
+/3 Mateus Dante wetsuit with separate Excel neoprene hood \\ Full Drysuit over wetsuit \\ 7mm booties with wool socks \\ black plastic mechanics gloves inside of neoprene pogies.
+This rig is adequate for 60 minutes survival conditions at 45 degrees based on me testing for 30 minutes in 45 degree water.
+I can't paddle in less than 25 average wind with these clothes as I require constant splashing to keep core temperatures down. Fortunately, the winter downwinders are often in the 30's and 40's keeping me wet and cooled down. (super fun, just like summer).
+The hoodie is crucial for the survival swim and can be flipped down letting my head cool off when I am sweating heavily which happens when under 25mph wind.
+I will be adding my 1mm drysuit insert over the wet suit and inside of the dry suit soon as water temperatures decrease. \\ I will be adding my 2mm drysuit insert over the wet suit and inside of the dry suit soon as water temperatures decrease a bit more.
+In the wintertime, I paddle in two conditions only: \\ over 25 mph average downwind with full clothing as above (awesome conditions in winter). \\ under 10 mph with light gear such as a 4/3 wetsuit only with or without hoodie. In 45 degree water, one 4/3 wetsuit is adequate for sudden immersion shock protection and allows you 10-20 minutes of immersion to remount in 35-45 degree water.
+Between10mph and 25mph average wind, I don't paddle in the winter unless a big wind dies on me. Why? I can't wear enough clothes to survive the swim as I will over heat while paddling. So I only paddle flat water and big downwinders all winter. Mostly downwinders as I like to erg as much as I like flat water paddling. Since I can't dress for the swim in medium conditions due to the heat, I just don't paddle medium conditions until April or May.
+When my steering failed recently, I was kicking myself for not practicing paddling with no rudder more often. By the end of my self-rescue, my Strava shows I averaged over 3mph with no rudder at all allowing me to exit at Home Valley safely and with boat. At the beginning of my self-rescue, I had come within 20 minutes of abandoning my boat and swimming due to lack of practice paddling with no rudder. 5 remounts during my learning curve. Lack of practice is on me.
+This summer, Mary and I plan to become proficient at various forms of self-rescue and assisted rescue techniques.
+Thanks everybody for discussing this survival topic!
+Larry Goodson
 </WRAP>

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