By Kate Whitaker

Recreational Lake Monticello

This event was an interesting day of contrasts: great fun and serious practice, talking and doing, fear and accomplishment, laid back and hard work. About 30 people showed up at the lake ready to test their boats and their stamina and expand their rescue/paddling skills. Tom, Sean and Steve arrived early with SCUBA gear to lay out a search grid to try and locate Tom’s prescription glasses lost in these waters a year ago during the last Spring Fling. The wet exit being practiced last year was successful for most of the parts participating – just the glasses part didn’t come back to the surface! It was fun watching the guys appear and disappear, but alas, they had no luck though they’re determined to try again some other time. Tom is sure they are still down there somewhere in the muck.

But soon it was time to start the business of the day and everyone got busy unloading their boats and gear. About the time all was ready, Beth had a contact pop out of her eye and onto the gravel parking area. So another search ensued with most of the group on hands and knees feeling through the rocks and dirt for that elusive blue disk. But it seemed it wasn’t a lucky day for finding lost eyewear and we all finally gave up and she got out her stand-by pair from a well-stocked emergency kit. Which goes to demonstrate one of the first principles of safe paddling – “If you don’t take it with you, you won’t have it when you need it.” Thanks, Beth, for the demonstration.

From there we went on to introductions and met some new paddlers along with our veterans. People who volunteered to be demonstrators and helpers were identified. My thanks to the crew: Sean, Pam, Tom, Ed, Colleen, Beth, Tillman and Rock for their willingness, good nature, hard work and expertise. After I distributed a hand-out and went over some safety tips, gear needs and rescue information (see 2nd Quarter Newsletter), we all got in the water testing flotation and fit of our PFDs and then swamped our boats. For safety, kayaks should float with the edge of the cockpit above the waterline with paddler in place. Most boats met this test and I was personally pleased that my ‘new’ Edisto did fine with newly installed back bulkhead and front float bags. Then it was time for the real work.

Pam and Sean demonstrated many different rescue techniques and Ed ran safety for us from a canoe all during the day and the crew helped one-on-one as people learned and practiced various rescues. Many people did their first wet exits, initially without spray skirts and then fully outfitted. Most who tried it were surprised that it wasn’t as scary (after that FIRST capsize!) as they thought it would be. The warm water helped, so it was a good decision to postpone this Spring Fling to warmer weather and water.

There was a break between assisted rescue and self-rescue during which Rock demonstrated hand signals for paddlers (with some assist from the peanut gallery), Tom and Ed helped folks make slings and Ed demonstrated using a throw rope and I posed as the target out in the water. There were some wild throws at first and I was perfectly safe from getting bonked on the head, but then they got more accurate and I had to look lively to avoid flying bags. The re-throw proved to be the most challenging-the first throw always has the best chance of success (after some practice) it seems.

Then is was back to the water for kayak self-rescue while some new canoers practiced strokes and learned how to work together in their new boat. Don Upp took a solo canoe for a spin and soon all sorts of boat sharing was going on. One fun thing about the Spring Fling is the chance to try lots of other boats and gear. The self-rescues went well while folks tried both slings and paddle floats to hone their skill and find their preference. Many discovered they needed no assist to jump back in their boat – depending on the motivation!

Eventually everyone was worn out or satisfied with their increased skill level and we took another lunch/snack break. Lots of good food was provided by the company and most of it was finished off in good order. After some relaxing, many folks took off for a paddle adventure on the lake. Then it was time to load up gear and prepare for another day’s adventure, hopefully with more and better honed coping skills for any problems that might come up on the water. As the last few folks were getting ready to leave, we looked once more for the elusive contact and Surprise! -- there it was. Ed had spotted the little devil! It was returned to its rightful owner the next week and was reportedly none the worse for its adventure.

It was a nice ending to a productive, busy and fun day.

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