Do be careful before you go paddle boarding

[davidej]

Deleted

 

[dunedin]

<Edited as OP post #1 deleted>. Very sad for the families and friends of those involved. RIP

Clearly in due course we will learn more about the facts of the incident. Fast running rivers in flood are never safe places to be.

 

[Sandy]

I totally agree with @dunedin . Think of the families and friends who have been devastated by the knock of a police officer on their door yesterday.

 

[davidej]

Sorry not meant to be. But I see a lot of inexperienced people on boards getting into difficulties when they would be perfectly safe in a kayak. Boarding has moved from a lovely pastime in clement conditions to a me too sport in far from ideal circumstances.

 

[davidej]

I have deleted it in case any more would think it disrespectful.

 

[Sandy]

I have deleted it in case any more would think it disrespectful.

Thank you.

 

[Mister E]

I have deleted it in case any more would think it disrespectful.

I feel it is the title that needs changing.

You do bring up a very important point about lack of expertise reading the water conditions.

This is such a tragedy for all those involved.

 

[Dellquay13]

very tragic.
i heard it was an experienced group with 2 guides. I think weather conditions had prompted them to look around for somewhere more sheltered than their regular places.
i know the river there, it is the upper tidal limit of the eastern Milford haven waterway. It is in a very sheltered location just below the town weir, by Haverfordwest castle and council offices.
the rain had been torrential since Tuesday and gales for a few days. A rising river and a flooding tide, where local kids paddle in the summer.

 

[prv]

I see a lot of inexperienced people on boards getting into difficulties when they would be perfectly safe in a kayak.

I use a paddleboard, and agree there are a lot of people buying a board and going out paddling with very little appreciation of tides and so on. But that doesn’t seem to be the case here, and nor am I convinced that a kayak would be automatically safer. In fact, with an equally inexperienced person in both, the kayak seems to have more traps since it can capsize, flood, or trap a beginner upside down.

Pete

 

[davidej]

I feel it is the title that needs changing.

You do bring up a very important point about lack of expertise reading the water conditions.

This is such a tragedy for all those involved.

I've done that as well but my point remains painfully obvious.

 

[Mister E]

I've done that as well but my point remains painfully obvious.

Thank you

 

[Wing Mark]

Haverfordwest: Three die on paddleboarding river trip

The river looks fast flowing, but it's not rapids or anything.
If those people were wearing buoyancy aids and wetsuits, I find it surprising three drowned unless they were swept into a culvert or something?
One person dying would be an unlucky tragedy, three suggests risk-taking , above and beyond.

It seems that there was a commercial organisation involved?

 

[davidej]

The report seems to suggest that the answer is yes.

 

[V1701]

Sorry not meant to be. But I see a lot of inexperienced people on boards getting into difficulties when they would be perfectly safe in a kayak. Boarding has moved from a lovely pastime in clement conditions to a me too sport in far from ideal circumstances.

What on earth is a "me too sport"?

 

[Dellquay13]

Haverfordwest: Three die on paddleboarding river trip

The river looks fast flowing, but it's not rapids or anything.
If those people were wearing buoyancy aids and wetsuits, I find it surprising three drowned unless they were swept into a culvert or something?
One person dying would be an unlucky tragedy, three suggests risk-taking , above and beyond.

It seems that there was a commercial organisation involved?

it isn't strictly a river at that point, it's the upper section of a tidal Ria, where boats of 1m draft or less can reach the old town wharf on a spring tide

 

[Wing Mark]

it isn't strictly a river at that point, it's the upper section of a tidal Ria, where boats of 1m draft or less can reach the old town wharf on a spring tide

Ria is a subset of river valleys.
It's definitely a river.
Not sure it is technically a Ria.

It looks like service were called to the tidal section.

 

[Dellquay13]

Ria is a subset of river valleys.
It's definitely a river.
Not sure it is technically a Ria.

It looks like service were called to the tidal section.

it is tidal there, I've visited in my mobo on a spring tide when the town mayor did the beating of the bounds from a boat, and it is a very sedate place normally.

i don't wish to lower the sombre tone of this thread with pedantry, but the daugleddau. (2 cleddaus) waterway is definitely a ria.

Pembrokeshire Marine/ Sir Benfro Forol - Special Areas of Conservation
Pembrokeshire Marine in south-west Wales includes Milford Haven, one of the best examples of a ria in the UK,

 

[Wing Mark]

it is tidal there, I've visited in my mobo on a spring tide when the town mayor did the beating of the bounds from a boat, and it is a very sedate place normally.

i don't wish to lower the sombre tone of this thread with pedantry, but the daugleddau. (2 cleddaus) waterway is definitely a ria.

Pembrokeshire Marine/ Sir Benfro Forol - Special Areas of Conservation
Pembrokeshire Marine in south-west Wales includes Milford Haven, one of the best examples of a ria in the UK,

Fine.
It's still a river.

 

[Graham376]

I use a paddleboard, and agree there are a lot of people buying a board and going out paddling with very little appreciation of tides and so on. But that doesn’t seem to be the case here, and nor am I convinced that a kayak would be automatically safer. In fact, with an equally inexperienced person in both, the kayak seems to have more traps since it can capsize, flood, or trap a beginner upside down.
Pete

Eight years ago a friend of ours was taken canoeing with his brother in law on the Tees, under instruction when the river was in flood. He got caught in a stopper and drowned, near Barnard Castle. There was a massive out of court settlement by the instructor's insurers, he was found negligent for instructing novices in unsuitable conditions.

 

[Wing Mark]

Eight years ago a friend of ours was taken canoeing with his brother in law on the Tess, under instruction when the river was in flood. He got caught in a stopper and drowned, near Barnard Castle. There was a massive out of court settlement by the instructor's insurers, he was found negligent for instructing novices in unsuitable conditions.

Sorry to hear that.
Canoeing has a long history, so it has built up an understanding of what's acceptable and where the risks lie.
Like sailing, it has a national organisation setting standards, approving instructors .
They also have a lot of collective knowledge of just about every water way,
So, there is a framework which you're either inside or outside.

Paddleboarding seems to lack much framework, that's perhaps part of the appeal, just get on and go.
But it gets hard when the water isn't flat.
If the water's flowing much, I'd rather be in a canoe ,with the backup of decent canoeists having checked out the route, explained hazards, supervised kit etc.
In either case, you have to be capable of looking after yourself if you fall in.
And you have to understand that there are still risks.
We've seen a lot of paddleboards on the beach this year, seen a few come back absolutely knackered after the conditions changed a bit.
Our local lifeboat boys said this summer a tragedy was to be expected, but the likely incident would have been two ordinary, amateur, unqualified people set off from the beach and don't make it back.
Not an organised group.

Butt then canoeing has the Lyme Bay Tragedy in its history:
Lyme Bay canoeing disaster - Wikipedia
Like a lot of people my age, I'd spent a couple of weeks boating from that Lyme Regis centre.