The Human Factor

April-May 2005

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by Jonathan Weingast

Consider your partner’s ‘bubble of awareness’ as the waters get rough.
© WaveLength Photo .

So many potentially dangerous aspects of kayaking are knowable and predictable: tides, currents, effect of currents around islands, swells, water temperature and weather (well, somewhat predictable anyway). Yet there is nothing inherently hazardous about a tiderip, or pounding surf or strong winds. The peril does not exist until we get there. The most important ingredient to safe kayaking, and perhaps the least predictable, is you. And me. And the other people with whom we paddle.

If you are aware of how your paddling partners will act and react in any given situation, consider yourself fortunate. Many of us kayak with clubs, on commercial trips or as guides. We do not know in advance how people will perform. Although many clubs have prerequisites and guidelines for who can participate in their trips, you may want to screen your partners and match them to the conditions you expect (and those you do not). You may end up taking care of them, or they may need to assist you.

But what do you do if you’re already on the water? As a guide, I watch people’s ‘bubble’ of awareness. This is the area of which the paddler is aware. On a calm, sunny day, most people have large bubbles, encompassing water and sky, shoreline and wildlife, kayaks and other boats, ahead and behind. As winds and waves rise, however, or conditions otherwise change for the worse, these bubbles can shrink to the size of their kayaks, sometimes excluding everything and everyone else.

One of the observable clues of a small bubble is lack of conversation and communication with other paddlers. Look for paddlers stoically moving along but never turning their heads. If you are not the wave in front of their bow, you are not in their bubble and therefore extraneous. Another sign is a stiff body, which is exactly what you don’t want in rough water (be ready to assist with a rescue). You may also see the ‘deer in the headlights’ look if they are far outside their comfort zone.

When I see the signs, I try to move everyone toward calmer water or to shore. Small-bubble paddling is no fun. On the way, I make an attempt to get inside their bubble. A little company can go a long way in a tough situation. Keep in mind the difference between actual risk and perceived risk, but deal with both appropriately.

You may also notice yourself in a shrinking bubble. This is the time to change plans or ask for help. If your group has a leader, let him or her know how you feel. If you are the leader, you need to keep your bubble large enough to surround the entire group.

Before you paddle, do your homework. Check the weather, surf, swell, tides and currents, but don’t forget the most important variable: the human factor.