Dark Picnic
Richard and I decided not to sit in our hot apartment yesterday so we gathered up some picnic goodies (corn, tomatoes, curried rice, etc) so we could have a picnic-type dinner on the porch of the Canoe Club. where we are members.
We were surprised to see news cameras and reporters stationed at the base of the driveway as we drove toward the club. Then we found out what happened: "We've had a death," Miriam told us.
We missed all the activity by about one hour. The short story is that one of our best paddlers drowned in her boat only 200 feet from the club. Here's the report.
Dale had launched from the club and was alone, practicing a C-1 roll in her kayak. Dale was not in or teaching a class at the time, and the incident was unwitnessed. Instructors from a class being taught upriver noticed the boat floating upside down about 200 yards downstream from the club. They approached and righted the kayak, discovered Dale, and noticed the grab loop to her sprayskirt was inside the boat. They moved to shore, began CPR, and notified 9-1-1. On scene and hospital resuscitation was unsuccessful; the case is now with the medical examiner and an investigation is ongoing.
The people who found her just couldn't get themselves together and go home. They retold the story over and over. Sid, the man who initially found the body, was in complete shock. I think it would have done him good to cry but he wasn't capable.
For now Dale's little Honda sits in the driveway as a sad reminder until they can find her keys. A few of the members drove to her house to see about her pets but they couldn't get in :( Finally people gathered their things to go home.
After everyone had gone Richard and I had our picnic but it was a little grim for us, thinking how unexpectedly life can end.
We were surprised to see news cameras and reporters stationed at the base of the driveway as we drove toward the club. Then we found out what happened: "We've had a death," Miriam told us.
We missed all the activity by about one hour. The short story is that one of our best paddlers drowned in her boat only 200 feet from the club. Here's the report.
Dale had launched from the club and was alone, practicing a C-1 roll in her kayak. Dale was not in or teaching a class at the time, and the incident was unwitnessed. Instructors from a class being taught upriver noticed the boat floating upside down about 200 yards downstream from the club. They approached and righted the kayak, discovered Dale, and noticed the grab loop to her sprayskirt was inside the boat. They moved to shore, began CPR, and notified 9-1-1. On scene and hospital resuscitation was unsuccessful; the case is now with the medical examiner and an investigation is ongoing.
The people who found her just couldn't get themselves together and go home. They retold the story over and over. Sid, the man who initially found the body, was in complete shock. I think it would have done him good to cry but he wasn't capable.
For now Dale's little Honda sits in the driveway as a sad reminder until they can find her keys. A few of the members drove to her house to see about her pets but they couldn't get in :( Finally people gathered their things to go home.
After everyone had gone Richard and I had our picnic but it was a little grim for us, thinking how unexpectedly life can end.