John Fereira wrote:

BTW, the only paddle I've ever broken was one of those $30 carlisles.

Not to defend the $30 Carlisle kayak paddles, because they are awful,
but I have seen all types of paddles break. I tore the fiberglass matrix
of a Harmony Perception on some volcanic rocks. Werners used to crack
at the joint between shaft and paddle. Lightning shafts are vulnerable
where they are compressed into an oval. Graphite blades sometimes shatter
from impact with rocks, but are more often lost because the black color
makes them difficult to see.