riverman wrote:
"Steve Cramer" wrote in message

riverman wrote:

The definition of 'reasonable precautions' is vague, but mutually
recognized by people with experience, and in the lack of details we must
look at the guide's qualifications to determine if he was qualified to
assess what was 'reasonable'. It sounds like the guide was well-qualified
to lead this type of trip, had done it many times before, and in this
case, as sometimes happens, a series of unfortunate events resulted in
two students' deaths.

14 y.o. beginners, open tandem canoe, no immersion clothing, paddling open
58-60 degree water, on a day with high off-shore winds forecast. It takes
a very kind heart to find "reasonable" in that, and I appreciate your
trying, but it's hard for me to do so.


Again, I think you are taking the best possible view of the situation,
and assuming fact not in evidence. For example...

Appreciated, but look at it this way: A small group of 14 y.o. adventurous,
enthusiatic and well-discipled paddlers who were in the midst of an
expedition that emphasized resposibile actions and teamwork,

12-18 y.o. High school kids on Spring Break. This was not a NOLS course.

unloaded tandem

fla****er

boat accompanied by 4 kayaks and a motorized pontoon boat, clear skies, camp
only a few miles away,

across open Gulf of Mexico where, accoring to several reports, there had
been small craft advisories that morning with forecast of high winds

an entire shore-based network who knew your
minute-by-minute itinerary and expected you to be on the Island that night,

Where did you hear that? In all the reports I am aware of, the first
anyone knew of problems was 9:00 PM Saturday night when the outfitter
managed to call his wife in Georgia, several hundred miles away.

well stocked food and water supplies, everything had been running like
clockwork for 4 days,

alledges fact not in evidence, AFAIK

and one small open-water crossing to be made.

That was the situation when they set out that morning. Situations
deteriorate; it doesn't imply negligence.

I do appreciate that situations deteriorate fast, hell, I've been in
some. But I think it is clear that the outfitter did not check the
weather before starting out and took beginners in an open tandem on an
open water crossing, which, in good weather, would probably have been
OK. We all know that one mistake is usually not fatal, but that things
tent to snowball and then **** happens. I do feel sorry for Steve Hall.
His reputation has been wrecked by this one incident. These days, there
are no second chances. Certainly were't any for the boys.

--
Steve Cramer
Athens, GA