Weekend before last, I was paddling on my favourite local river. I was on
the home stretch and paddling pretty hard when a gaggle of scouts came up
the river. You can tell they were scouts because they all had on yellow
pfds (the local rental places use blue and orange) and because most of
them didn't have a ****ing clue what they were doing.

As I'm passing one canoe load, they suddenly swerve across the river so
they were on a direct collision course. They didn't make any attempt to
stop or steer away or anything - didn't put a paddle in the water in fact,
nor did they say a work until after they'd crunched into my kayak, and
then it wasn't "sorry" or "look out", but "oh?" like I'd surprised them by
suddenly appearing under the bow of their canoe. I attempted to steer out
of their way, unsuccessfully, and then I tried to catch the front of their
canoe with my hand to keep it from crunching into me. Big mistake. I
tore the tendon sheath in my wrist, and I'm going to be in this cast from
wrist to armpit for another 5 weeks at least.

Don't scout leaders believe in giving lessons? They're a menace.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
please excuse my typing, but my whole left arm is in a cast. and i don't
mean _the king and i_.

Hey Paul, do you understand what the term karma is all
about. Karma can be translated to

I tore the tendon sheath in my wrist, and I'm going to be
in this cast from
wrist to armpit for another 5 weeks at least.

John wrote in message ...
Hey Paul, do you understand what the term karma is all about. Karma can
be translated to
I tore the tendon sheath in my wrist, and I'm going to be in this cast
from
wrist to armpit for another 5 weeks at least.

I'll second that motion!

Paul Tomblin wrote:
Weekend before last, I was paddling on my favourite local river.
snip
Don't scout leaders believe in giving lessons? They're a menace.

Yeah, maybe a menace and it's a real shame you injured
yourself but on the other hand kids on the water, that's
a *good* thing, right ?

--
Ken Fortenberry

In a previous article, Ken Fortenberry said:
Paul Tomblin wrote:
Weekend before last, I was paddling on my favourite local river.
snip
Don't scout leaders believe in giving lessons? They're a menace.

Yeah, maybe a menace and it's a real shame you injured
yourself but on the other hand kids on the water, that's
a *good* thing, right ?

Only if somebody teaches them to not be a menace to themselves and others
first.

30 years ago when I was taken canoeing by my YMCA day camp, they spend
some time in a secluded bay teaching us strokes and how to handle the
canoes before being sent into a popular paddling area. These morons
didn't even TRY to steer or stop. They didn't even say "sorry".


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
please excuse my typing, but my whole left arm is in a cast. and i don't
mean _the king and i_.

In a previous article, John said:
Hey Paul, do you understand what the term karma is all
about. Karma can be translated to

Evidently better than you do. Or are you seriously suggesting that you
have examined my past incarnation and you know why the cycle of fates
caused a canoe full of idiot girls to render me unable to paddle or fly
and barely able to maintain my job at this particular point in this
incarnation?


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
please excuse my typing, but my whole left arm is in a cast. and i don't
mean _the king and i_.

I see from the response of others as well as me you are not
getting much sympathy for you injuries. I suspect your
hostile attitude is the reason. As for your incarnations,
I'll bet you will get more chances to live a life full of
kindness compassion and understanding since you may have
missed that lesson in your past lives. Good luck to you, I
hope you heal well and quickly both physically and emotionally

In article , John wrote:
I see from the response of others as well as me you are not
getting much sympathy for you injuries. I suspect your
hostile attitude is the reason. As for your incarnations,
I'll bet you will get more chances to live a life full of
kindness compassion and understanding since you may have
missed that lesson in your past lives. Good luck to you, I
hope you heal well and quickly both physically and emotionally

Well, I've done my share of dumb moves on the river while learning,
but I've always at least said "sorry."

I'd be mighty ****ed off too if I had to miss the whole fall paddling
season due to a wrist to shoulder cast just because a boatload of kids
weren't properly instructed on river safety. River safety is
paramount for all of us on the river--for our own sake as well as
those around us. I don't know what class of water Paul and the scouts
were on, but it could be life and death depending on the river
features.

I'm pretty sure karma didn't enter into this incident at all. At
least the scouts were wearing PFDs--I've seen worse.

Deb R.

Only if somebody teaches them to not be a menace to themselves and others
first.

30 years ago when I was taken canoeing by my YMCA day camp, they spend
some time in a secluded bay teaching us strokes and how to handle the
canoes before being sent into a popular paddling area. These morons
didn't even TRY to steer or stop. They didn't even say "sorry".

Ok, you were in a kayak and couldn't avoid a boat load of little girls...and
you are ****ed. Get over it

Ok, you were in a kayak and couldn't avoid a boat load of little girls...and
you are ****ed. Get over it

I would have to concur. A canoe with neither paddle in the water is a
bit like a log, something I would expect on a river.

In your defense, I have tought Guides canoeing on ponds. ( never moving
water ). It's not like the Scouts or Guides to leave themselves open to
litigation from parents if there is any incompitance. ( Perhaps
something you may want to look at ) .
There are other groups here that have access to canoes and equipnent.
Junior Forest Wardens in my community have 20 boats 18 open canoes and
2 sea kayaks as well as one club specific canoe and two rec kayaks. The
Boy Scouts have some boats and a trailer; church groups , Cadets and a
community next to ours have trailers and boats.

You are not getting much sympathy from this group. It is a little like
the kid on the Simpsons that goes " Ha Ha! "

If there is an up side you will be fine. You could have ripped up your
shoulder. That just refuses to get better.
Good luck and get well soon.

I would lighten up on the kids though. Was their master aware they hit
you?
Alex