TRAPPED UNDER A KAYAK

As Told to Christian DeBenedetti
MY VERY FIRST THOUGHT was: Holy shit, you're in a vertical pin. It's a rare situation. Your kayak goes over a waterfall and sticks, standing straight up. My legs were trapped in the boat, and the force of the water on my back was folding me in half, battering me against the deck. I was completely underwater and running out of oxygen.

I fought, but my legs remained pinned. So I decided to break them.

We were in Little River Canyon, Alabama, in the spring of 1996, on a run called Suicide. There's a ten-foot drop to a short platform in the middle, then another 25-foot fall. If you go too far right on the last drop, you'll land on a big rock. But to the left, at the bottom, there's a square rock that you can get pinned behind. I went too far left, and my bow wedged behind the rock. The stern fell back against the falls, and the water pinned me. My friends said they'd never felt so helpless. They were only ten feet away, but because of all the water, they couldn't see me, even in a bright-red kayak.

I fought and got partway out of the cockpit, but my legs remained pinned. So I decided to break them. I clasped my hands together and reached out into the falls, hoping the force would snap my legs and rip me from the boat. Instead, my body became a lever, and it pried the boat loose. "Yes! I'm going to live!" I didn't feel any pain. But at the bottom of the falls, I couldn't walk. My legs just collapsed. I had torn a bunch of ligaments. I had to stay in the boat and run 12 miles of rapids—including three more miles of Class V—to get to the ER.

I'm not the kid I was then, but I'm not going to say I wouldn't run it again. I'm about to go kayaking right after this.

Expert Analysis: Vertical pins were more common with boats built in the nineties. But designs have changed over the years, and now the bows of creekboats rise up when plunging into deep water. Considering how small the cockpit in the boat was—and the force of the water—David did everything right, turning what could have been a recovery into a rescue. When running technical drops like this, groups should be prepared for the worst-case scenario. My advice: Always listen to your gut. —Chris Jonason, owner of Wave Trek Rescue, a company specializing in river-safety courses

IMPORTANCE OF SURVIVAL KITS

Anyone can purchase a pre-made survival kits off the shelf. The problem with this approach is that the survival kit you select may not be ideal for your particular needs or may even have inferior survival gear. The best survival kits are those made by the people who rely upon them.

Importance of Survival Kits

For those of us who travel in the wilderness on a regular basis, the idea of equipping oneself with a survival kit seems trivial. Survivalists are sure to have a survival kit on hand at all times and are prepared to use it. This is because the experienced survivor knows the unexpected can happen without a moments notice.

Help or rescue may not always be immediately available so you need to be able to take care of yourself come what may. Making your own survival kit from a judicious selection of gear is the first step towards getting out alive.

Below is a discussion on how to make your own survival kit. Of necessity it is a bit wordy, as I believe it is important to know something about why certain items should be included in a survival kit, rather than just blindly following instructions for creating a kit without understanding why pieces of gear are included.

Why Make Your Own Personal Survival Kit?

Consider making your own survival kit before acquiring a pre-made kit off the shelf. Store bought survival kits are not necessarily made for the environment in which you may find yourself. Often survival kits are created from inferior materials or are lacking certain critical components. In a survival situation you do not want to find that the pre-made survival kit you have been packing has let you down. Poor quality gear can threaten your very survival in the wilderness.

Making a survival kit of your own has the added advantage of learning why each component of the kit is necessary. When you make a personal survival kit you are more likely to know how to use the individual components of the survival gear collection.

MORE ON THIS LATER!

BATTERY FREE RADIO

Here is a must-have for every emergency kit. A battery free radio to help keep you current on the latest events during an emergency. This AM/FM radio never needs batteries! It has a convient hand crank for power. A few turns of the hand-crank generator are all you need to power it up! Includes earphones. 3 1/2" x 2" x 6" high.



http://www.survivalradio.totalwarehouse.com

Preparedness education

Preparedness Education

Preparation is half the key, during an emergency. It could be the difference between life and death. Emergency Essentials has a wide variety of books and video to help to know what to do before, during, and after an emergency. Emergency Essentials also gives you insight about Preparedness Education on with the following articles: Be Prepared, Diaster Preparation for your Home in Three Easy Steps, and Emergency Preparedness at Work and School.

Preparation Equipment!

NO WATER ? HOW LONG WILL YOU LAST ???

Clean drinkable water is the most important. People have survived for weeks or even months without food, but go without water for even just one day and the survivor in you will be voted off the island.

Water is the most important nutrient for the human body (besides oxygen) and during a survival situation when finding potable water may not be easy, the question becomes - just how long can the human body survive without adequate water?

A minimum of two quarts of clean water per day per person is the general accepted rule of thumb. In very hot or cold or very dry environments, or if you are physically active, two quarts of water a day may not be enough to sustain life over a period of days or weeks.

Water lost through sweating and normal respiration must be replaced in order to stay healthy and function at top efficiency. Water is also needed to process the food you eat, especially if it is salty or you eat heavy foods like meat.

How long will you last without water? The answer is to follow this blog and be prepared and stay prepared!!!

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