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Stories like this just boggle the mind.
10 miles of open water is a push for seasoned adult paddlers never mind a 8 year old.

The comment about the "rogue wave" irks me as well.
It implies that "if" they hadn't encountered one, the fathers decision to attempt such a trip would of been the right one. :-?
Anyone that has canoed big water knows that big waves are a fact of life not just a fluke to be unconcerned about.
I feel for the family.

Obviously, not "thinking." Ten miles across open water on Lake Michigan? You gotta be kidding!

I could even understand it if they were in a tandem kayak with spray skirts and a bilge pump but an open boat was just asking for trouble. :(

It sounded like they were on the water over twelve hours (8AM to 8:30 PM) Must have the earlier time wrong.

Even the BW has some big waters to think about, but Lake Michigan in an open canoe? Mind as well jump off a cliff and hope you make it.

Things can change too quick to commit to such a long crossing in an open boat even if the present conditions seem OK.

This spring I was on a large MI lake (Higgins) and enjoying the flat surface conditions to peer down into the depths at a drop off. I noticed a slight breeze riffled the water and we couldn't see down much anymore. Less than 10 mins later and it was a good thing we were in sea kayaks with spray skirts.

I sat in on a Canoecopia talk 2 yrs ago and ever since then its bothered me. The speaker mentioned some people that had needed rescued from L Superior. The couple was in the audience. Rather than being humbled about the decision they made to try a long crossing in a tandem kayak alone. They seemed to enjoy their 15 mins of fame. Adding some misinformation too, such as, it was against the law to bring bear spray into Cdn. I argued the point. But he was convinced he was an authority on the issue, since he was the one getting all the attention.

Jim,
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about mace type spray in Canada. At the Detroit crossing I had a Canadian border agent tell me my bear spray was illegal and I would have to turn around and go back. while in the process of turning around some other agents asked what I was doing and when I told them they wanted to know who told me I couldn't enter and then they shook their heads and waved me through.

I have nothing but pity on the poor man whose foolish actions cost the life of his son. I cannot begin to imagine how torturous each day, each waking moment, must be.

It's too bad we learn from other's mistakes and bad luck. Then again, and with all due respect ... it could have been in the car a mile from home....

I looked at a map and it looks more like 6 miles of open water so that's, what, maybe an hour and a half paddle in decent conditions? Sounds like they paddled to the island spent the day there and this happened on the return trip?

A mile from shore? That's too bad but ya know, being a mile upwind from shore isn't all that unusual in the BW/Q.

2 hours in 55 degree water? For the sake of argument let's say 1 hour and double the body mass. Would you be able to survive and be rescued after reaching shore w/o help?

I was always told you cannot bring pepper spray into Canada unless it was specifically labeled for use on bears and not people (mace) and I've never even brought any. That's just one of many conversations at the window over the years.

Times (tragedies) like this, I sometimes think some folks have been been sold a bill of goods. A PFD will save your life! Bear spray will save your life! You need both! Never mind the fact that you need to know how they are intended to work in the first place, RTFM.

While both could if save your life, I guess, if used correctly. One or the other in the wrong hands and the wrong conditions might give some folks a false sense of security. Ever try to swim any distance with a PFD on? Can you even tell which way to swim a mile out? Will you remember to consider which way the wind was blowing before you decide you need to spray a threatening bear?

Do either of these two well endorsed products come with a Mulligan type extended warranty?

The greatest survival tool is the mass between your ears.
Unfortunately at least in my experience you either have common sense, a sense of self preservation/survival or you don't.

I've worn a seat belt since long before they were mandatory and have never been in a accident that the seat belt played any safety role in.
Still I know I've been lucky and sooner or later I know I'll be glad I have one on.

Same with PFD/Bear Spray. It's a tool that you hope you don't need but having it available if the worst happens is just common sense IMHO.
Like any "tool", the operator is responsible for it's proper use.
 
I think the confusion over Bear Spray is because some officers are not educated on the difference between Bear Spray formulated for animals and Mace which is for humans.
All they see is a spray can and they link them together.
Being polite/civil when you know your right with a officer is the way to go here.
Often asking to speak to a superior can rectify the situation.
 
In MI they have what they call Open Carry.
That means that anyone who can legally own a gun, can carry it openly without having a CCW (concealed carry) license.
The key is the weapon must be in plain sight.
There is even a group that educates it's members and the law enforcement community about it.
Many police officers, especially the rookies don't know it's legal because they were never taught that part of the law in their training.

Same with Bear Spray. It is legal in Canada but must be labeled strictly for protection from animals.
All the major makers of Bear Spray know this and label their products accordingly.

Here's a bit more info on the same accident.

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Bear spray?

What I always heard was NOT to say  it was for PERSONAL PROTECTION

Just say it's for use again bears only.

I've asked/discussed it with cdn customs at the border before ever bringing any. Noting I'd seen it sold in cdn and if it mattered where I bought it. I do know you can't bring it on a plane. It can be taped to a strut outside a plane OK.

Hi-jack alert
You guys gotta hear this.....Talk about "what were they thinking"

I have a small bass boat that I keep at my Dads house in Michigan. My dad and a friend had it out on Lake Erie a few miles out and were anchored up perch fishing. I had just talked with him via cell phone when the events I am going to relate transpired.

His friend alerted my Dad that a boat was bearing down on them. My Dad turned to look and a large cabin cruiser with nobody at the helm was heading directly for them. My Dad jumped off the stern and my dad's friend jumped from the bow. The cruiser hit them perfectly dead center (what are the chances of that). My Dad was not wearing a life jacket having taken it off after arrival. My Dad credits his friend for saving his life as he thinks he was mere seconds from going under for keeps.

The Coast guard wrote the boat up for gross negligence and cited them for whatever they could. Salvage managed to get my boat upright and to the dock but it is destroyed.

I am just grateful that my Dad is still with us. Thank God!

Glad everybody's OK.

But now I'm going to be very nervous out on Higgins in the sea kayak. You can't trust that they'll see ya.

Anyone boating on the larger Great Lakes, especially St Clair and Lake Erie need to keep their eyes/ears open because both lakes get tremendous pressure from both anglers and pleasure boaters.
There are numerous bars/restaurants that serve the boaters and more than a few boaters think that drinking excess and boating go hand in hand.

Whether alcohol played a part MT didn't say, but you have to take that possibility into consideration when planning an outing with a small watercraft. :-/
I know a guy that fishes big water on a sit-top kayak and keeps a LED strobe type light flashing all the time he out.
Ever see the guys that don't have trim tabs installed or adjusted right on their high powered boats.
Bow up, full steam ahead and the hell with anyone out of their line of site. :o



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Legal bear spray will say nothing about it's use on anything but animals.
You as a educated consumer NEVER want to say that your legal Bear Spray of choice is for personal protection, which you may mean as animals and the authorities may take it you have it for 2-legged animal protection.

To heck with a strobe light, these cats weren't even at the helm........I'm thinking RPG. Can you say "artificial reef".

mastertangler wrote on Jul 8^th, 2013 at 8:22pm:

To heck with a strobe light, these cats weren't even at the helm........I'm thinking RPG. Can you say "artificial reef".

  ;D  At the very least you would think they'd lose their boating licenses for an extended period of time and pay some stiff fines.

solotripper wrote on Jul 8^th, 2013 at 8:49pm:

mastertangler wrote on Jul 8th, 2013 at 8:22pm: To heck with a strobe light, these cats weren't even at the helm........I'm thinking RPG. Can you say "artificial reef".   ;D  At the very least you would think they'd lose their boating licenses for an extended period of time and pay some stiff fines.

I have a feeling there is going to be more involved than some fines.