Wednesday, January 9, 2008

We are taking ...

More than 100 cars were involved Sunday in a series of pileups that killed two people on a foggy five-mile stretch of highway just east of the city of Madison. I was on I-94 40 miles away moving at a snails pace. The fog made it very difficult to see 30 feet in front of you. How do you prepare for a situation like this? SLOW DOWN!!

Wisconsin has gone from below zero as previously posted on this blog to in the mid 40's. Bring on the tornadoes and thunder storms. Wisconsin, we are taking a hit. We wont be able to control the weather on the EC either. So we prepare...

Mother Nature has away of dishing out some payback. I always have gotten along with Mother Nature. In my younger years I had a sixth sense on where the wind would blow. Time to hone the skills.


I bring this up as Boo has always been very nervous about the weather ever since we and about 15 other kids were pinned to the shore of the Wisconsin River some years back as a huge thunderstorm rolled through. Boo was six and has never forgotten the experience.

Teri Boo's mom has an appreciation of weather and the environment as well. Teri fell through the ice some years back on Lac La Belle. Completely submerged, popped back up, hanging on to the leash of our Shepard "Baron" (gone but not forgotten) as he pulled himself and her from the water up onto the ice. They skated home to safety. Teri has never forgotten that experience either.

It is interesting, that Boo hasn't made reference to this last set of Mother Nature Spankings. I think her comfort level and understanding has grown while communing with nature and paddling over the year's. Now to work on Teri.

Have I done all that is possible around making this adventure a safe as possible? I believe so. We are taking every precaution.

Enlisted 8 time Everglades Challenge participant from Kruger Canoes Manitucruiser (Mark) to shadow us down the coast.

Using the best possible configuration the Kruger Cruiser and Balogh BOSS.

Redundant safety protocols implemented, practiced and understood. Boo has been dunked catapulted capsized and been bobbing in the water many times. She's ready. Don't get me wrong...

We heed Chief's warning posted on the WaterTribe website. We take no un-necessary risks on this adventure. If we need to hold up our forward progress for better weather and conditions, we will. It's the real deal.

Safety gear -- 2 minutes ... Risk assessment -- 5 minutes ... A mishap that takes a life -- forever. -Unknown


2 comments:

Silbs said...

You two damn well better paddle safe...we want you all back.

Kristen said...

When sailing solo and at anchor's rest somewhere secluded for the night, I always slept well. When I had pals on board, things were different - the sense of responsibility makes for a much less restful night. But if everything's planned as it should be, and your equipment's up to snuff, then you just gotta hope that the gods aren't crazy.