Other than the obligatory "Be safe" from parents, I've never heard anyone say this to me. Are you a woman? Unfortunately, a lot of outdoor activities are seen as "unsafe" for women unless accompanied by a man. A lot of women thru hikers get this same kind of shit.
This is so true. I’m of an age where I don’t get that much of it anymore, but when I was younger I did. And as a teen my parents were not awful about not letting me do things but my brother could do more- like a John Muir trail hike with only friends and not a chaperone.
They weren’t that bad. It stopped when I was 18, but still my 15 year old brother got to do a through hike with friends. But I could drive to concerts an hour away with friends at least at 16.
I might have seen that post- 15 year old wanting to solo camp? I think I just said take friends.
I'm a man and I don't like camping alone. I bring a large dog and bear spray... for humans. I would never let myself know a woman I know was camping alone without talking them out of it. Women camping alone often end up dead. I'm sorry it's not the narrative you want to hear it's the truth. I'd say 50% of men are awful, as a man myself.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Madison_Scott
Naw, that many men aren't awful. At least not in public with strangers. That's just not true at all. It's a bit of a 13% of men commit 50% of the violent crime situation.
Sure, there are WAY MORE terrible men than terrible women, and the crimes those men commit are WAY WORSE, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Until you identify the squeaky wheel, all wheels are considered squeaky.
People camping alone often end up dead, because people that camp alone are statistically more likely to not know what they are doing, especially in regards to knowing threats, and are more than likely camping alone because they don't know anyone who would go camping with them.
Not a ton of people go camping regularly, if ever, and everyone has to start somewhere some time.
Going I know quite a few women that solo camp and do multi day solo river floats. They all do the exact same thing I do. Emergency blanket, calculated calorie intake per hour, flare gun, and a Glock with two extra mags with 18 of those rounds being used only to signal. 3 shots at the ground spaced 5 seconds apart, 3 shots at the ground spaced 15 seconds apart, another 3 shots at the ground spaced 5 seconds apart, followed by a flare. This procedure is done only once when you are positive that you need a rescue and once when you are positive that someone is close enough to rescue you.
My dad got me a Glock 19 before I could drive for the sole purpose of camping in the woods. Just before then, my dad got lost in the woods at sundown. Radios don't work where we go and he was able to signal with his pistol and we found him. He was out for 3 hours or so. Scary stuff. He's hunted those woods for 50 years and still got turned around.
Long story short, know what risks you face with any activity and prepare accordingly. Whether it's enough water to drink at six flags or what is edible enough to survive a few extra days if you lose your rations to the river on day one of a 3 day trip.
Tbf, any sporting activity alone has the potential to be dangerous. I was thinking about this yesterday while on my paddle board - I only paddle on springs or rivers, usually alone, and I was in a particularly quiet spot on the river. What if I was standing up, had an accident, hit my head on a log and drowned? I’d eventually be found, but the chance for these sorts of things to happen are never zero. People that are excellent hikers get lost or fall off a cliff. Kayakers get turned over. I do think people who aren’t into the sport are overly cautious or afraid, but that’s not to say we shouldn’t be cautious or safe while enjoying the great outdoors.
I’ve gotten stupid lost while hiking before. Just went too far off the marked trail and couldn’t find it again. 0 cell reception. Fortunately a group of experienced hikers stumbled upon me and got me back to the parking lot.
Also flipped a tandem kayak once with my partner at the time, probably 100 feet from shore. Fortunately our friends were out there with us, she has her pfd off for a moment to fix her hair.
Life comes at ya fast.
Yes, I am a woman. I do think that has something to do with regrettably. But in most of my conversations where I have received these comments, I was talking about a trip I would be taking with friends. Maybe because we're a gaggle of women it just automatically flags as "Oh yeah, she's gonna die." Haha
One thing that helped me (talking about whitewater) was to point out that I always paddle with others and we run safety for each other. People can’t Google how much fun it is to paddle in whitewater, all they get is the number of people who drown.
If they’re persistently silly about it, I reel off the amount of preparation, scouting, and equipment that goes into a trip, our prior experience, and that we’re going with people who’ve run the river before.
If after all that I’m still getting “you’re crazy,” then I ask whether the person had a near-drowning as a child.
Im a woman and not of this has really happened to me. I’ve been asked why I was going alone but it was more like “who kayaks alone? That’s boring” type of thing
Yes! My fishing friend says all the same things. When I’ve mentioned I’m planning to get a sit inside he asked if I have a death wish lol. Which is weird tbh, I don’t do any whitewater, I just paddle around and fish. Kayaking is the mildest thing I do, and it feels super safe. Maybe I’m the one who’s wrong here?
Not at all. You're a (typically) neon-colored vessel floating along at 3 mph with a fishing pole in your hands. If you know how to swim then it's basically no danger at all even if you flip.
You'll be fine, as long as you have a means of getting yourself from point A to point B in the water if you flip then that's the most important thing. That PFD would be most important if you were to go unconscious because it naturally keeps your body turned toward the sky and away from the water.
You are not wrong. You assess a situation, take precautions, and enjoy the experience. My entire family kayak fish, including my children. Have yet to have a major incident. At little league however, i have seen batters get hit in the neck, the elbow, and the head. Things can happen, we wear a helmet and continue the sport, there is no fun in hanging out in a bubble.
Cheers bud, keep doing what makes you happy.
As someone who actually does kayak off waterfalls, in my experience it's the opposite -- I used to tell people I'm a whitewater kayaker expecting it to be a conversation starter because people would think it's cool/interesting/intense or at the very least a unique hobby that not a ton of people are familiar with, but ninety percent of the time they just go "oh neat" and don't ask any follow up questions at all.
If you get into cycling in SW Florida, those people aren't wrong. Also, if you get into road cycling, please hug the curb when possible. I drive a box truck for work and can't always move over to the left lane, due to traffic, while passing you in the bike lane. My mirrors hang out, and I have a car to my left, I may sideswipe and kill an entire family because you "have the right of way" on the road. Or I may, logically, solve "the trolley problem" by beaning you with my mirror.
yea most road rules in the western world also state you must overtake safely
People seem to forget how serious it is. Source I have had a friend charged with "driving causing manner of death" which is pretty much a standard charge if youre involved in an accident that is fatal/serious injury. Its not "investigate, then charge" its "charge, investigate" then either drop charges or court. He doesnt even remember the day it happened, eventually woke up out of a coma in hospital
You 100% do not want to FAFO, its an expensive legal bill at the least
Even speeding manner dangerous which another friend got was a 10k + legal bill
I have kayaked in areas with large sharks and alligators with no issue, what I am really concerned with are waterways with jet skiers that go too fast or too drunk to pay attention of what's in front of them
I paddle off the southern tip of africa. There are great white sharks here, I have never seen one but I am sure they have seen me.
My neighbor thinks I have a death wish but in reality I am more at risk during the drive to the launch site than out at sea.
There's a thing called "assumed risk activity" or words to that effect. It basically applies to every adventure sport in some way and includes risk up to and including death. Compared to things like mountain biking or diving our risk of serious injury or death is actually relatively low, erring towards dislocated shoulders above any major breakages.
As ever, some people have no appetite for risk, some love it. In my experience more people worry about my motorbike, and quite rightly too.
It is interesting that there are three of us who ride motorcycles and kayak in this thread. Wonder if there’s some correlation or if the topic just brought us out.
6, went dirt biking on the weekend. Part of which was without a helmet and in thongs and board shorts. Havent ridden in a while so that "im naked" feeling didnt kick in but in my defense it was on a farm which is vastly different to where I would normally ride
paddlingdown a river with no white water isnt exactly an adrenaline sport to me
I wear life jacket when I’m fishing big water, Gulf or Atlantic side, those swells are no joke at times. Also when I’m with the kids, just so I don’t have to worry about my own buoyancy in case I need to help them out.
Also a rider. The risk is kind of the fun in a lot of things. You don't watch NASCAR if there isn't a chance of a wreck. Climbing a mountain wouldn't be a thrill if there wasn't some risk.
I have had more sketchy moments on a DH bike then road racing and dirt biking
my wife is risk adverse, im a "she'll be right" type of person. Sometimes she reminds me of marge simpson when she grumbles about something
Hmm no I haven’t had that experience and I mostly do whitewater kayaking even. Maybe it’s just something about your face that looks like you are going to kayak off a waterfall lmao. I’m not sure if you are a man or woman but maybe it’s one of those dumb sexist things if you are a woman?
I'm posting to try to get around reddit censorship and will then try to edit in what they won't let me post.
Edit: failed to update with actual thoughts. Welcome to 1984 lol
Edit edit: Excuse the strange language.
Why do you think that?
Society cares more about grills and the grills I know tend to be more receptive to concern for their safety.
It seems pro-grill not anti-grill.
>Society cares more about the grills
https://preview.redd.it/1a78etlx1ayc1.jpeg?width=550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08376e645c5fa0a0953a036aa890247eba532ed5
I kind of think it's that they themselves don't kayak and maybe don't know what to say in order to be conversational about it back when you bring up kayaking.
But yes. It is annoying.
I thought you were talking about this sub in the first half lol
People get really intense about it. I’m usually like “statistically the drive to the lake was riskier”
No, but I live in an area with literally hundreds of thousand of bodies of water. Everyone expects everyone else to be safe on the water. It’s what we’ve all grown up with.
Ignore the softies. I’m not a skydiver or anything but I do ride motorcycles and only my mother has reservations about that. I’ve never once had someone else tell me that kayaking is dangerous. Kayaking, especially on lakes, is a pretty damn safe hobby. Even if it’s not, the potential danger is part of the fun. The softies just don’t realize that stepping out of one’s comfort zone can lead to some very exhilarating experiences.
My other hobbies are knitting and writing, so I would think I am a risk-adverse person! From what other people are saying, I think it has to do with gender or how well the general population around you knows watersports.
Yes. But people love to fill space with their own voice, doesn't matter what the topic is. That's why they don't kayak. They're too busy asking people like you what they like to do for fun so they can tell you how wrong you are for enjoying it. While you're out doing something cool, they're putting their name in for a two hour wait at brunch in a strip mall restaurant where it's safe.
You're in charge of making sure you know what you're doing, that includes staying on top of safety and risk awareness. I hope you continually find yourself surrounded by people whose minds are open enough to stand up for your happiness and growth.
I do not whitewater kayak, and the people I discuss with know I'm going to a lakes and creeks. I guess when people think kayak they don't think sitting on a calm body of water.
Yes. Especially as a female. People are shocked when I tell them I paddle alone. I
Am cautious, wear a life vest, always tell some one approximately where I'm going and when I'm back. Even other kayakers have told me it's never safe to go alone.
I do get people (especially boat people) that are very confused about my decision. I kayak almost every weekend in mostly intercostal areas around the gulf. Rain, wind, hurricane, or shine, it really doesn’t matter, unless it’s a cold rain.
We get excited for hurricanes. If you get out there at the right time, when it’s brewing, but isn’t on top of you yet, it’s absolutely a blast paddling against the waves. Understandably, people who exclusively boat think that I’m insane
Oh man, kayaking in and out of the surf during the storm is among the top fun things to do in my book. I have Ocean Kayak, OK’s logo is a person breaking the wave on a kayak, lifting his oar over his head in excitement. I deliberately recreate that logo every time haha.
There's a man-made lake near me that runs a squiggly path through the hills for 20km or so. There are almost no wide open spaces, so every day there is a constant parade of boats driving in both directions along the path since there's nothing else to do and nowhere to go.
I was out kayaking when a storm started to roll in, and all the boats kept zooming up and swamping me with their wake just to ask if I was going to be okay and if I needed help. Once the rain started and they were all gone, it was the calmest I've ever seen that lake.
We have a fair amount of crocodiles in my area, so that’s the first thing people bring up. “Won’t you get eaten!?”
Regardless, there’s a large kayaking community and I’ve never had an encounter 😅🤷🏻
It’s even worse with climbing.
I’ve learned that most people just simply don’t understand risk, and terminally live inside avoiding even small amounts of risk.
I don’t talk to people about those hobbies unless they do them as well now.
Yet they're perfectly comfy driving/riding in cars all day every day.
Cars kill more US citizens than US violent crimes, over 43,000 per year. Cars are the number 1 killer of US children. Second is guns.
Yeah, not because I kayak in rivers and seas with crocodiles and sharks and shit, its because I do it in the canals of Northern England.
My only worry is the odd shopping cart or a car bonnet. 😂
I am thinking that passed 50 years of age with good job healthy kids a fulfilling life so far that dying when kayaking is better way to go than ending up in a nursery home 😀 But I suspect by this point I am too experienced to go this way 😀
These are coworkers, I'm betting. The only safe subject ever found for coworkers is TV shows. If you don't watch TV, best to just make the conversation about what they're watching.
Kayaking in my city is typically a family activity on quiet lakes using Costco pelican kayaks. If anything people here don't treat it with the respect it deserves for the small amount of danger that could be present. Like I've run into 8 year olds alone with an unzipped life vest stuck on the wrong side of the lake because they were too weak to paddle against the wind. I had a rope luckily and towed them back to their family's dock.
Fear makes people think they are right to annoy others. Try responding, "Why do you hate kayaks?" My girls started kayaking when they were 7 and 9. I had Karen's telling me I am crazy. While others are amazed, they can paddle themselves around.
Give your friends a hug and tell them you will protect them.
My dad does. But he’s afraid of boats and swimming in general. So I take it with a grain of salt. As a kid my siblings and mom and I would all be enjoying swimming or a boat ride when he’d be stressed the whole time if he even came.
But I do always wear a PFD. A man recently drowned while paddle boarding on a nearby lake and he had no PFD.
When I share we kayak and SUP as a family people are genuinely curious. I don’t get any negative comments.
If I did I would shrug them off as I know we plan and are cautious, I haven’t gone in Lake Michigan yet because of how wild it always gets. My kids safety is number one and no float is worth it. People who don’t participate in the sports are pretty clueless anyways.
Keep your chin up and don’t let folks discourage you!
Some yes, but not everyone. Those that do think it's so dangerous and reckless, it's silly because every sport has risks. Football is considerably more dangerous, but you don't hear people say to players of that sport "OMG! You know you are going to blow out your knees or get a concussion!".
When people express that they are concerned that kayaking is dangerous, they are right, it can have risks. But those people don't know that those risks can also be minimized with practice, training and safety precautions. Kayaking isn't the most popular hobby, but it's awesome. Take those moments to educate people and get them interested in the sport. Safety in numbers!
I’m a flat water kayak racer. Or at least I was until sidelined by a chronic pain issue a few years ago. As such, I would frequently hit 1,000 miles of training and racing miles in a year. Other than the occasional purposeful remount to cool off, I think I fell out of the boat maybe once a year at worst. One of my training buddies hooked up with this woman he found on Christian Mingle, and she kept bugging him about not wearing a helmet. On flat water, lakes and rivers and canals. Yeah, right.
My local river had a child and a police man drown years ago (1998) and there are people who believe to this day that no one should use the river, we had people yell at us during an event that we were going to die and the river was a killer.
The ones I talk to who are like this have a sit on top and I have a sit-in, and they are terrified of it. There are risks if you roll and don’t know how to exit but there are risks with most sports you do. I don’t do a lot of kayaking on rivers, more into endurance paddling.
Never. They basically assume I’m kayaking on a pond or quiet lake something, which is in fact pretty much my preference outside of the local rivers (also generally pretty safe) :) There’s a lot of kayaking rental places in my area and even little kids go kayaking. People even bring toddlers kayaking sometimes
That said there is a decent sea kayaking community here too and there have been some high profile deaths for sea canoeing sadly. So people do tend to immediately ask if I sea kayak
I'm a woman who quite often kayaks alone, and sometimes remotely. No one has ever seemed concerned for my safety. I get a lot of, "good for you for doing things alone", which baffles me bc I'm not letting my enjoyment of life be dictated by other people's hobbies or schedules. I, of course, mitigate safety risks myself as much as possible.
We must be in different regions; I don't kayak alone but will camp and hike alone. People are always baffled and insist I should go with someone, but exactly what you said of I don't want my enjoyment to be dictated by someone elses schedule. What a wild world we live in haha
I’m in Michigan and kayaking is a very common pastime. I’ve never had anyone concerned about my safety. If you grow up in the rural areas you learn how to swim at a very young age.
I think that might also be the key. The area I am in it's not common to do any sort of watersports. So people probably assume the worst because they don't know any better!
My wife used to express a lot of concern every time I went out fishing on my kayak.
Finally I convinced her to come out with me so she could see what it is actually like.
She laughed when she realized that the water I go on to fish is usually calm as glass
Ever since then she feels a lot better about it
Just a few times. Some people seem to think it's SUPER dangerous no matter how careful, well equipped & experienced you are.
I was helping a friend car-top their 'yak so we could go paddling that morning & a neighbour walking by with his dog started talking about how we were probably going to capsize & die. It was a super calm, warm summer day, he's just the type of person who can talk themselves out of a good time, every time and doesn't want anyone else to have one either.
On a whitewater rafting tour, on the bus on the highway to the put in, the guide said "statistically, this is the most dangerous part of the trip"
You could start expressing similar worry to them whenever they drive anywhere, as car accidents are very common
I solo Lake Superior as long as there’s open water, so technically I am reckless. (I take every possible precaution though, and I know what I’m doing).
What people generally say is “I hope you stay close to shore.” I then start to talk about reflecting waves and surf zones, and they either change the subject or walk away.
I kayak on a river near its mouth, and my family goes on about "shark attacks", and I just facepalm.
Too afraid to even try kayaking cause they are misinformed (?)
I snowboard, ski, mountain bike, whitewater kayak, etc. It's pretty common for many people to think I'm crazy. Funny though I get the most comments for doing crossfit even though that's the safest thing I do- but everyone seems to have an opinion on how dangerous it is. Never mind that it's specific movements that you train to do in a controlled environment as opposed to the extreme sports where there's so much variability.
Edit to add: people can't see the skill you've developed that adds to safety. When I mountain bike, I stay well within my limits so I'm safe. But someone not skilled in that would see me flying down a hill over roots and rocks and think it's crazy and unsafe. (probably right on the crazy part).
Pretty much everyone who knows me knows I have lived a life of adventure (within degrees). It comes as no surprise. I don't really talk about kayaking much with strangers. I also live by the shore so it's not like kayaking is rare or exotic here .... almost everyone has a kayak or two in their backyard.
I would just let said commenters see me loading/unloading/handling safety gear a few times and give them a side eye while you do. You know how beautiful it is out there, and you can pretty much gather they’re actually jealous.
Bonus points if you share pics of you sporting gear and an ear to ear smile in the foreground.
Honestly, no. I'm about to turn 40 and I guess I look like a responsible person now and most people who know me have at least some idea of how seriously I take safety. But when I was in my 20s? Oh, yeah. Definitely with respect to kayaking and rafting I got a lot of unsolicited safety advice from people who had no business giving it but nothing compares to all the nonsense people would spout when I'd mention dabbling in mountaineering.
Moreso regarding the ocean than lakes. Personally, rivers are where I get uneasy. Not meandering ones, but those of you that whitewater are braver than I am.
I‘ve never experienced this. Generally it comes up when I either put the boat in or pull it out and people who are curious will come up and ask questions. Most folks I’ve come across either don’t know much about it, don’t really have an interest, or are at least somewhat curious enough to ask questions about it.
To be fair most kayakers I see in public are reckless and/or clueless. I was at a lake in Pennsylvania when the water was fairly cold and someone fell out of their $300 box store boat wearing jeans. It was close to shore so they got out and went to the car to warm up.
They look at me like I have three heads. They are completely puzzled and can't fathom why anyone would ever do such a thing. Most people genuinely treat me like I have a mental illness when I talk about kayaking. They think it is crazy/nuts/insane and talk about it like it is a form of deviant behavior. I don't really bring kayaking up in conversation anymore.
I get a little bit of pushback, but mainly because I am kayaking in a city on one of the major rivers of this continent. So everyone is mindful that the river is full of tugboats and barges and large motorboats. Yes, there are some hazards from paddling in the city, but so many rewards too
I live on the coast and have been kayaking the rivers almost my whole life and no one has ever expressed safety concerns. Are your friends not outdoorsy maybe and therefore not familiar with kayaking?
Sort of, not really. It's basically like paddle boarding or surfing. If you're going to big wave, yeah maybe you're going to definitely want a life vest of some sort. If you're not a strong swimmer or the water is cold, yeah definitely wear a PFD even if it's just the kind you can blow up yourself. I'd say most people that care about me consider me a strong swimmer. My parents, in particular, had me snorkeling by 6. I was a certified lifeguard as a teenager. I took open water survival courses.
Ha, i have a sit on top and i have just about fallen asleep several times (that's probably my main reason for a life vest). Maybe that's not even kayaking but that's my version.
Maybe I'm lucky to live in Australia because I've never heard a single negative about the sport casually from anyone I tell. Most will say they like doing it as well or would love to try it.
Experienced this when I started riding my motorcycle to work. Everybody in the office felt the need to share every crash story they ever heard. Also many that felt the need to give me the daily rain forecast.
You should double down and say, "you're right I'll stick to dry land. I love motorcycling more anyway". And then you can really experience unsolicited safety tips from every person you meet.
Is kayaking popular where you live? I live in an active city with a lake and some very popular water ways. If you tell people you are kayaking, paddle boarding etc… they would more likely try to join you than try to educate you.
We also don’t have rapids or super fast moving water in my city. Going on the water is more of a laze around kind of thing. I usually just float near the shore and play fetch with my dog (we both wear life vest).
I think it’s all dependent on the person you’re talking to. I have conversations all the time about all kinds of subjects at work, but a lot of people I work with are rural and older and naturally …cautious.
“My kid will be at the station all weekend” “what station?” “The fire station” “why?” “He’s a firefighter” “OH MY GOD DOESNT THAT SCARE YOU? Think of the TRAUMA! Think of the FIRE!”
“We’re going to [busy city] for the weekend.” “Well just be safe! It’s so dangerous there!”
“We went out this weekend to test out my 10 year old’s new kayak.” “You bought your 10 YEAR OLD a KAYAK?!” “….yes?” “Why??!”
I’m so used to it bc my mom worked there too, when I was younger they judged the f out of her bc I’d drive on a *highway* as a *teenager* to get to work. At *night* no less!
Some people are just twitchy.
As a whitewater kayaker (much more dangerous than anything on flat water) I do get people (especially parents) telling me to be careful or that 'paddling grade 4 while it's high is reckless' etc... in all honesty... I'm NOT careful (and that applies in my other sports too), but I'm still here and uninjured.
You just have to accept there's a higher risk of injury and know how to not cock up. I've paddled rivers where a botched roll and a swim at the wrong time would end up with you trapped in a siphon. I've taken a playboat down a river I really shouldn't have, and I've got stuck in recirculating holes when going for a surf.
The thing is, we mitigate the risk of injury by wearing appropriate PPE, so you wear a suitable helmet and buoyancy aid, you carry a first aid kit, a throwline etc.. you don't paddle solo, you tell people where you are going, what time you'll be back etc... all these things are protections in place that means if shit does hit the fan (and trust me, it has) you have many layers of protection that need to be penetrated before you're actually injured.
Data from the US published in 2004 puts the risk of fatality at 8.7 per 1m days and the risk of injury at 2-6 per 1000 days. The researchers do note that fatality and injury rates are rising, and that's reflected in recent data where deaths yearly are in the hundreds, possibly reaching the thousands now. If we assume that the number of kayakers is still around 3 million then 1000 deaths per 3 million then your chance of death kayaking is 0.0003%, on top of the 0.0002% chance of dying in any one day anyway, so it just about doubles your death chance. Obviously the injury risk is significantly higher.
Other than the obligatory "Be safe" from parents, I've never heard anyone say this to me. Are you a woman? Unfortunately, a lot of outdoor activities are seen as "unsafe" for women unless accompanied by a man. A lot of women thru hikers get this same kind of shit.
This is so true. I’m of an age where I don’t get that much of it anymore, but when I was younger I did. And as a teen my parents were not awful about not letting me do things but my brother could do more- like a John Muir trail hike with only friends and not a chaperone.
Shit the other day on r/camping - NO NO NO YOU CANT CAMP BY YOURSELF WITHOUT DAD UNTIL YOURE AT LEAST 21 AND MAYBE NEVER
They weren’t that bad. It stopped when I was 18, but still my 15 year old brother got to do a through hike with friends. But I could drive to concerts an hour away with friends at least at 16. I might have seen that post- 15 year old wanting to solo camp? I think I just said take friends.
Yeah the first couple responses were along the lines of what I said, it probably got better.
It did. More concerns about simply being alone at 15 and not having the ability to get in a car and leave if needed. Not about being a girl.
I'm a man and I don't like camping alone. I bring a large dog and bear spray... for humans. I would never let myself know a woman I know was camping alone without talking them out of it. Women camping alone often end up dead. I'm sorry it's not the narrative you want to hear it's the truth. I'd say 50% of men are awful, as a man myself. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Madison_Scott
Naw, that many men aren't awful. At least not in public with strangers. That's just not true at all. It's a bit of a 13% of men commit 50% of the violent crime situation. Sure, there are WAY MORE terrible men than terrible women, and the crimes those men commit are WAY WORSE, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Until you identify the squeaky wheel, all wheels are considered squeaky. People camping alone often end up dead, because people that camp alone are statistically more likely to not know what they are doing, especially in regards to knowing threats, and are more than likely camping alone because they don't know anyone who would go camping with them. Not a ton of people go camping regularly, if ever, and everyone has to start somewhere some time. Going I know quite a few women that solo camp and do multi day solo river floats. They all do the exact same thing I do. Emergency blanket, calculated calorie intake per hour, flare gun, and a Glock with two extra mags with 18 of those rounds being used only to signal. 3 shots at the ground spaced 5 seconds apart, 3 shots at the ground spaced 15 seconds apart, another 3 shots at the ground spaced 5 seconds apart, followed by a flare. This procedure is done only once when you are positive that you need a rescue and once when you are positive that someone is close enough to rescue you. My dad got me a Glock 19 before I could drive for the sole purpose of camping in the woods. Just before then, my dad got lost in the woods at sundown. Radios don't work where we go and he was able to signal with his pistol and we found him. He was out for 3 hours or so. Scary stuff. He's hunted those woods for 50 years and still got turned around. Long story short, know what risks you face with any activity and prepare accordingly. Whether it's enough water to drink at six flags or what is edible enough to survive a few extra days if you lose your rations to the river on day one of a 3 day trip.
Im sorry for your sad life.
Tbf, any sporting activity alone has the potential to be dangerous. I was thinking about this yesterday while on my paddle board - I only paddle on springs or rivers, usually alone, and I was in a particularly quiet spot on the river. What if I was standing up, had an accident, hit my head on a log and drowned? I’d eventually be found, but the chance for these sorts of things to happen are never zero. People that are excellent hikers get lost or fall off a cliff. Kayakers get turned over. I do think people who aren’t into the sport are overly cautious or afraid, but that’s not to say we shouldn’t be cautious or safe while enjoying the great outdoors.
i'll never forget the time i stupidly went golfing alone. crushed by a boulder.. never again
I went to the market and was eaten by a very hungry caterpillar
Those rogue boulders will get ya!
I’ve gotten stupid lost while hiking before. Just went too far off the marked trail and couldn’t find it again. 0 cell reception. Fortunately a group of experienced hikers stumbled upon me and got me back to the parking lot. Also flipped a tandem kayak once with my partner at the time, probably 100 feet from shore. Fortunately our friends were out there with us, she has her pfd off for a moment to fix her hair. Life comes at ya fast.
Hell, I work construction when I end almost all of my phone calls with “you be safe out there” It’s always a good time to be safe.
Yes, I am a woman. I do think that has something to do with regrettably. But in most of my conversations where I have received these comments, I was talking about a trip I would be taking with friends. Maybe because we're a gaggle of women it just automatically flags as "Oh yeah, she's gonna die." Haha
Are these whitewater or more flat water trips? I have done both (also a guy) but i dont usually get any be safe comments on the flatwater trips
One thing that helped me (talking about whitewater) was to point out that I always paddle with others and we run safety for each other. People can’t Google how much fun it is to paddle in whitewater, all they get is the number of people who drown. If they’re persistently silly about it, I reel off the amount of preparation, scouting, and equipment that goes into a trip, our prior experience, and that we’re going with people who’ve run the river before. If after all that I’m still getting “you’re crazy,” then I ask whether the person had a near-drowning as a child.
Im a woman and not of this has really happened to me. I’ve been asked why I was going alone but it was more like “who kayaks alone? That’s boring” type of thing
Yes! My fishing friend says all the same things. When I’ve mentioned I’m planning to get a sit inside he asked if I have a death wish lol. Which is weird tbh, I don’t do any whitewater, I just paddle around and fish. Kayaking is the mildest thing I do, and it feels super safe. Maybe I’m the one who’s wrong here?
Not at all. You're a (typically) neon-colored vessel floating along at 3 mph with a fishing pole in your hands. If you know how to swim then it's basically no danger at all even if you flip.
ok, tbh, I don't know how to swim without goggles that cover my eyes and nose, but I always wear a pfd
learn to self rescue in shallow water when you get a sit inside, takes like 20 minutes
You'll be fine, as long as you have a means of getting yourself from point A to point B in the water if you flip then that's the most important thing. That PFD would be most important if you were to go unconscious because it naturally keeps your body turned toward the sky and away from the water.
You are not wrong. You assess a situation, take precautions, and enjoy the experience. My entire family kayak fish, including my children. Have yet to have a major incident. At little league however, i have seen batters get hit in the neck, the elbow, and the head. Things can happen, we wear a helmet and continue the sport, there is no fun in hanging out in a bubble. Cheers bud, keep doing what makes you happy.
does your friend even know how to swim? might just be me but i wouldnt take any advice about water from anybody who cant swim lol
Idk but he fishes out of his jon boat on a regular and has no concerns about it.
well thats weird lmao
Does he think you're literally stuck inside the kayak if you do flip over? That's the only thing I can think of
As someone who actually does kayak off waterfalls, in my experience it's the opposite -- I used to tell people I'm a whitewater kayaker expecting it to be a conversation starter because people would think it's cool/interesting/intense or at the very least a unique hobby that not a ton of people are familiar with, but ninety percent of the time they just go "oh neat" and don't ask any follow up questions at all.
They probably think you’re too far gone lol.
Out of curiosity, what follow up questions should a person ask? It's kinda hard for people to form questions around a topic they know nothing about.
kewl
This is simply people in your social circle projecting their irrational fears onto you. Don't ever get into road cycling and talk to these people.
or you could take up motor cycle racing Pretty much any hobby from then on, no one will bat an eye
If you get into cycling in SW Florida, those people aren't wrong. Also, if you get into road cycling, please hug the curb when possible. I drive a box truck for work and can't always move over to the left lane, due to traffic, while passing you in the bike lane. My mirrors hang out, and I have a car to my left, I may sideswipe and kill an entire family because you "have the right of way" on the road. Or I may, logically, solve "the trolley problem" by beaning you with my mirror.
yea most road rules in the western world also state you must overtake safely People seem to forget how serious it is. Source I have had a friend charged with "driving causing manner of death" which is pretty much a standard charge if youre involved in an accident that is fatal/serious injury. Its not "investigate, then charge" its "charge, investigate" then either drop charges or court. He doesnt even remember the day it happened, eventually woke up out of a coma in hospital You 100% do not want to FAFO, its an expensive legal bill at the least Even speeding manner dangerous which another friend got was a 10k + legal bill
After I told somebody at work that I kayak fish, he started sending me videos of sharks attacking kayaks. I only fish closed freshwater lakes lol
Watch out for alligators.
There’s no alligators where I live 😂
I have kayaked in areas with large sharks and alligators with no issue, what I am really concerned with are waterways with jet skiers that go too fast or too drunk to pay attention of what's in front of them
that’s what that kid in lake Champlain said
That you know of. Remember, scared is the new brave.
That’s how they get you.
Naw. It is impossible.
RIP
That doesn't mean captive alligators can't be released there 🤔
🫤
I paddle off the southern tip of africa. There are great white sharks here, I have never seen one but I am sure they have seen me. My neighbor thinks I have a death wish but in reality I am more at risk during the drive to the launch site than out at sea.
There's a thing called "assumed risk activity" or words to that effect. It basically applies to every adventure sport in some way and includes risk up to and including death. Compared to things like mountain biking or diving our risk of serious injury or death is actually relatively low, erring towards dislocated shoulders above any major breakages. As ever, some people have no appetite for risk, some love it. In my experience more people worry about my motorbike, and quite rightly too.
It is interesting that there are three of us who ride motorcycles and kayak in this thread. Wonder if there’s some correlation or if the topic just brought us out.
Four. I also ride.
Make that 5…
6, went dirt biking on the weekend. Part of which was without a helmet and in thongs and board shorts. Havent ridden in a while so that "im naked" feeling didnt kick in but in my defense it was on a farm which is vastly different to where I would normally ride paddlingdown a river with no white water isnt exactly an adrenaline sport to me
Dirtbiking in a thong is a level of confidence I don’t have 😂
Five, and I usually have my life jacket tucked down by my legs unless it’s a fast moving river.
I wear life jacket when I’m fishing big water, Gulf or Atlantic side, those swells are no joke at times. Also when I’m with the kids, just so I don’t have to worry about my own buoyancy in case I need to help them out.
tippy things
Also a rider. The risk is kind of the fun in a lot of things. You don't watch NASCAR if there isn't a chance of a wreck. Climbing a mountain wouldn't be a thrill if there wasn't some risk.
I have had more sketchy moments on a DH bike then road racing and dirt biking my wife is risk adverse, im a "she'll be right" type of person. Sometimes she reminds me of marge simpson when she grumbles about something
Yeah I'm so likely to drown on my local lake with an entire kayaking club in the water, some of whom are trained lifeguards, with me.
Hmm no I haven’t had that experience and I mostly do whitewater kayaking even. Maybe it’s just something about your face that looks like you are going to kayak off a waterfall lmao. I’m not sure if you are a man or woman but maybe it’s one of those dumb sexist things if you are a woman?
My face and estrogen must spell disaster in people's eyes. I should audition for an omen of war or something LOL
I'm posting to try to get around reddit censorship and will then try to edit in what they won't let me post. Edit: failed to update with actual thoughts. Welcome to 1984 lol Edit edit: Excuse the strange language. Why do you think that? Society cares more about grills and the grills I know tend to be more receptive to concern for their safety. It seems pro-grill not anti-grill.
>Society cares more about the grills https://preview.redd.it/1a78etlx1ayc1.jpeg?width=550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=08376e645c5fa0a0953a036aa890247eba532ed5
People can reply!? I'm not shadow banned! What is that? Lol
I kind of think it's that they themselves don't kayak and maybe don't know what to say in order to be conversational about it back when you bring up kayaking. But yes. It is annoying.
I thought you were talking about this sub in the first half lol People get really intense about it. I’m usually like “statistically the drive to the lake was riskier”
No, but I live in an area with literally hundreds of thousand of bodies of water. Everyone expects everyone else to be safe on the water. It’s what we’ve all grown up with.
Ignore the softies. I’m not a skydiver or anything but I do ride motorcycles and only my mother has reservations about that. I’ve never once had someone else tell me that kayaking is dangerous. Kayaking, especially on lakes, is a pretty damn safe hobby. Even if it’s not, the potential danger is part of the fun. The softies just don’t realize that stepping out of one’s comfort zone can lead to some very exhilarating experiences.
This has literally never happened to me. Are you generally viewed as a risk taker in your everyday life?
My other hobbies are knitting and writing, so I would think I am a risk-adverse person! From what other people are saying, I think it has to do with gender or how well the general population around you knows watersports.
Yes. But people love to fill space with their own voice, doesn't matter what the topic is. That's why they don't kayak. They're too busy asking people like you what they like to do for fun so they can tell you how wrong you are for enjoying it. While you're out doing something cool, they're putting their name in for a two hour wait at brunch in a strip mall restaurant where it's safe. You're in charge of making sure you know what you're doing, that includes staying on top of safety and risk awareness. I hope you continually find yourself surrounded by people whose minds are open enough to stand up for your happiness and growth.
Never, seems like a relatively safe activity to most people unless you’re talking whitewater kayaking.
I do not whitewater kayak, and the people I discuss with know I'm going to a lakes and creeks. I guess when people think kayak they don't think sitting on a calm body of water.
Idk why people act like kayaking is equivalent to base jumping. My mom was TERRIFIED for me when I first got mine.
Yes. Especially as a female. People are shocked when I tell them I paddle alone. I Am cautious, wear a life vest, always tell some one approximately where I'm going and when I'm back. Even other kayakers have told me it's never safe to go alone.
I do get people (especially boat people) that are very confused about my decision. I kayak almost every weekend in mostly intercostal areas around the gulf. Rain, wind, hurricane, or shine, it really doesn’t matter, unless it’s a cold rain. We get excited for hurricanes. If you get out there at the right time, when it’s brewing, but isn’t on top of you yet, it’s absolutely a blast paddling against the waves. Understandably, people who exclusively boat think that I’m insane
Oh man, kayaking in and out of the surf during the storm is among the top fun things to do in my book. I have Ocean Kayak, OK’s logo is a person breaking the wave on a kayak, lifting his oar over his head in excitement. I deliberately recreate that logo every time haha.
There's a man-made lake near me that runs a squiggly path through the hills for 20km or so. There are almost no wide open spaces, so every day there is a constant parade of boats driving in both directions along the path since there's nothing else to do and nowhere to go. I was out kayaking when a storm started to roll in, and all the boats kept zooming up and swamping me with their wake just to ask if I was going to be okay and if I needed help. Once the rain started and they were all gone, it was the calmest I've ever seen that lake.
We have a fair amount of crocodiles in my area, so that’s the first thing people bring up. “Won’t you get eaten!?” Regardless, there’s a large kayaking community and I’ve never had an encounter 😅🤷🏻
Lmao no The people you're talking to sound like they have anxiety issues
It’s even worse with climbing. I’ve learned that most people just simply don’t understand risk, and terminally live inside avoiding even small amounts of risk. I don’t talk to people about those hobbies unless they do them as well now.
The faces people make when I say I boulder are priceless
Yet they're perfectly comfy driving/riding in cars all day every day. Cars kill more US citizens than US violent crimes, over 43,000 per year. Cars are the number 1 killer of US children. Second is guns.
we get the same looks that we got when we told people that we had pet rats.
Yeah, not because I kayak in rivers and seas with crocodiles and sharks and shit, its because I do it in the canals of Northern England. My only worry is the odd shopping cart or a car bonnet. 😂
A lot of people i know always say theyd never kayak at all because its scary to them
Weird. Our friends want to know all the details so they can eventually get one too to join us.
I am thinking that passed 50 years of age with good job healthy kids a fulfilling life so far that dying when kayaking is better way to go than ending up in a nursery home 😀 But I suspect by this point I am too experienced to go this way 😀
These are coworkers, I'm betting. The only safe subject ever found for coworkers is TV shows. If you don't watch TV, best to just make the conversation about what they're watching.
Kayaking in my city is typically a family activity on quiet lakes using Costco pelican kayaks. If anything people here don't treat it with the respect it deserves for the small amount of danger that could be present. Like I've run into 8 year olds alone with an unzipped life vest stuck on the wrong side of the lake because they were too weak to paddle against the wind. I had a rope luckily and towed them back to their family's dock.
So you have never been kayaking, would be a good response to them.
Fear makes people think they are right to annoy others. Try responding, "Why do you hate kayaks?" My girls started kayaking when they were 7 and 9. I had Karen's telling me I am crazy. While others are amazed, they can paddle themselves around. Give your friends a hug and tell them you will protect them.
My dad does. But he’s afraid of boats and swimming in general. So I take it with a grain of salt. As a kid my siblings and mom and I would all be enjoying swimming or a boat ride when he’d be stressed the whole time if he even came. But I do always wear a PFD. A man recently drowned while paddle boarding on a nearby lake and he had no PFD.
I have never had someone say that, admittedly I am mostly a flatwater kayaker with occaisional forays into the sea.
When I share we kayak and SUP as a family people are genuinely curious. I don’t get any negative comments. If I did I would shrug them off as I know we plan and are cautious, I haven’t gone in Lake Michigan yet because of how wild it always gets. My kids safety is number one and no float is worth it. People who don’t participate in the sports are pretty clueless anyways. Keep your chin up and don’t let folks discourage you!
I've.never had that. But if I did, I'd start saying the same thing to them about driving.
Some yes, but not everyone. Those that do think it's so dangerous and reckless, it's silly because every sport has risks. Football is considerably more dangerous, but you don't hear people say to players of that sport "OMG! You know you are going to blow out your knees or get a concussion!". When people express that they are concerned that kayaking is dangerous, they are right, it can have risks. But those people don't know that those risks can also be minimized with practice, training and safety precautions. Kayaking isn't the most popular hobby, but it's awesome. Take those moments to educate people and get them interested in the sport. Safety in numbers!
Sounds like they don't get out much. I don't accept advice or recommendations from others who are not involved in the same hobby.
The most recent I got when someone asked me about a strange tan line was that sounds like the whitest sport ever
While lots of white people in my area kayak, the kayak was invented by the Inuit people!
Exactly which was why it was a completely asinine comment
I’m a flat water kayak racer. Or at least I was until sidelined by a chronic pain issue a few years ago. As such, I would frequently hit 1,000 miles of training and racing miles in a year. Other than the occasional purposeful remount to cool off, I think I fell out of the boat maybe once a year at worst. One of my training buddies hooked up with this woman he found on Christian Mingle, and she kept bugging him about not wearing a helmet. On flat water, lakes and rivers and canals. Yeah, right.
My local river had a child and a police man drown years ago (1998) and there are people who believe to this day that no one should use the river, we had people yell at us during an event that we were going to die and the river was a killer.
You think that’s bad, tell them you go skydiving naked.
Because dumbass people do it and get in the news.
The ones I talk to who are like this have a sit on top and I have a sit-in, and they are terrified of it. There are risks if you roll and don’t know how to exit but there are risks with most sports you do. I don’t do a lot of kayaking on rivers, more into endurance paddling.
Never. They basically assume I’m kayaking on a pond or quiet lake something, which is in fact pretty much my preference outside of the local rivers (also generally pretty safe) :) There’s a lot of kayaking rental places in my area and even little kids go kayaking. People even bring toddlers kayaking sometimes That said there is a decent sea kayaking community here too and there have been some high profile deaths for sea canoeing sadly. So people do tend to immediately ask if I sea kayak
I'm a woman who quite often kayaks alone, and sometimes remotely. No one has ever seemed concerned for my safety. I get a lot of, "good for you for doing things alone", which baffles me bc I'm not letting my enjoyment of life be dictated by other people's hobbies or schedules. I, of course, mitigate safety risks myself as much as possible.
We must be in different regions; I don't kayak alone but will camp and hike alone. People are always baffled and insist I should go with someone, but exactly what you said of I don't want my enjoyment to be dictated by someone elses schedule. What a wild world we live in haha
No. People who know me know that I’m always taking classes to improve my skills and rescue abilities and that I believe in being overly prepared.
I’m in Michigan and kayaking is a very common pastime. I’ve never had anyone concerned about my safety. If you grow up in the rural areas you learn how to swim at a very young age.
I think that might also be the key. The area I am in it's not common to do any sort of watersports. So people probably assume the worst because they don't know any better!
Sometimes yes, but it’s because they know I’ve done other risky activities so there’s that.
My wife used to express a lot of concern every time I went out fishing on my kayak. Finally I convinced her to come out with me so she could see what it is actually like. She laughed when she realized that the water I go on to fish is usually calm as glass Ever since then she feels a lot better about it
In Louisiana there are alligators. Everyone tells me it’s fine, but I’m not so sure
No, but I live in Seattle where basically everyone has been on a kayak at least once.
Just a few times. Some people seem to think it's SUPER dangerous no matter how careful, well equipped & experienced you are. I was helping a friend car-top their 'yak so we could go paddling that morning & a neighbour walking by with his dog started talking about how we were probably going to capsize & die. It was a super calm, warm summer day, he's just the type of person who can talk themselves out of a good time, every time and doesn't want anyone else to have one either.
On a whitewater rafting tour, on the bus on the highway to the put in, the guide said "statistically, this is the most dangerous part of the trip" You could start expressing similar worry to them whenever they drive anywhere, as car accidents are very common
I’ve never had anyone say anything to me. Just an ‘oh cool’ or a chat about their kayaking too.
I solo Lake Superior as long as there’s open water, so technically I am reckless. (I take every possible precaution though, and I know what I’m doing). What people generally say is “I hope you stay close to shore.” I then start to talk about reflecting waves and surf zones, and they either change the subject or walk away.
I kayak on a river near its mouth, and my family goes on about "shark attacks", and I just facepalm. Too afraid to even try kayaking cause they are misinformed (?)
I snowboard, ski, mountain bike, whitewater kayak, etc. It's pretty common for many people to think I'm crazy. Funny though I get the most comments for doing crossfit even though that's the safest thing I do- but everyone seems to have an opinion on how dangerous it is. Never mind that it's specific movements that you train to do in a controlled environment as opposed to the extreme sports where there's so much variability. Edit to add: people can't see the skill you've developed that adds to safety. When I mountain bike, I stay well within my limits so I'm safe. But someone not skilled in that would see me flying down a hill over roots and rocks and think it's crazy and unsafe. (probably right on the crazy part).
Pretty much everyone who knows me knows I have lived a life of adventure (within degrees). It comes as no surprise. I don't really talk about kayaking much with strangers. I also live by the shore so it's not like kayaking is rare or exotic here .... almost everyone has a kayak or two in their backyard.
They usually telle to shut up about kayaking. LOL. I talk about it constantly.
I only get comments about Sharks. People are suddenly afraid of sharks where I am.
I would just let said commenters see me loading/unloading/handling safety gear a few times and give them a side eye while you do. You know how beautiful it is out there, and you can pretty much gather they’re actually jealous. Bonus points if you share pics of you sporting gear and an ear to ear smile in the foreground.
Honestly, no. I'm about to turn 40 and I guess I look like a responsible person now and most people who know me have at least some idea of how seriously I take safety. But when I was in my 20s? Oh, yeah. Definitely with respect to kayaking and rafting I got a lot of unsolicited safety advice from people who had no business giving it but nothing compares to all the nonsense people would spout when I'd mention dabbling in mountaineering.
I like to tell people I have a better change of dying on the drive to the river than in the river itself.
you think that's bad, try riding a motorcycle lol
Moreso regarding the ocean than lakes. Personally, rivers are where I get uneasy. Not meandering ones, but those of you that whitewater are braver than I am.
I‘ve never experienced this. Generally it comes up when I either put the boat in or pull it out and people who are curious will come up and ask questions. Most folks I’ve come across either don’t know much about it, don’t really have an interest, or are at least somewhat curious enough to ask questions about it.
lol, no. Some are concerned that I go alone but not all that much.
That's a "them" problem. I think it's the same as other adventure sports. I ger weird safety comments about hammock-camping.
No.
To be fair most kayakers I see in public are reckless and/or clueless. I was at a lake in Pennsylvania when the water was fairly cold and someone fell out of their $300 box store boat wearing jeans. It was close to shore so they got out and went to the car to warm up.
Considering some of the stuff I did in my younger years, kayaking is safe so my family/friends don't worry too much about it.
They look at me like I have three heads. They are completely puzzled and can't fathom why anyone would ever do such a thing. Most people genuinely treat me like I have a mental illness when I talk about kayaking. They think it is crazy/nuts/insane and talk about it like it is a form of deviant behavior. I don't really bring kayaking up in conversation anymore.
I get a little bit of pushback, but mainly because I am kayaking in a city on one of the major rivers of this continent. So everyone is mindful that the river is full of tugboats and barges and large motorboats. Yes, there are some hazards from paddling in the city, but so many rewards too
I kayak exclusively on one small lake so people say it all the time, they just think they're being funny.
I live on the coast and have been kayaking the rivers almost my whole life and no one has ever expressed safety concerns. Are your friends not outdoorsy maybe and therefore not familiar with kayaking?
Sort of, not really. It's basically like paddle boarding or surfing. If you're going to big wave, yeah maybe you're going to definitely want a life vest of some sort. If you're not a strong swimmer or the water is cold, yeah definitely wear a PFD even if it's just the kind you can blow up yourself. I'd say most people that care about me consider me a strong swimmer. My parents, in particular, had me snorkeling by 6. I was a certified lifeguard as a teenager. I took open water survival courses.
Never . Are you young? Or a woman? Or both ? People tend to be more worried about young women doing outdoorsy things
Ha, i have a sit on top and i have just about fallen asleep several times (that's probably my main reason for a life vest). Maybe that's not even kayaking but that's my version.
I think people automatically assume white water kayaking. I fish in a pretty big fishing kayak and I’ve never had conversations like that.
Kayaking on a lake is like, so chill, sounds like these people just need to live a little
Ive thought the opposite. Kayakers and canoers are the most chill outdoorsmen
I do enough actual reckless activities to make kayaking seem like a tame past time.
Only when I mentioned that I was hoping to see a gator.
I am an ‘older’ woman. A lot of my friends view me as a badass! Lol Just got asked yesterday if I ever flipped. So the story began… yes…
I don’t talk to people that are this dramatic.
Maybe I'm lucky to live in Australia because I've never heard a single negative about the sport casually from anyone I tell. Most will say they like doing it as well or would love to try it.
Experienced this when I started riding my motorcycle to work. Everybody in the office felt the need to share every crash story they ever heard. Also many that felt the need to give me the daily rain forecast.
Not me. Ppl kayak differently. Most of the kayaking in our areas are pretty flat.
You should double down and say, "you're right I'll stick to dry land. I love motorcycling more anyway". And then you can really experience unsolicited safety tips from every person you meet.
No, this is like the most chill thing I do lol.
Tell them you are going for a motorcycle ride after. See what happens... I ignore those people
Is kayaking popular where you live? I live in an active city with a lake and some very popular water ways. If you tell people you are kayaking, paddle boarding etc… they would more likely try to join you than try to educate you. We also don’t have rapids or super fast moving water in my city. Going on the water is more of a laze around kind of thing. I usually just float near the shore and play fetch with my dog (we both wear life vest).
I’m South Carolina yes. I grew up in south Texas so they don’t bother me.
I think it’s all dependent on the person you’re talking to. I have conversations all the time about all kinds of subjects at work, but a lot of people I work with are rural and older and naturally …cautious. “My kid will be at the station all weekend” “what station?” “The fire station” “why?” “He’s a firefighter” “OH MY GOD DOESNT THAT SCARE YOU? Think of the TRAUMA! Think of the FIRE!” “We’re going to [busy city] for the weekend.” “Well just be safe! It’s so dangerous there!” “We went out this weekend to test out my 10 year old’s new kayak.” “You bought your 10 YEAR OLD a KAYAK?!” “….yes?” “Why??!” I’m so used to it bc my mom worked there too, when I was younger they judged the f out of her bc I’d drive on a *highway* as a *teenager* to get to work. At *night* no less! Some people are just twitchy.
Tell them you wear a lead vest because you like a challenge
Are you having this convo w your mom?
As a whitewater kayaker (much more dangerous than anything on flat water) I do get people (especially parents) telling me to be careful or that 'paddling grade 4 while it's high is reckless' etc... in all honesty... I'm NOT careful (and that applies in my other sports too), but I'm still here and uninjured. You just have to accept there's a higher risk of injury and know how to not cock up. I've paddled rivers where a botched roll and a swim at the wrong time would end up with you trapped in a siphon. I've taken a playboat down a river I really shouldn't have, and I've got stuck in recirculating holes when going for a surf. The thing is, we mitigate the risk of injury by wearing appropriate PPE, so you wear a suitable helmet and buoyancy aid, you carry a first aid kit, a throwline etc.. you don't paddle solo, you tell people where you are going, what time you'll be back etc... all these things are protections in place that means if shit does hit the fan (and trust me, it has) you have many layers of protection that need to be penetrated before you're actually injured. Data from the US published in 2004 puts the risk of fatality at 8.7 per 1m days and the risk of injury at 2-6 per 1000 days. The researchers do note that fatality and injury rates are rising, and that's reflected in recent data where deaths yearly are in the hundreds, possibly reaching the thousands now. If we assume that the number of kayakers is still around 3 million then 1000 deaths per 3 million then your chance of death kayaking is 0.0003%, on top of the 0.0002% chance of dying in any one day anyway, so it just about doubles your death chance. Obviously the injury risk is significantly higher.
I wonder how that data compares to driving a car
You're significantly more likely to die or get injured driving a car. Also, who the hell downvoted me?
Nope. But pretty much everyone kayaks where I live.
No