Ed’s foreword: A huge response!

Putting together the Autumn issue of the Paddler, we received a last-minute contribution from a white water paddler named Michael Gallion, who was writing about his and his team’s experience of a rescue on the River Dee at Llangollen. Thankfully in his case, the rescued paddler and the group as a whole, everything turned out well with a successful outcome.

We led with the Dee rescue story to highlight the magazine to readers that the new Autumn issue was available. We had a phenomenal response both on the Paddler website and through social media – the story definitely got paddlers talking and exchanging viewpoints, no matter whether it was WW-related or emergencies on the sea.

In short, it was the most widely read story in the online editions of the magazine for 2022. What made it more satisfying was the consensus on learning from the situation with few willing to play the ‘blame game’. It proves paddlers are a harmonious bunch and more than willing to learn from dangerous situations but there are those outside of the sport with much more criticism!

And to prove a point – the all-time most widely read online feature in the Paddler, since we started in 2012, is Moulton Avery’s ‘Blaming the Victims.’ Moulton is the founder and director of the National Center for Cold Water Safety and has been a cold water safety advocate for over 30 years.

Along with the cold water advice, Moulton is also a fierce advocate of not playing the blame game. With so many media outlets and social media, there is tremendous pressure that reporters are under to get a story out – even though all the facts may not be readily available.

As a result, many early stories need to be more accurate about the weather, the conditions, the time of day, the type of boat involved and even the location of the incident itself. Likewise, what does it mean to say that someone “Should have known better” when it’s clear they didn’t know any better – many hazards aren’t obvious, as at Llangollen.

None of us is immune from making mistakes and errors in judgment; we all make unwise decisions all the time. In many sports, accident reviews are routine, and all paddlers benefit, when those involved dare to admit their mistakes so that we can learn the lessons. Whether our mistakes are big or small, it’s never easy to admit them. If we tolerate an undeserved, mean-spirited, and sharp rebuke of those who step forward, we shouldn’t be surprised when the result is that, eventually, nobody is willing to speak up. We all make mistakes, and it’s from them that we can hopefully learn something.

The lessons learned from the River Dee incident are all about having the correct rescue equipment, knowing how to use it and how quick-thinking paddlers, through training, have to be at a time when seconds were crucial and, therefore, something with which all watersport users can learn. So huge thanks to Michael Gallion and Moulton Avery for their input and time in getting the message out. Please let us know of any other close calls we can learn from, as Michael could have just counted his blessings without telling the story. Therefore, the Paddler will continue to create a blame-free environment in which an incident can be analysed and lessons learned.

We now enter our twelfth year in publication; the next issue is number 70! It won’t be an easy year with cost pressures in all directions for us as a publication and for you as paddlers, so we appreciate your support, particularly if you continue to purchase the printed magazine – huge thanks!

British Canoeing

Whilst we are handing out the thanks, we cannot leave out Robert Knott, Sam Rankin, Jack Carnell, James Ibbotson, Steph Roberts, Wendy Hockenhull, Beth Hall, and others, who all help us day in and day out in putting the full Paddler and Canoe Focus magazines together, plus their invaluable support in making British Canoeing’s huge membership aware of us and what we do. I’m also delighted that a contract extension with BC has been signed to continue from March 2023 onwards.

I would also like to thank the printers and mailing house, who continue to do an excellent job of printing and distribution. Last but nowhere near least, the contributors, advertisers and subscribers, all the cogs working together – thank you to you all – and please continue to send us your material and your thoughts on what you would like to see in the magazine.

I sincerely hope that you enjoy this issue of the Paddler and here’s to the next 12 years!

Read about ‘Learning from a successful life saving rescue’ at:
https://paddlerezine.com/ww-rescue

Read about ‘Blaming the victims’ at:
https://paddlerezine.com/blaming-the-victims