I find that I am uncomfortable with some of the recent comments that have been made in connection with an incident last year that led to the death of Elizabeth Ashbee.
If you are unfamiliar with the event there is a brief account of the inquest here.
I normally make it a rule not to comment on proceedings in court unless I have been present (the facts as presented are often rather different to the news reports - surely not, I hear you say), but I feel an exception coming on.
Conditions that day were not great (Rich and I postponed our planned trip from Cemlyn to Holyhead and he went walking in the mountains instead), but it was perfectly reasonable to be on the water - indeed many local and visiting kayakers have paddled in such conditions, and some in far worse - 'Utter Fools' according to the coroner - Dewi Pritchard Jones.
We are told that Elizabeth was an experienced paddler, and that three of her group managed to paddle from Rhoscolyn to Porth Trecastell (Cable Bay). We can be pretty sure that the trip was demanding with very strong gusts of wind and a confused sea. In such conditions, it is relatively easy to become separated from ones paddling companions, and much easier to carry on to a safe haven than to stop - particularly if conditions seem to be getting worse.
Much has been made of the party's lack of communications equipment. Place yourself at the scene, and have a think about how happy you would be to let go of your paddle for a while (did someone say 'raft up') - to use a mobile phone (reception poor along most of this bit of coast), a VHF (you might just reach the coastguard or get a mayday relay from some vessel closer to you) or pull out and operate a flare - and this is when you do not know that anything has actually gone wrong.
Some other commentators have questioned the groups experience and qualifications. I am reminded of the advice from motoring organisations a few winters ago - that only drivers with experience of ice and snow should venture out......
One final point. If Elizabeth was an 'Utter Fool' (I suspect then, that I am one as well) she paid the ultimate price, and in my opinion was entitled to do so without censure.
If you are unfamiliar with the event there is a brief account of the inquest here.
I normally make it a rule not to comment on proceedings in court unless I have been present (the facts as presented are often rather different to the news reports - surely not, I hear you say), but I feel an exception coming on.
Conditions that day were not great (Rich and I postponed our planned trip from Cemlyn to Holyhead and he went walking in the mountains instead), but it was perfectly reasonable to be on the water - indeed many local and visiting kayakers have paddled in such conditions, and some in far worse - 'Utter Fools' according to the coroner - Dewi Pritchard Jones.
We are told that Elizabeth was an experienced paddler, and that three of her group managed to paddle from Rhoscolyn to Porth Trecastell (Cable Bay). We can be pretty sure that the trip was demanding with very strong gusts of wind and a confused sea. In such conditions, it is relatively easy to become separated from ones paddling companions, and much easier to carry on to a safe haven than to stop - particularly if conditions seem to be getting worse.
Much has been made of the party's lack of communications equipment. Place yourself at the scene, and have a think about how happy you would be to let go of your paddle for a while (did someone say 'raft up') - to use a mobile phone (reception poor along most of this bit of coast), a VHF (you might just reach the coastguard or get a mayday relay from some vessel closer to you) or pull out and operate a flare - and this is when you do not know that anything has actually gone wrong.
Some other commentators have questioned the groups experience and qualifications. I am reminded of the advice from motoring organisations a few winters ago - that only drivers with experience of ice and snow should venture out......
One final point. If Elizabeth was an 'Utter Fool' (I suspect then, that I am one as well) she paid the ultimate price, and in my opinion was entitled to do so without censure.
I agree and am surprised that family, friends or her club have not made objection to the distressing way a much loved/liked person has been presented in the media. While the coroner may have concluded the trip was perhaps fool-hardy (and as Paul says, even that is questionable), nobody should be called 'Utter Fool' when they are no longer here to defend their name.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the theory that she was separated because she was going for help for her less experienced friends (who, incidentally, survived the utterly foolish trip)? And for such a fool, surely a dry suit would be an unexpected piece of equipment?
We should stand up for our fellow sportsmen, against legal professionals who, it would appear, know little about the particular sport.