Please ........ Wear your Lifekacket

[Memory Maker]

Can't be said enough .........

Body of Parkville kayaker recovered from Gunpower Falls


June 16, 2013|By Pamela Wood, The Baltimore Sun
Emergency responders on Sunday recovered the body of a 26-year-old kayaker who had been reported missing a day earlier.
The body of Daniel Travis Deamond of Parkville was pulled from the Gunpowder Falls near Belair Road in Kingsville at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, said Sgt. Brian Albert, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Police.
Deamond and a friend had been kayaking Saturday when Deamond ran into trouble at the bridge, Albert said. The river flows through four archways under the road. Deamond's kayak rolled under a pile of brush and debris that had collected in one archway from the recent storms, Albert said.
The State Highway Administration brought in a crane on Sunday to remove debris so crews could reach his body.
A member of the Kingsville Volunteer Fire Department's swift-water rescue team pulled Deamond's body from the water. Teams from Baltimore County's police and fire departments and the state Natural Resources Police also assisted in the recovery.
Deamond's body has been taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy, but foul play is not suspected.
Deamond was not wearing a life jacket, Albert said.
pwood@baltsun.com

[zeebyrd]

Having fly fished the Gunpowder on many occasions, I can tell you that I saw more kayakers not wearing PFDs than those who did. I can also tell you that I saw very few wearing helmets when they had just come through an area requiring it.

When I am out on lakes, it makes me wonder why so many people do not value their lives enough to wear a PFD.

[On the fly]

If you need it and are not wearing it, it's already tooo late. It won't do you any good stored in the hull of your kayak
Body recovery is no fun for the family or rescuers.

[john from md]

Last Saturday at Jonas Green I saw two young guys crabbing. One in an orange or yellow yak and one in a green yak. I did not notice the guy in the green as he headed for the Academy sea wall. The guy in the orange/yellow set his traps just past the restaurants dock area and I could not see a PFD on him. He had on a tee shirt and may have had an inflatable under it (why, I wouldn't know) but I could not see one.

With the lightweight inflatable PFD's they have now, no one should object to wearing one. Hell, in my boat I wear my inflatable and carry my yak zipper on as extra insurance.

Please don't temp mother nature as you are sure to lose.

John

[ronaultmtd]

Totally agree 100%- kayakers have more risk than power boaters of getting wet- and I always wear my PDF- just don't even think about it- it is on me before the kayak comes out of the truckbed-

[MetroMan]

Sad to hear about this :-(

[frettr00]

Tragic... he was only 26

[whenican]

Bass Pro has pfd's....the mesh ones that are more comfy in the heat, plus fishing pfd vests on sale right now. I think the inflatable ones are on sale too. I was saddened to learn about his death on the radio the other day. I'm guilty for usually storing my vest in the hull.

[docirv]

How tragic..... I cannot count the number to times I have spoken to other kayakers on the water who were not wearing pfd's and warned them of the dangers especially in the early spring when the water is colder.

[FishAholic929]

In my kayak I always wear my life jacket. I have a friend who didn't even carry one with him and finally convinced him to buy one. There is only one time I can remember that I did not wear one on my yak. I was meeting a co-worker for his first trip out on a kayak. I realized when I sent my johnboat with my brother I also sent him with all my additional Large men's PFDs. All I was left with was the one I always have in my kayak (stored in the hull when it isn't being used) and my wife's and daughters' (way too small for me). Since he had never been out before I made him wear the one that would fit, and I tucked one that was too small for me under my deck bungees. Thank god I didn't need it! Everytime I hear about a kayaker that dies they are not wearing one...it is a sad day. I feel sorry for the family and friends for such a tragic loss that more than likely could have been prevented.

[<MIKE>]

This past weekend at Assateaque Island I launched from the surf into the ocean for the first time. Because it was my first time, I launched without fishing gear just to get the hang of it.

It was high tide and the water was neck deep right off the shore so I had to let my legs float up and then pull myself across my kayak and then rotate to a seated position (which I had never practiced before). On the first attempt I over compensated and turtled for the first time. I didn't get hurt but I did discover that I had never properly adjusted the straps on my PFD which floated up to my chin. After the experience, I wished I had practiced this when I first got into the sport. If you've never adjusted your PFD you should and then test swimming in it. One more observation, I had a couple things in the pockets of my PFD that made them protrude slightly which got hung up on the side of the kayak momentarily when pulling myself across which wasn't a big deal but could've been in an emergency.

For those who have never kayaked in the surf it is a ton of fun.

[john from md]

Mike,

If you use a paddle float, it will make your re-entry easier and you won't get hung up on stuff as you can force yourself up higher because of the extra leverage. I never leave home without it.

John

[<MIKE>]

Hey John, I don't have a paddle float but thats a great suggestion. I'll look to pick one up. Thanks, Mike

[john from md]

No problem. I keep mine behind my seat as I fish light and use a stringer instead of a cooler. When I need to use it, (usually only during practice ), I just slip it out and put it on the paddle. I slip the other end of the paddle through the straps on the front hatch and just hoist myself up. It is so much more stable than trying to slide up rubbing against the yak and everything sticking out of it.

My fishfinder mount is on the hull access cover so I just fold it down flat before hopping aboard.

John