What to do when things go wrong. GAGA!
In our third set of excerpts from the series of SUP SAFETY books written by Bill Dawes, National Safety Officer for stand up paddleboarding in New Zealand, we’re going to look at the actual process of dealing with a problem that you encounter while paddleboarding. Over to Bill…
What to do when things go wrong
In previous articles we looked at the three main categories of unexpected occurrences which you might encounter while out on your paddleboard. Namely; issues with your equipment, your environment, or your wellness. Other than a few really extreme situations (such as a cardiac arrest or being run over by a speedboat), the vast majority of unexpected occurrences are not in themselves life-threatening. It is how you deal with them that will determine how they play out - which could be anywhere on a spectrum from minor inconvenience through to full blown emergency.
Knowing what to do when something goes wrong gives you a huge advantage. The worst type of emergency situation is one that you have never given any prior thought to. However, a plan on its own is not enough. You also need to be able to perform. In this excerpt from Book 3 of the SUP SAFETY series we’ll be discussing the general strategy of dealing with problems, whatever they may be.
There are three phases to dealing with a situation:
Recognition
Response
Reflection
So let’s consider each of these in more detail…
Recognition
Recognizing and acknowledging that something is not as it should be is a very important first step in the process of dealing with it. There are essentially two types of problem:
Those with warning signs: You spot bad weather approaching, you realize you’re starting to feel a bit poorly, etc. Situations that you can see coming (assuming you know what to look for and you are monitoring your environment).
Those with no warning: your paddle suddenly snaps, you fall off your board onto a sharp coral head, your board suffers a catastrophic fail. Situations that arrive out of the blue as a full-blown emergency, without any advance notice at all.
Recognizing that a problem is on its way before it actually arrives is obviously the preferable scenario, as it means you have time to make a plan and prepare yourself. Whereas the sudden switch from everything’s great to major stress adds a whole extra layer of adrenaline and fog to the situation, making it that much harder to think clearly. This is why having a specific formula to follow makes it so much easier to cope.
So let’s consider our three categories of scenario from this perspective.
Equipment issues
In general, your equipment is either working or it’s not. Most equipment-related problems therefore tend to fall into the ‘no warning’ category. But you may get a hint that a problem is on its way. Your inflatable board starts feeling a bit more flexy or soft than it should, or your paddle starts creaking in an alarming way. If you sense something is not quite right with your gear, be smart and think seriously about turning back immediately, or at very least, limit the risk by moving closer to the shore, or other equivalent safety. There is never any harm in playing safe.
Environment issues
It is rare for a significant change in the environment to be completely unheralded – the warning signs are nearly always there. You just need to learn to read them. Understanding the environment, and knowing what signs to look for, is covered in Book 2 of the SUP SAFETY series. The best way to avoid getting caught out by environment changes (weather, sea state, etc) is simply paddling heads-up; being aware of what’s going on around you at all times, knowing what to look out for, and taking appropriate action if you see a change coming. But that’s not to say that you won’t ever get taken by surprise – it happens.
Health & wellbeing
Unless it’s something really serious like a cardiovascular issue or a severe gastro problem which can suddenly manifest very quickly, you usually get some advance warning of illness setting in. So don’t ever push your luck on that one; if you sense you’re not feeling 100% then just turn around and start heading home. And of course: if in doubt, don’t go out!
Biomechanical issues also usually give a bit of advance warning and the early signs should always be heeded. Obviously if you already have a musculo-skeletal problem of some sort (bad back, neck pain, sore shoulder, etc) which is likely to be made worse by paddling, then don’t go paddling! However, what about if something starts to twinge a bit when you’re on the water? Sometimes you’ll get a bit of temporary discomfort or muscle soreness early on in a session that you can push through. However, if something starts to hurt later in the session then it’s almost certainly just going to keep on getting worse, so it’s time to back off and head for home. (A useful rule of thumb is; if it’s still hiring when you’re not actually paddling, then something is definitely wrong).
Unexpected trauma such as cuts, sprains, dislocations, cracked ribs, etc, by definition you don’t see coming, so they’re all in the ‘no warning’ category. Fortunately, they’re incredibly rare in SUP.
Response: dealing with problems
So, some problems you can see coming, some you can’t until they’ve arrived. Whichever it is, you’re now in a situation where something needs to be done. However, before you go any further, take a moment to think it through. Consider the implications.
How serious is it?
How is it going to play out?
What are you going to need to do, in what order?
Do you need to call for help?
If you’re turning back, where should you be heading for – back to your starting point or the nearest point of land/shelter/assistance?
Don’t ever initiate action until you have the full plan clear in your head. This one always brings up some spirited debate in discussions. “Yeah, but if someone’s having a heart attack I’m not going to be stopping to have a nice little think about things; I’ve got to help them straight away”. There are many situations where the first impulse will be to leap in and start doing stuff. But then what? If it genuinely is a serious medical emergency for example, then almost certainly the most important outcome in ensuring the survival of that person is going to be getting them into the hands of trained medical professionals with all the necessary resources. The sooner those experts are on the scene the better. Phoning for help first may not seem the right thing to do if there is blood spurting, but it’s what’s going to ensure a positive outcome. Whatever the situation, no matter how bad – indeed all the more so if it’s bad – you need a plan.
Your initial response should have four phases, in the following very specific order.
Group
If you’re on your own you can jump straight past this stage, but if you’re with other paddlers or participants, then bringing them into the game right at the start is absolutely vital. More on this shortly.
Assess
Decide what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it. As just discussed, even if you only spend a few seconds on this, it’s essential to think it through fully before you start on any actions.
Get help?
If you need to call for help, do it now rather than later when the situation has potentially become even more serious. If it is a medical emergency, make sure you tell the responders where you will be coming ashore, so they know where to meet you.
Act!
Carry out the plan.
As you may have noticed, the acronym here is GAGA. Fairly easy to remember!
Group think
So why is GROUP always the first thing you should think of? Because if you’re with other paddlers, maybe paddling friends, your family or any other scenario where it’s not an organized activity with a designated leader or instructor (in which case it should be their job to take charge and manage your safety), then understanding how to effectively utilize your group is one of the most important – but most often overlooked – aspects of dealing with a problem. Any group will contain strengths and assets, as well as weaknesses and hindrances.
If the problem is just yours (ie; you’re ill, injured or have suffered some equipment failure) then bringing the others in means that you can work it out together, or they can take over if you’re incapacitated. Tasks such as medical care, calling for help, sharing the load (taking you under tow) etc can be undertaken by the best-equipped group members. If you’re poorly, maybe there’s someone in the group with medical training?
If someone else in the group has an individual problem (wellbeing or equipment based), then it’s the same procedure. Someone needs to step into the leadership role and help the group come up with a plan. Use the strengths and assets within the group to deal with the problem. Maybe the group needs to split up; someone escorts or tows the injured party home, while everyone else continues. Or everyone returns home together. If there’s a medical problem then who is best placed to deal with it? Who calls for help, who goes to get help? Even if they’re a bunch of complete novices who know nothing about paddleboarding, your group should still always be viewed as an asset, not a problem.
If you’ve spotted a problem that will affect the whole group, such as an approaching (or arriving!) change in the environment, then everyone needs to be on the same page and fast – especially if it’s imminent. If the problem is the sudden onset of strong offshore winds pushing you out to sea then you must get your collective act together really quickly. There is no time to waste – every second is pushing you further away, possibly further offshore in which case the sea will be getting ever rougher. If the group is mixed ability then the smart move may well be to take the weakest members under tow immediately – no arguments, just get it done – and everyone then paddles together at maximum speed for safer conditions. Start paddling back as quickly as you can, and keep paddling: you can’t afford to stop. Get inexperienced/less strong paddlers down to their knees straight away to make better headway against the wind.
If the problem is loss of visibility you may choose to raft up so you don’t lose contact with each other.
If the situation is one of imminent genuine danger – a huge squall front bearing down on you or a sudden very strong offshore wind – then ensuring everyone’s safety gear is all properly on and in order should be an early part of the plan. Check leashes are tight and properly fixed. With beltpack PFDs you might choose to open them and slip the collar over your head, even if you don’t inflate them.
If you’re in a group and there is a need to call (or go) for help, then a couple of people should be assigned this task if at all possible; one to make the call and the other to assist and prompt. This is a far more reliable and effective way of getting the job done than just assigning the job to one person, however competent they may be. Remind them that the most important piece of information to impart is where your group will be meeting the emergency services or whoever is coming to meet you, if this is a part of the plan.
If you are battling back to shore against a headwind, it is very tempting to press on and outstrip the slower paddlers, but that’s not the smart plan in practice. If you get in close to shore where the wind is less, and you look back out and see that they’re still out there struggling and not making any progress at all, you’re just going to have to go back out there and help them. If you’re the best paddler in the group, then stick with the slowest paddler, and if they are struggling, insist that they take a tow from you. You are in a potentially very dangerous situation and decisive action is required.
This text is extracted and modified from Book 3 of the SUP SAFETY - How to stay safe on your stand-up paddleboard series by Bill Dawes, available in Kindle or paperback form from Amazon. In our next few blogs posts we will be publishing further extracts from the books, looking at particular emergency situations and how to deal with them. However, if you really want to learn everything you can about being safe on your stand up paddleboard, we’d thoroughly recommend checking out the books for yourself.