Kennedy canoe disaster

I haven't heard anything past the initial report. That family has had some terrible things happen.
 
I used to kayak daily during the summers on the bay. I would go hard and fast for a workout...I think people really underestimate the potential dangers. I don't know the specifics, ie. were they wearing life jackets? I presume not...

I don't know the specific area they launched from but I believe it was a bit south from my normal run...The winds have a way of kicking up the water... I think they called off the rescue mission and switched to recovery, but I don't think they've found the bodies. I imagine they will as usually bodies start to float after a few days...

I always hate to learn about deaths near Annapolis because I don't think they need to happen....The real strange one was the Secret Service agent right off the USNA waters...Still doesn't make sense to me...
 
There just seems more to the story than is being reported. Allegedly the mom and her son hopped in the canoe to retrieve a ball that they had been kicking around on shore.

Then next thing you know....the canoe is out in the Chesapeake Bay, no life jackets on board and the mom can't seem to paddle back which made me wonder if they she had a paddle or lost it.

So, authorities found the canoe which means that the mom and her son tried to swim back? If she did lose the paddle and fell in....there is no getting back on board a canoe without flipping it over and the water is still very cold.

What didn't make sense is that someone did spot them and called it in which makes me wonder why they didn't go over and find out what a canoe was doing out in the Bay.

Just sad.
 
You would think the Kennedy family could afford another ball. Just shows money can't buy you common sense!
CD
 
Between boats, planes and water accidents the family name has been cursed throughout history.
 
Winds gusted to 35 mph in that part of the bay on Thursday afternoon, and a small craft advisory was issued. The windier-than-usual conditions were caused by a strong Atlantic storm churning offshore farther to the north.

Overnight temperatures in the Annapolis area dipped to 48 degrees, while the water temperature in the bay was about 51 degrees.


David McKean further detailed what he has “come to understand” about the tragedy.

“We were self-quarantining in an empty house owned by Maeve’s mother Kathleen on the Chesapeake Bay, hoping to give our kids more space than we have at home in DC to run around,” he wrote. “Gideon and Maeve were playing kickball by the small, shallow cove behind the house, and one of them kicked the ball into the water. The cove is protected, with much calmer wind and water than in the greater Chesapeake. They got into a canoe, intending simply to retrieve the ball, and somehow got pushed by wind or tide into the open bay. About 30 minutes later they were spotted by an onlooker from land, who saw them far out from shore, and called the police. After that last sighting, they were not seen again. The Coast Guard recovered their canoe, which was capsized and miles away, at approximately 6:30 yesterday evening.”

======

So those reports are consistent with my thoughts...This is much further south on the bay than I would usually go. On my kayak, which is lightweight and lower it has much less free-board and impact from the wind...Though I can tell you many times I would go out from a protected area and get into wind conditions and things would get sketchy...Totally probable that with the canoe's extra windage, they would have problems. they were on the E side of the bay and I'm going to have to guess the winds were coming from the E. The thing about that is, you can get a very false sense of security when you venture out because while you're close to land you have a lot of things like buildings and trees that block the wind. As you slowly drift out, the wind conditions change fast. I could understand how these two might not have been able to paddle against the wind and how it might have been difficult to maintain a course. Further, I've been in similar conditions on the bay, 35+ winds and 2-3' seas, or waves by the coastline...It's a technical paddle as I have to focus all my attention to the control of the craft...It's fun, but dangerous...I'm sorry they took this risk, but I can certainly understand how a simple jump in the canoe to retrieve a ball could end this way....Keep i mind to, as you get closer to shore the waves higher and they likely would have capsized... Though, it's usually very shallow close to shore on the bay and they might have been able to simply walk in if they got close enough....Though, I can almost guarantee that if they were wearing life jackets they would have been saved...I haven't heard any discussion of this issue in this tragedy.
 
Water safety is important to us all. You read about other people being killed this way and no one pays much attention. Perhaps the publicity from this will make more aware and save some lives in the future.
 
just sucks that a adult could make such bad decisions when they have enough money to but a whole store of balls. Having done recovery from water ,it is not an open casket burial and the added pain is not finding the son.
Cant really find a report where someone died from drowning wearing a life jacket, hypothermia yes, eaten by sharks yes , etc. but drowning no
 
oh man i just read about this....how awful. You won't hear me complaining about anything today.
 
Sad on so many levels. Poor judgement based on limited experience with the bay, coincidental with the boating ban that eliminated the boats normally in the area, bad timing with the tide, being on a very sparsely populated shoreline of large estate type homes and marshy parks, and gusting NW spring winds. I've been down that shoreline many times between Shady Side (Sea Ray dealer) and Deale. It's one of those places you cruise along and admire the large houses on the shore. The house sits just south of Horseshoe Point and husband's description of being in a cove is stretching it. As I recall, most places have a large stretches of boulder rip rap to preserve the shoreline and no docks. And to top it off, the water's only 3 feet deep out to a half mile from shore.
 
@gmacd81 - I spoke to some of your points in previous posts....

I would do my kayak run out of Back Creek to Thomas Point Lighthouse, so not as far down as Shady Side...But, I've been down that way by boat and car and I don't know it well, but I know it...

The thing that stuck me is I know the water is usually pretty shallow off the coast for at least 100 yards.

Further, I was presuming an Easterly wind keeping them away from shore. A NW wind would have blown them back in towards shore....No mention of life jackets.
 
@gmacd81 - I spoke to some of your points in previous posts....

I would do my kayak run out of Back Creek to Thomas Point Lighthouse, so not as far down as Shady Side...But, I've been down that way by boat and car and I don't know it well, but I know it...

The thing that stuck me is I know the water is usually pretty shallow off the coast for at least 100 yards.

Further, I was presuming an Easterly wind keeping them away from shore. A NW wind would have blown them back in towards shore....No mention of life jackets.
Hmmm...NW wind comes from the northwest blowing southeast.
 
Easy to second guess and judge. I'm sure the family will be more careful in the future and regrets the decision to go there.
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Chesapeake Bay mag reported they were on land and the ball blew into the water. They jumped into a canoe and went out after it. Maryland Marine officers reported winds at 12kts with gusts to 20. A witness on shore reported seeing them being blown out into the Bay. By the time officers found the canoe it was to late. The canoe was swamped and they were gone. Even the rescuers and search teams had to suspend the first attempts due to high winds and waves.

No PFD's were on them or the canoe. I feel for the families.
 
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