On Labor Day 2008, Paul Twardock finished a weekend paddling trip in Prince William Sound. It was crowded in Whittier when he landed, just as the wind picked up to about 30 knots.
This wasn't a surprise; wind was forecast. Still Twardock, professor of outdoor studies at Alaska Pacific University and a skilled outdoorsman, was glad to be onshore.
As he was getting in his truck to leave, another paddler landed onshore in a sea kayak. He was panicked because a woman in his party had flipped her kayak. He had tried to rescue her unsuccessfully. She was about a mile offshore. By now, it was windy and choppy offshore. Twardock was about to radio the Coast Guard, when a ferry came in sight. So instead, he called the ferry, and ultimately the vessel successfully rescued the woman.
It was a near miss, and Twardock was never able to find out exactly what happened.
‘Powerful educational tools’
"That was a case where I said, 'Boy, it would be nice to know more,' " Twardock said. "More about the experience level, what kind of equipment (they were using), the kayaks, what kinds of conditions they were experiencing on the water.
"Those stories can be very powerful educational tools."
Ultimately the experience was one of many that led Twardock to launch a website last week where Alaska's recreational boaters can share first-hand stories of incidents, or near misses, on the water.
[Report boating incidents here]
"Over the years, I hear a lot of these stories that people tell about something that happened to them. They almost sunk or they had to be rescued," Twardock explained. "Nobody (other than those involved) really learns from that. "
Climbers and mountaineers have a culture of sharing mishaps. "Accidents in North American Mountaineering" gets published every year, highlighting a variety of accidents and near misses. "People look at this and go 'Oh wow' and learn." But, Twardock says, boaters don't really have that kind of culture — at least not yet.
Kelli Toth, educational specialist and spokeswoman with the Alaska Office of Boating Safety, calls Twardock's project unique and exciting. She should know — her office has a statewide view of recreational boating, and the statistics are sobering.
Consistently since 2000, nine out of ten people killed in recreational boating accidents in Alaska were not wearing a life jacket or were never found. Nine of 10 boating fatalities are adult men; and three of four take place on a powerboat. Fatalities in Alaska tend to spike during July and in the fall.
Declining deaths
Prior to 2000, when the boating safety program was founded, recreational boating fatalities in Alaska averaged 28 per year. The number has dropped to seven in both 2014 and 2015.
This data explains the department's mantra encouraging boaters to wear life vests and take part in safety education.
According to Toth, many people believe the ability to survive a sudden plunge into cold Alaska waters is based on individual swimming, or boating, ability. "But…people (need to) understand the effects of cold-water immersion," Toth said. Often when people die in cold water, "it's not because of hypothermia, it's because of the gasping reflex. It's that initial cold-water response."
The department oversees educational programs explaining this and other commonly misunderstood boating safety information. Classes allow students to experience the simple, yet potentially life-saving, value of life vests firsthand.
"It's all about the grassroots effort," said Toth, part of a five-person staff. "We very much value our partnerships, and that's not in name only. We have active partners throughout the state — whether it's an agency, a tribe, a community. It's not OUR program, it's THEIR program. That's why Paul's project is so exciting … It initiates this conversation with the recreational boater: What's going on out there?"
Data and statistics form the foundation of the department's work. For instance, in response to the high incidence of boating fatalities among adult men not wearing life jackets, the department launched a pledge-to-live campaign in which boaters take a pledge to wear a life jacket.
Toth is excited to see what additional data comes from Twardock's site. New information helps her office design the most-effective programming for recreational boaters.
And much can be learned from near misses, Twardock said.
*What kind of decisions are involved?
*What specific hazards do people consistently encounter?
*Is a particular river more dangerous at a certain level than another?
‘Almosts’
"We … need more information and more detail — particularly near misses. Those are what you call the 'almosts' — something bad (almost) happened. If it would have happened, our plan, our day, our itinerary would have changed. But it didn't happen."
Overall, a greater variety of recreationalists are on the water than ever. "You can go through the decades, and at one point there were power boats, sailboats, and canoers. Now we have stand-up paddleboards, personal water crafts (jet skis), powered kayaks out there. A guy swam a river — (he had) a little kick board on the Yukon this summer. Who knows what's next?
"I hope all categories (of recreational boaters) get involved."
Incident reports are posted anonymously, although personal information is collected on an online form in case follow-up is needed.
Have an incident to report? Don't be shy — step right up, and take five minutes to write your story so other Alaskans can benefit.
Alli Harvey lives, works and plays in Anchorage.