: Yikes! Close call.
: I think the people I spoke to on Saturday who still went out,
: probably think they were making a rational decision, and because
: nothing happened, they probably think they were right, and
: they'll do it again.

: Given the exact same circumstances I'd still get off the water. I
: think I'll also make sure I listen to NOAA radio weather before
: I launch. Usually I just checking the web page before I leave (
: I think this report is updated at 2 am and 8 am. I'm usually on
: the water by 6. ) In Southern California, the weather is pretty
: much the same, but when it storms it's almost random where it
: actually happens.

: Seems to me if you're on the water and a meteorologist says a storm
: is coming but the experienced coach says no way--get off the
: water.
: Or if the experienced coach says get off the water and the
: meteorologist says, naw--- get off the water.
: If weather-optimists are wrong--you could die. If the 'worrier' is
: wrong, you miss out on paddling, but you can always go again
: another day.

: And always consider what they're going to say at the funeral....
: What a dummy, paddling in a thunderstorm.

: W

Coach is just a coach, you're the paddler, make your own decisions for safety, if they don't agree with the coach, tough. You only get one chance to make a mistake with lightning, like Rob said, not worth the risk.

Bill H.