Maeve Townsend McKean, granddaughter of the late sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and her 8-year-old son Gideon, are presumed dead after a canoeing mishap in Chesapeake Bay on Thursday.
https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020...andson-in-bay/
On that day, on that shore, the waiting canoe was a death trap. An offshore wind of up to 30 mph (likely stronger on the bay itself) could easily have prevented the two from paddling back to shore, until they got exhausted and hypothermic and capsized in the waves.
They and the father and two other kids were staying at the otherwise unoccupied house (owned by family) as a refuge from coronavirus. So they would likely have been unfamiliar with the canoe and with the Chesapeake Bay waters the property fronted on. And under the circumstances of "jumping into" the canoe to chase a ball, they were unlikely to have brought any emergency gear with them. (They might have had PFDs, if they were stored in the boat, but with the water temperature still near 50°F this time of year, those would have made little difference without immediate rescue.)
Winds in that range can push a canoe downwind rapidly, and require strength and endurance to overcome. That's one reason they're a frequent reason for USCG small craft advisories. There would also have been considerable waves and spray. Hypothermia might have been a factor even while they were still in the boat. Once in trouble, their least risky option would have been to head for the far downwind shore, about 8 miles away. But they might not have even known that shore was there, and it would have been a hazardous trip under the best conditions.
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According to multiple accounts, members of Townsend’s family were playing kickball in the backyard of her home in Shady Side when an errant ball fell into the water. McKean and her son jumped into a canoe to try to retrieve the ball, but with winds whipping up to about 30 miles per hour, they were unable to get ashore. The Sun reported that authorities found a canoe and paddle east of Rockhold Creek in Deale around 7 p.m. but were unable to find the missing individuals. The search was called off around 7:30 p.m. due to darkness and resumed Friday morning. |
On that day, on that shore, the waiting canoe was a death trap. An offshore wind of up to 30 mph (likely stronger on the bay itself) could easily have prevented the two from paddling back to shore, until they got exhausted and hypothermic and capsized in the waves.
They and the father and two other kids were staying at the otherwise unoccupied house (owned by family) as a refuge from coronavirus. So they would likely have been unfamiliar with the canoe and with the Chesapeake Bay waters the property fronted on. And under the circumstances of "jumping into" the canoe to chase a ball, they were unlikely to have brought any emergency gear with them. (They might have had PFDs, if they were stored in the boat, but with the water temperature still near 50°F this time of year, those would have made little difference without immediate rescue.)
Winds in that range can push a canoe downwind rapidly, and require strength and endurance to overcome. That's one reason they're a frequent reason for USCG small craft advisories. There would also have been considerable waves and spray. Hypothermia might have been a factor even while they were still in the boat. Once in trouble, their least risky option would have been to head for the far downwind shore, about 8 miles away. But they might not have even known that shore was there, and it would have been a hazardous trip under the best conditions.
via International Skeptics Forum https://ift.tt/34gRvr5
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