Red Moshannon Race Death
Submitted by Susan Williams
The racing community extends its condolences to the family of George Lockey of Kylertown. Mr. Lockey died after an incident at the Red Moshannon Race wherein he was found floating face down in the water at or near the finish line. CPR was performed on site, but Mr. Lockey later died in the hospital. He was 62 years old.
When a paddler dies, much speculation always surrounds the circumstances. Stroke, heart attack, hypothermia, entanglement in a skirt, footbraces or other equipment, and/or any other number of factors that could ultimately lead to drowning and death are all possible each time we enter a waterway. From each untimely death we all can remember several things.
Always check both your physical and mental condition before paddling. Do not paddle if you are not feeling “right” about any part of the day. I have DNS’d (Did Not Start) several races because I was not feeling up to racing that day. I have also DNF’d (Did Not Finish) for the same reason. If you race enough races, you will eventually have a day that is just not your day. There is no shame in arriving and changing your mind. There is also no shame in paddling part way through and getting out when you need to get out. We’ve all done it.
Check your equipment each time you go out. Whether brand new or tried and true, equipment failures can happen very randomly. I learned my lesson on Lake Ontario when our brand new K2 skirts leaked so much water into the cockpits that we nearly sank a half-mile off shore in 4’ waves. That’s not the time to discover your equipment isn’t working as it should.
If you are wearing a PFD, be sure it fits you and is secured in the manner it is intended to be secured. Wearing a PFD that is not zipped or fastened, or wearing one too lose, is the same as not wearing one at all. Test your PFD for fit before you need it. The water is getting warm now, so now is the time to test your gear in a safe environment. Find out what it feels like to have a loose PFD strung around your neck, then fit it properly and keep it fitted. It’s hard to put on or adjust a PFD when you’re unconscious, so check it now before you need it.
Wear the proper clothing for the water temperatures, not the air temperatures. This is surely difficult on a 65 or 70-degree day, but when the water temps are cold you must be dressed for cold-water swimming. I saw a lot of novice paddlers at the Cameron County race dressed in shorts and tee shirts. It was a warm day but water temps were still in the 30s or 40s. Please dress for the water, not for the air. We’re all one paddle stroke away from our next unscheduled swim.
And finally, what I personally take from many of the paddling deaths is twofold. First, when God wants you, He knows where to find you and, second, for me it is better to die while doing something I love than on I-95 on my way to work. Get out and paddle as often as you can.
I certainly am not intending to make light of a tragic death, what I mean to say is please do what you love, as safely as you can, and enjoy our beautiful Pennsylvania waterways.