I was being sincere about the advice to get out of the way of cruise ships. You do not want a "boat with some speed and maneuverability to intervene". A cruise ship under steam will not give way to a swimmer in the water and getting a boat to intervene and try to wave the ship off only puts more people in the path of disaster. The swimmer and escort craft need to get out of the way.
Rob, with all due respect, this is crazy-talk. A big cruise ship is bearing down on a swimmer, and you think the best plan is for the swimmer to try to swim out of the way, and for the escort craft to also "get out of the way," without helping the swimmer? Did I get that right? Sounds like a good way to get your swimmer run over by a cruise ship.
2) I have not been designated to handle any PR. I am posting out of my love for Masters Swimming in general and for open water swimming.
You are the only member of the "Open Water Task Force" who is engaging with the membership on this topic, so that sort of makes you the de facto PR Guy. I've heard nothing but silence from others, aside from one-way pronouncements. The fact that no one was explicitly designated as the PR Guy/Gal actually seems even worse for USMS. It seems to indicate either that the leadership didn't realize there would be a PR issue, or that they're not confident enough in their decision to defend it under criticism. I'm not sure which is worse.
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www.marathonswimmers.org
I was being sincere about the advice to get out of the way of cruise ships. You do not want a "boat with some speed and maneuverability to intervene". A cruise ship under steam will not give way to a swimmer in the water and getting a boat to intervene and try to wave the ship off only puts more people in the path of disaster. The swimmer and escort craft need to get out of the way.
Rob, with all due respect, this is crazy-talk. A big cruise ship is bearing down on a swimmer, and you think the best plan is for the swimmer to try to swim out of the way, and for the escort craft to also "get out of the way," without helping the swimmer? Did I get that right? Sounds like a good way to get your swimmer run over by a cruise ship.
2) I have not been designated to handle any PR. I am posting out of my love for Masters Swimming in general and for open water swimming.
You are the only member of the "Open Water Task Force" who is engaging with the membership on this topic, so that sort of makes you the de facto PR Guy. I've heard nothing but silence from others, aside from one-way pronouncements. The fact that no one was explicitly designated as the PR Guy/Gal actually seems even worse for USMS. It seems to indicate either that the leadership didn't realize there would be a PR issue, or that they're not confident enough in their decision to defend it under criticism. I'm not sure which is worse.
---
www.marathonswimmers.org
