When Nigel was younger, on the bigger boats, he’d always wear a lifejacket, but as he got older, and his swimming capabilities got stronger his wear habits changed. He admits that he while he knows that lifejackets are necessary for safety, he rarely wears one, “To be honest, I don’t wear one. I know where they are on the boat, but I personally don’t wear one if we’re just out for a leisurely cruise.”
Subject 35's Experience
Nigel M. – Paddler
Growing up, Nigel spent a lot of time on lobster boats and tuna boats in Prince Edward Island with his uncle, who is a fisherman. These days, he enjoys going out cruising with friends on powerboats, but most of his time on the water is spent paddleboarding and in kayaks.
Watch Nigel M. go through the experiences below.
Pre-Interview
Stand-Up Paddleboard
Fishing Boat
Cold Water Tank
Warm Water Tank
Post-Interview
With regard to paddling, he expresses, “I do have a lifejacket with me, but I don’t wear it.”
After going through the Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, Nigel compared it to falling off his paddleboard, whether intentionally or not, as it felt realistic. “It catches you off guard and you end up in the water almost instantly.” Also, “It creates a little shock to your system and basically for a moment, you’re not aware of your surroundings.”
“So, when I was dropped into the cold tank, I think when my body actually touched the cold water, I think I had a gasp of air and maybe a slight spike in my heart rate.”
With the dunk tanks, Nigel gasped from the sudden and unexpected falls into the water and said, “So, when I was dropped into the cold tank, I think when my body actually touched the cold water, I think I had a gasp of air and maybe a slight spike in my heart rate.”
A lifejacket would keep your head above water, to basically allow you a little bit more energy to swim to your paddleboard or boat. It would also definitely prolong your time to kind of get your surroundings and then decide, how you are going to get yourself out of this.”