UPDATE: RFK's Granddaughter & Great Grandson now presumed dead

[MrNoBody]

Lizabeth wrote:
...
And especially since the water is probably frickin cold still...

Yes mam, about 50F during the day, lower after sundown.
Two days in that water would challenge the best cold water divers!

[bobinmurphy]

S. Pupp wrote:
That family has terrible luck with any form of transportation.
What a tragedy - yet again.

Yeah, going all the way back to WWII. The oldest brother of JFK, RFK and Teddy was a bomber pilot who volunteered to fly a plane loaded with explosives that was going to be remote control flown into a target. His job was to get the plane off the ground, arm the bomb load and bail out. When he armed the explosives they went off and took him with it.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

The Atlantic Ocean has been very unkind to the Kennedy family.

[RecipeForDisaster]

PFDs any time we are any kind of watercraft at any time, and wetsuits at a minimum from November to May... at least in the northeast. Try getting back in your kayak/canoe when the water is cold, and you’ll find out how much harder it is and what a hurry you’ll be in. After a short time, you can’t perform essential movements. It’s hard enough for most people in ideal conditions. What a tragedy.

[Racer X]

even snorkling for extended time in mexico we wear shorty wetsuits to keep our core warm. Any time the water is below about 90ish, you can get hypothermia. Warm water just takes longer.

no PFDs in a canoe is just idiotic, especially in the ocean. I'm a very good swimmer, but throw in waves and/or a current and it gets challenging fast, and with cold water AND a child with you?