Douglas Tompkins, 72, founder of the North Face Company and co-founder of Esprit Clothing in San Francisco, died after falling from his kayak on a lake in Chile. The water temperature was 39 degrees and life can be sustained for about 15 minutes under those conditions. He was in a party with 4 others, all of whom survived. Medical personnel said his body temperature was 66 degrees in the hospital. Lately, he has been a activist for the environment in Latin America where he owned vast amounts of unspoiled land that he has been maintaining in a pristine stage. Much of the property is located in Patagonia in Argentina.
Information gathered after the incident indicates the kayakers were caught in a sudden gust of wind that forced many of the group if not all, to fall into the choppy waters. Reboarding a kayak is a tricky maneuver, most often unsuccessful. Without a wet suit for insulation, a kayaker is in grave danger after falling into cold water, even if conditions are calm. With wind and waves working against the kayak, righting the craft is next to impossible.
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