AkCal:  Stories like this can be very important, and life-saving!  Not just because it speaks of the great heroism of Mr. Jenkins but because it teaches us about some of the problems in the sport of kayaking that we all can learn from.  I have been a pro-rated skydiver since 1985 and we have a magazine for our sport that publishes each and every mishap (Incident reports) with the same kind of information as that contained in this outstanding story.  It has long been recognized as the most important section of that publication and most skydivers will tell you it is the first section they read.  That is because everyone acknowledges that the information contained in those reports may very well be responsible for saving their own life.  Instead of asking why this story was ever put in the paper, you should be encouraging that even more like it gets published.  Any news that can make us better and safer in the Alaskan outdoor sports we all love so much is definitely GOOD NEWS to read!