In the next three incidents, health problems may have caused a manageable situation to get out of control. Rick “Purple” Hayes, a popular British Columbia kayak instructor, died on the Chiliwack River on May 31. Not much is known about what happened to this man, known for his purple paddling gear and a love of Jimmy Hendrix’s music. The Vancouver Sun reported that Hayes, 46, left his home at about 2:30 p.m. Just before 5 p.m. his body, wearing all the correct gear, was spotted floating in the river downstream of Surprise Rapid, a popular park n’play spot. Local boaters speculate that there were others at the site initially, but that he was probably alone when the incident occurred. He was diabetic, but it is unclear if this played a role in the accident. CW