Have you made some recently? Do you have some checkup routine before starting the crossing? What requirements does a long crossing have on equipment? When is the best time to start? What do you eat or dring while on it? How do you know when things go so badly that it is wiser to turn around and resign that attempt? How do you cope with urinating and shitting problems? Jukka Vaijärvi (jukka.vaijarvi_at_dinosoft.fi) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
The Winter 1989 issue of Sea Kayaker had an entire article about taking care of nature's call while paddling. Follow the link below. http://home.eznet.net/~patches/stories/peeatsea.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
> Have you made some recently? > Do you have some checkup routine before starting the crossing? > What requirements does a long crossing have on equipment? > When is the best time to start? > What do you eat or dring while on it? > How do you know when things go so badly that it is wiser to turn around and resign that > attempt? > How do you cope with urinating and shitting problems? First question should be, "how long is *long* ?" If length is 20 miles or less, the trip is obviously a day paddle on steroids. If between 20-40, you've got a good chance of being out during nightime hours, so will need adequate lights for your comfort and to alert passing vessels of your presence. [see prior debate on effectiveness of lights in general.] If over 40 miles, you are pretty much guaranteed an overnighter experience. So are you going to sleep afloat, or is it possible to island/beach hop inorder to sleep on land. Failure to sleep will cause errors of judgement, errors of judgement kill kayakers on open water. Needless to say, going 40 miles across truly open water is a rare event in the lives of most kayakers; if only because there aren't many places to go that have 40 miles of open water between them. There are of course applications, one could conceivably paddle out 40 miles into the Gulf of Mexico to fish for snapper, wahoo, or whatever. I wonder what it would be like to fight a yellowfin tuna from a 15' kayak, might be one heck of a ride. I can only imagine the degree of shock that the federal fisheries guys would experience when I tell them I want a sport tuna permit for my 15ft kayak. Though the potential of boating the best tasting fish in the world is awefully tempting!!!! There is also, the only significant coral reef structure near Texas about 80-100 miles offshore. Only a *real* psycho would do something like that....[I only wish I were that crazy.] I can't imagine eating or drinking being any significant problem; I like those half liter water bottles, and raisins, jerky, etc. IE, backpacking food. Simply stop paddling, keep your hips loose and munch. If in a strong wind, deploy a drogue to keep you pointing into the wind. Time to start depends on local conditions, weather, tides, etc. I like to start early in the morning; though I don't always get to. The earlier I start, the sooner I arrive where I'm going. The sooner I arrive, the more rest I can take before doing whatever it is that I came to do. The more rest I get at that point, the better I perform whatever "task" I had planned. If in trouble... Before turning back, be sure to ask yourself whether turning back improves your situation in reality, or are you allowing the inconvenience of being a day late compromise your safety analysis. Say I'm crossing to some fictional island, and thunder boomers come along; if I'm 1 mile to the island with 10 miles behind me; going ahead to the island will likely strand me for a day or so, very annoying. Going back will get me home, IF I survive the lightning strikes on the 3-4 hour trip back in. And getting lucky on these choices to avoid inconvenience can make you complacent about the risks. Also note, my waters *never* drop below 55F, and I have adequate thermal protection to freedive in January if I wanna. January in Norway might be a whole different kettle of fish. Richard Walker Houston, TX *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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