RE: [Paddlewise] New Year's Paddle

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sisler, Clyde [mailto:Clyde.Sisler_at_wang.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 1999 4:15 AM

> Interesting comments.  Have you (or anyone else) ever had the 
> nerve to walk
> into the water and submerge yourself in your drysuit before or after a
> paddle in that kind of weather?
> 
> I feel I have to do that before my first cold paddle because 
> a) I want to
> know in general what it's really like in a controlled 
> situation and b) to
> ensure I have enough insulation.

Hi Clyde,

 I was out paddling last Saturday in fairly cool conditions - the air
temperature was 33F and the water temperature was a brisk 38F.  I was
wearing a GoreTex drysuit with midweight Capilene top and bottoms and
then 200 weight fleece pants and a lightweight old wool long-john top.
I had a pair of neoprene booties on my feet and a lightweight pair of
"leather" palmed, neoprene backed gloves on my fingers.  Before
embarking on a 3 hour paddle I waded out about waist deep into the water
to "burp" the drysuit.  The water in the booties was a mite chilly, but
soon warmed up once I began paddling.  At the end of the paddle, when I
was all warmed up (HOT!) I decided to practice some paddle float
re-entries and some re-entries and rolls.  (Unfortunately forgetting
about the camera that I had stuffed into the front of my PFD!)  The cold
shock of the water on my unprotected head was quite unpleasant, but not
incapacitating and I was "comfortable" and functional for about 15
minutes of active playing around in the water.  Discovery of the camera
(I'll find out just how waterproof a Pentax WR-90 actually is) ended the
water time.
 I've debated getting a neoprene hood, but I over-heat quite easily and
wonder if I would really wear it while paddling (and am not sure whether
my glasses would interfere or get bent).  
 I don't think that I would have been comfortable for that long if I had
simply been floating in the water (ie. injured, lost kayak etc) - the
high level of activity had to help keep me warm.  
 By all means give cold weather paddling a try - it can be great fun.
My first winter forays were always in group conditions and usually just
"surfing" sessions where a dump into the water meant at worst a 200 yard
swim to shore.  I swam a lot. :-)
 Be safe and have fun. 

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska


 

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