Re: [Paddlewise] [CPAKayaker] When do you start and stop wearing cold water gear?

Greg Hollingsworth wrote:
> 
> After Ralph Diaz pointed out some inconsistencies in the Thomas Point
> Light data
> that I posted recently, I spent some more time and straightened out
> some of the
> problems.

I'm not sure that I was astute enough to see any inconsistency.  It just
puzzled me that in a matter of a few days in October you had switched to
cold water gear with air temperature and water temperature still quite
warm (80 and 70 respectively)and I was just asking your rationale for
the shift at that point. 

> A few years ago, I joined a club trip that took place on August 13,
> 1996.  The water
> temp was 45 degrees while the high air temp was 60 degrees.  It was a
> very nice day!
> We had an individual join us who had no cold gear and who was <unable>
> to get back
> into the boat after a wet exit.  I knew this because I coached this
> person in the pool the
> week before.  The
> trip leader was uncomfortable in telling this person not to go and
> throughout the trip, we
> kept a close eye on the person from start to finish.  This was a
> recipe for disaster.  Near
> the end of the trip, the winds kicked up a little and made us even
> more nervous.
> At the end of the trip, a tow line was applied to hasten the extremely
> slow pace.

If you were paddling in your neck of the woods, I think you meant April
not August.  The temperatures sound more like Maine not
Virginia/Maryland!  Under just about anyone's criteria, the fellow
should have had cold water protection.  I don't know of any organized
group that paddles below 50 degree water without insisting on cold water
gear for a paddler.  Most have 55 degrees as the threshold.  The
exception has been some of the commercial operators who lead trips at
the end of April and early May when water temperatures are still in the
very high 40s but the air is a balmy 70 or more and everyone is staying
close with enough skilled staff strategically placed to fish people out
in a jiffy.

ralph diaz
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************