[Paddlewise] New Years Eve paddle in MN

A bunch of local cold water experienced paddlers are planning on a New Years 
Eve paddle on a faster flowing area river. Most of them have been doing this 
for over a decade, and have shown good kayaking leadership, so I sure I am in 
good hands. I have never been crazy enough to join them, but feel I will be 
suckered into it this time - it's a freakin new millenium, you have to do 
something special... right?
The water will be very nippy and all will be drysuited/and heavily layered. I 
guess we just want to get on, paddle the open pools and scoot across the ice 
that are blocking the midstream. I've heard of bringing spikes to pull myself 
along over the ice. Beforehand, I will do as much arctic kayak exploration 
research as possible, probably reread Don Starkton's book on his Northwest 
Passage again. It's going to be a crazy winter.

I guess it's kind of like a local "polar bear club" where everyone goes 
swimming in a cutout section of a frozen lake in the middle of the winter. I 
don't think I could put my boat in the middle of the cutout and call it a 
paddle trip, could I? That would be "wussin" out.

I want to know, will anyone else be trying anything like this? Any advice for 
the virgin arctic paddler?
My teeth chatter just writing about it.
I think I ought to make like a walrus and blubber up.

Later, Phil
huck_at_mhd1.moorhead.msus.edu
thekayaker_at_yahoo.com


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