[Paddlewise] getting in from the ice

So I ignore warnings from friends, who have a view of the Hudson river
about "a lot of ice" in the river and head down to the boathouse on the
lower Hudson to do a little paddling on Saturday morning. I figure I can
steer around a little lose snow that the DOT has dumped in the river.

I get to the boathouse its SOLID ice. Wearing my drysuit I walked all
the way to the end of the pier on the bumpy ice. It seemed rock solid
most of the way. About 50 yards out it got slushy and I could see and
feel the waves going under it. I could see no easy way to get into the
water. Even with a sit on top it looked like it would be very difficult
to get into the boat because of slow transition from solid ice, to slush
with floating 10 foot ice paddies, to the river. Not to mention the fact
that there were huge 10+ foot square hunks of ice and slow coming down
the river at 2 or 3 knots with the strong ebb tide.

Does anyone have any techniques for launching in such a situation? I
realize the first rule is not to attempt it by yourself during a strong
current. 

Does anyone in New York want to give it a try before it melts?
-- 
+------------------------------------------------+
| Tim Gamble               (212) 385-0200 v      |
| Syllog Inc.              (212) 385-8027 fax    |
| 111 Broadway 6th Floor   tgamble_at_syllog.com    |
| New York, NY 10006       http://www.syllog.com |
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