[Paddlewise] Subject: RE: End of season (humor)

Natalie said:
<<<
Sure has been an interesting day for email - what with Dr. Inverbon, the
190
degree rule, and Doug's wild paddling report, it's hard to separate fact

from fiction, although I suspect the list above starts with fiction and
goes
to fact.  Great paddling Doug. <snip>
>>>

I think Dr Inverbon (aka JW) follows the 190 degree rule with his posts,
but in his neck of the woods, he has to drink copious amounts of icewine
to reach equilibrium in the cooler temps of his latitude.  For paddling,
I myself like the 50/50 days (or is that 14/14 Celsius?). My "wild
report" was on a day with 50 degree water, and air temps (with wind
chill) of 50 degrees too. That is why I spend half my time rolling. Get
it? 8-)  One of the benefits of west coast paddling is that in the
summer season, there is a lot of wind so one never gets too hot unless
in sheltered water.

I don't normally use "rotary cooling" unless I'm combining it with high
wind rolling practice. I usually just scull my head into the water, and
that is enough. For those with less than a 100% roll, it is perhaps a
bit safer too. Don't know. Of course, we don't got no crocs chasing us
in our paddlecraft, and no conspiracy saboteurs blowing up
astrounauts/spacecraft into the surrounding waters because certain
individuals were about to blow the whistle about the fake moonlandings.
8-)

As far as fiction, my boss sometimes wonders about the veracity of my
many tales at the workplace of high adventure paddling. On the evening
of my little escapade Friday, her husband up there in the penthouse who
hadn't been informed I was going by the waterfront, said at the window:
"Look out here honey, there's some idiot out in the gale -- in a kayak!"
She came over to the window and said, "Oh, that's just Doug!" There are
actually a number of us that paddle the waterfront during high wave
activity. That's how you keep your edge. Anyway, everything is relative,
and I didn't think it was that wild out, compared to the winter storm
paddling  I do (where the consequences of a screw up are much more
severe).

The big thing with all the wilder paddling, is that you must have 100%
confidence in your roll  -- just like on the river Natalie.
Interestingly enough, I would never river paddle alone, not even Class
II; yet I don't bat an eye solo rough water sea kayaking. The recent
death of a very well known expert BC river kayaker who was alone
demonstrates the difference in the sports, though the sea can be one
heck of a dangerous place too. I'll post my Columbia River and CR Bar
trip sometime too. Actually, the bar was fairly calm, but off the North
Jetty where I paddled off Peacock Spit, every known ocean hazard dynamic
transpired in one condensed spot -- totally awesome. My overall trip to
Oregon was just far too lovely,  surfing all day, paddling out to
picture perfect headlands and arches;  and Tina and Dave were far too
gracious for me too sully the trip reports with testosterone poising at
the moment. The people and seascape of Oregon simply blew me away.

doug




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