[Paddlewise] Curiouser and curiouser - bare hands in cold weather

I was paddling on Saturday.  A tame loop around the inner canals of the 
Toronto Islands starting from Cherry Beach - all inner harbour (protected).

Temps were just below freezing.  I started paddling with neoprene pogies 
but as usual, took them off after only a couple of minutes.  I paddled the
rest of the day bare handed.  Some of the canals were blocked with ice.
I went outside Ward Island to the next canal and found more ice, but with
a lead opened by several people (including a solo canoeist I chatted with
briefly).  I continued through the ice and listened to the "frying bacon" 
sound as my wake disturbed the thin ice sheets ( 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick).
My hands were repeatedly wetted by sloppy paddle strokes or picking
up bits of ice to examine.  No problem, they quickly dried and warmed.

When I got back to Cherry Beach, I exited the kayak and started to put
gear away.  My hands quickly froze!  They were cherry red and the 
skin hurt.  I got all the gear away but my hands were too cold and stiff
to get myself out of the drysuit, so I drove home wearing it.

I found it interesting that while paddling, my hands were always warm 
enough even when wet and in gentle to not-so-gentle wind.  But as
soon as I stopped for the day - cold!  I was still working, carrying the 
kayak and gear across the beach to the parking lot and loading 
everything.  But my hands froze!

Mike

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