Peter asks: > Out of curiosity, what is the typical air and surface > water temps there and how far from shore are we > talking about? Are there other mitigating factors? > > I see some paddlers wearing more sometimes than I > would wear if I were going to swim the same course! > If the outfitter can have the paddler on a dry shore > in 75 degree air in a few minutes, then they don't > need a wetsuit in my mind. Wearing shorts and a tee > shirt and carrying some warmer clothes seems prudent > to me in conditions where some folks wear wetsuits AND > sneer at those who don't. > snip Typical air temps during the day are around 75 degrees, when it's sunny, and water temps range right around 50 degrees, whether it's sunny or not! The channel in front of my house is full of boat traffic at this time of the year, which would seem to me to be a significant hazard to the sit-on-top, i.e. big "wakes." Also, the currents are very strong here, and fully capable of taking an inexperienced paddler on a trip he or she does not want to go on, like into the middle of the channel. On top of being poorly outfitted, somehow I got the impression that these guys had no comprehension of the tides. As I mentioned, they looked puzzled while clinging to my mooring buoy. You mentioned the notion of "the outfitter having the paddler on dry shore in a few minutes?" There was no guide or outfitter with this crew. IMHO, there is NO time that would be prudent to wear a tee shirt and shorts in these waters. And in all honesty, I woudn't even do so in Florida! Jolie, who would probably join those who "sneer at those who don't." *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jolie, Thanks for the info on the conditions we are talking about. Even I would probably wear at least a fuzzy rubber shorty in those conditions and maybe more depending on the level of exposure that the trip would subject me to. Re: your comment about not wearing shorts and tee shirt even in Florida. 80 degree water, 90 degree air, what could be more sensible than shorts and a tee shirt. Pete Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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