PaddleWise by thread

From: Peter Treby <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au>
subject: [Paddlewise] Water Temperature
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2002 21:42:19 +1000
The discussion of methods for taking water temp leads me to wonder what
temperature water are paddlewisers paddling in? What is the water
temperature around Vancouver Island, Maine, Florida, NZ, Washington, and
even the Mediterranean? Here in wintry Melbourne, Australia, the nearby
river is 10 degrees C (as measured by my pool thermometer dropped in the top
10 cm, Port PhillipBay12.1, and the ocean, 14.1. Air temp is 12.
Just finished reading F. Spencer Chapman's book "Watkins Last Expedition",
which has some great material about paddling E. Greenland in 1932/3. Soon
after arriving in Angmagssalik, Watkins "spent about 3 hours a day rolling
my kayak...", in water around 0 degrees. I feel a wimp gritting my teeth to
roll in ten degree water!
PT.

***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: David <daveseng_at_acsalaska.net>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Water Temperature
Date: Sun, 7 Jul 2002 09:06:35 -0800
Peter wrote:

>>leads me to wonder what temperature water are paddlewisers paddling
in? 

Water temp here in Juneau, Alaska is currently 9.5C (49F).  That's just
about as warm as it gets during the summer.  In the winter it drops down
to about 1 or 2C (33 - 36F).

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska

***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: <Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Water Temperature
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 08:29:07 -0400
>
> The discussion of methods for taking water temp leads me to 
> wonder what
> temperature water are paddlewisers paddling in? 

Peter, I'm paddling the Chesapeake Bay along the Virginia shore - mostly southern Virginia, along the coast of Poquoson.  The water here is shallow, and there are lots of protected bays, coves, inlets, creeks etc.

The temps I've taken so far (the last couple weeks) are ranging from 80-88 degrees F.  However, I've been using the "drag" method and have therefore only been measuring the top inch or so. Also, the heat index has been exceeding 100 deg F for the most part, for the past week, so the surface temps have been heating up rapidly. Beginning with my next paddle, I'll be dropping the thermometer to 5ish feet.

Rick - Poquoson, VA

***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: Shawn Baker <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Water Temperature
Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 09:50:08 -0700 (PDT)
>>leads me to wonder what temperature water are paddlewisers paddling
in? 

It's 55*-60*F F (13*-16*C)right now on Flathead Lake, Montana (US), but
it's warming quickly.

One bay we practice on was over 60* two weeks ago (even down 5'!), but
cooled to nearer the 55* number after a couple days of wind mixed
things up.

The Flathead River feeding it (composed of the North, Middle, and South
Forks--individually popular whitewater floats) is at 55*F (13*C), so
it's mostly runoff, or significantly warmed snowmelt.

Smaller lakes can get close to 75*F by the end of August.  Dressing for
the water and not the air is very easy in September, when the water is
warm, and the air is cool!!

Shawn

Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free
http://sbc.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/
***************************************************************************
From: Peter Treby <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Water Temperature
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 13:16:50 +1000
"15 degrees C - horribly cold!"
Balmy conditions.
..."definitely wetsuit and Cag weather"
Cags. Not the ultimate paddling gear. The arms fill up at the elbows with
aggravating trickles of cold water. If you swim, the arms fill with water
and make progress difficult. I want an electrically heated tuiliq with CO2
fired floatation roll-aid/sponsons built in.
"...and a warm beer when back on the land :~)."
Warm beer? You have rights under the Trade Practices Act consumer protection
provisions and in contract law if the local publican can't chill the beer
properly.
PT

***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************
From: <knelson_at_actionpoint.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Water Temperature
Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 05:50:09 -0700
Writes: ..."definitely wetsuit and Cag weather" Cags. Not the ultimate paddling 
gear. I want an electrically heated tuiliq with CO2, fired floatation 
roll-aid/sponsons built in.
"...and a warm beer when back on the land :~)." Warm beer? You have rights 
under the Trade Practices Act consumer protection provisions and in 
contract law if the local publican can't chill the beer properly.PT

We've found after much experimentation air-conditioning the tuiliq as well 
as heating it, is little more trouble than with your standard automobile. 
CO2 has long been discarded in favor of helium. Addition floatation volume 
(bigger floats) has given us the ability to actually float several feet 
above the surface and with high percentage of primary stability regardless 
of hull shape, and accordingly take advantage of local afternoon winds to 
return to shore. Using a simple rope, steering warp, much improved from 
The Eagles original in Spitsbergen, we find course corrections can be made 
very precisely when ballasted with at least 4 Fosters Bitters in the 
water. A cautionary note: ballast MUST be reduced and removed from the 
sea, when nearing land, preferably when it reaches a temperature of no 
less that 60 degrees F.


***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:30 PDT