Re: [Paddlewise] Survival kit/survival handbook

Quoting Lisa Williams <lisa_at_cadence90.com>:

> Hi, everybody --
> 
> I am putting together a survival kit to stow aboard my kayak -- I figure
> thinking about and preparing for emergencies is a good way to keep them
> from happening in the first place.  


Your survival kit will depend on where you paddle and how long you might be 
isolated. For instance, near civilization, the most important part of the kit 
might be a credit card and change for a pay phone. (Since one of the last 
things I do before entering my kayak is to put my "civilian" pants into one of 
the compartments, I always have my billfold and keys with me.)  

Away from civilization, even when not very far, I recommend extra clothing, 
some kind of shelter like a tube tent or plastic bag, emergency food and 
water, fire-starting materials, signaling gear, perhaps a Swiss Army knife or 
a small multi-tool, and a small flashlight. All this, with the exception of 
the water and clothing, might fit into a liter-size dry bag. Cooking gear is 
unnecessary, unless you risk being stranded for days. My wife and I learned 
from the BCU to each carry a complete change of insulating clothing in the 
kayak, mostly to help hypothermia victims, but in a pinch, we could layer it 
with our other clothing and sleep in it. We might not be comfortable, but I 
think we could survive a night or two or more that way. 

Normal kayaking gear, such as a drysuit or paddle jacket, can be used as 
survival gear. Last April, when my car was rear-ended in a snowstorm on the 
way to the ISK cold-water immersion test, I was much more comfortable standing 
next to the vehicles in my drysuit than was the other driver, who was wearing 
a sweatshirt but no wind protection. When camping, I always have a small 
personal first-aid kit and a larger group first-aid kit in the kayak, even on 
day trips, and I always have an orange plastic survival bag in the back pocket 
of my PFD. I always have a headlamp and VHF radio in the day compartment. And 
since we normally store all our food in the kayaks when camping, we have that 
with us on day trips, too. About the only thing we would lack on a day trip in 
the wilderness would be our tent, sleeping bags and pads, cooking gear, and 
extra clothing beyond the emergency stuff.

Chuck Holst
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