[Paddlewise] Lightning and Space Blanket

G'Day,

Got caught in a thunderstorm today, my first day in the new Kahuna. Was
2/3rds through a 62km paddle training for the Hawkesbury Classic, when a
major thunderstorm came by with torrential rain. Was anxious to get home,
which was still a long way off, so stayed on the water hugging the shore and
using tree shelter wherever possible.

The interval between flash and thunder got shorter and the frequency of
strikes greater so I got off the water and sheltered beneath some bushes
under a steep 6 foot bank. After about 3/4 of an hour hypothermia was
starting to set in despite adding 3 layers of clothing.

Here's the dilemma - normally I would have also used a space blanket but
wasn't game in the storm because of its metallic nature. I don't really know
if this would have been a hazard but didn't want to try the experiment. So
the lesson I learned was not to rely on a space blanket but have enough
clothes to manage without.

Fortunately the storm cleared soon after and paddling the rest of the way
home was more than enough to become warm as toast.

All the best, PeterO



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