Paddling in cold weather might make having a roll even more important. I can't imagine paddling in sub-freezing weather having to depend on re-entry for safety. I paddle until the temperature or the wind chill is lower than ten degrees below zero Farenheit. One advantage of polluted moving water is that it does not freeze easily. Anyway, at really cold temperatures the boat and pogies and skirt all get a pretty good layer of ice. This makes the boat tippier but, interestingly, provides really good insulation so I'm toasty. My hands will be colder at 30 degrees than 5 because the ice doesn't form on the pogies at 30. The tippy boat and heavy, ice-coated paddle and pogies can make for some serious compromises to balance. I've never tipped at temperatures below 30, but knowing I have a really reliable roll lets me train all winter long with little fear. I have rolled in icy water in Greenland and in Chicago, so I know that I can do it. And I have swum in both places and also know that swimming in cold water is painful and scary. So, rolling extends the boundaries of what I can do in the boat. If one wants to have fewer restrictions on what they can do, learning to roll is mandatory. And a bit of whitewater paddling experience doesn't hurt, either. (In my never humble opinion) Jim Tibensky *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Oct 11 2006 - 05:36:38 PDT
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