[Paddlewise] Cold water

The recent death on Lake Superior is the sort of regular-event-which- 
serves-as-reminder
common to this forum. Having just returned from Maine, where the  
water is still quite cold and summer is long in its arrival,
part of the reminder is to approach every paddle with fresh eyes.   
Out on the Kennebec river in a small powerboat, I saw any number
of people in overloaded Boston Whalers, few if any wearing PFDs, and  
plenty of people in recreation kayaks, clearly not dressed
for immersion in 52 degree water with a 5-7 knot current smacking  
into 20-25 knot wind. Lots of chop.

The 'short trip close to shore' on 'our first hot summer day' creates  
conditions ripe for fog between the ears.

It's sad. It's predictable. It's worth noting.

It's also why I practice the same pre-trip procedures regardless of  
where I'm going,
often to the chiding of my paddle partners.  Routines become habit.
The habitual tragedy, the habitual post about a sad event, the  
habitual reminder.

Have a safe summer paddling season folks.
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