Re: [Paddlewise] 1-10-1

On 11/2/07, Doug Lloyd <douglloyd_at_shaw.ca> wrote:
>
>
> Do paddlers who mature in years through our sport give more, or less
> thought
> to cold water immersion risks? I see more and more advanced paddlers out
> there dressing less and less for immersion, relying on skill, dressing
> more
> for comfort and air temps.


In my case, at least, I'm sure I give it more thought now than when I was
younger. A lot more thought. In fact, I can't remember thinking much about
immersion while sea kayaking when I started doing it 30 years ago. I don't
remember capsizing unintentionally either; which may explain the attitude.
White water kayaking had me in at least a water-ski wetsuit and,  more
recently, in a drytop because everyone tips over on a river. But I would
routinely paddle a sea kayak in old jeans and a wool shirt.

Clothing technology has come a long way in the past 30 years; or even the
last 10. Drysuits are available new for $500 (or less) now but when I began
to kayak they were only for divers and they were very expensive. And too
bulky to be useful in a kayak anyway. So if it's easier to find comfortable
and inexpensive immersion clothing why are so few people my age going out
there dressed properly?

I'll be honest. I had to have someone tell me I was an idiot. Really. And
then actually give me some pieces of appropriate paddling clothing. You see,
for many people who began doing this 30 years ago the concept of paddle
float rescues, drysuits, polypro clothing, and rescue practice just doesn't
rise above the noise level.

And a lot of paddlers my age began paddling in Folbots and Kleppers in the
1960s and 1970s but gave it up for one reason or another until they recently
got bitten by the bug again. So now they're out there in newer kayaks but
with older attitudes. They already think they know how to paddle so why go
through a class? And anyway, what does polypro look like and why isn't wool
just as good?

I had an advantage because when I returned to sea kayaking from white water
kayaking I started paddling with a relative newcomer to paddling sports who
was (and is) obsessed with doing it right. And once I realized that I should
pay attention, I learned a lot too. Especially when it dawned on me that the
beach from the middle of Puget Sound was a helluva lot farther away than the
shoreline from the middle of the the Deschutes river. Plus the water was
just as cold and tasted terrible and there wasn't going to be a calm pool at
the end of the white water.

Dave Kruger had an interesting tale about paddling with some old cronies on
Willapa Bay that, I think, illustrated some of the same attitude. It's hard
to teach someone anything when they think they already know everything.


Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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