Re: [Paddlewise] 1-10-1

> 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.
>
> Doug Lloyd


Occasionally I catch myself in a "Darwin moment". A couple of years ago I 
took off paddling intending to stick along the shore line. However the 
weather turned out better than expected and I decided to cross over to the 
McDonald islands a four mile open crossing.  I was wearing a coupe layers of 
Polypro, a paddle jacket and my PFD. The tempertures were in the mid 60's, 
the wind light and I would guess the water tempertures _at_ mid 50's.
Half way across I heard this voice in  my head say "idiot you're naked,!"
The more I thought about it the voice was right, in these conditions if I 
had flipped hypothermia would have taken me real quick. I weigh _at_ 145 and my 
thin frame has no body fat for insulation.
I let myself be lulled into this situation by relying too much on my 
experience and expertise. Part of the problem is that with the exception of 
practicing surf landings, I have never flipped at sea. I paddled white water 
for years before sea kayaking and spent a lot of quality upside down time 
then but as far as my sea kayaking trip I have managed to stay up right. 
This has lulled me at times into complaciancy.
My ephipany while heading out to the Mc Donalds caused me to re engage my 
brain and displine myself to be better prepared. Now I always wear 
hydroskins or a dry suit depending on the worst case senario of the weather 
and conditions.
Still it is always a temptation to dress for the air temperatures especially 
when the air finally begins to warm up in the late spring. So if you ever 
come up to Alaska and see some little guy out there paddling naked, just 
yell out "Bob, get your clothes on you idiot!"

dance the waves, seize the day!
Bob
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