Bathing on kayak trips

wipes and lotion
Definitely use wipes to clean the ‘important’ parts. I like to use the ocean as a bidet - stay nice and clean in between washing. Usually possible to find a sunny day out of the wind where you can wash middle of the day. Even on trips when we are in drysuits all day, you can break mid day and have a shampoo when it is sunny. Don’t even need to take off the drysuit. My shampoo of choice is what I use for a kitchen soap which is Dawn dishwashing liquid. I check in with the makers of Dawn and they say it is biodegradable and is what they use to wash the ducks with after an oil spill so safe to use in the ocean. It really helps to get rid of greasy hair washing in salt water.



After washing in salt water, you aren’t as “sticky” if you can dry with a camp towel and then use a nice body/hand lotion.



I always use baby wipes to wash my feet before putting them in the sleeping bag. Keeps your sleeping bag smelling fresh. A nice treat I learned is to bring baby powder for your feet! So nice to use on long trips when your feet are wet all day. Dry them off, use a little lotion, powder them up and put on your clean wool socks at night!



No need to live like a heathen and remain unclean when camping!

What, you don’t want Street Person stink
I agree with your approach. Just because you can’t get as clean as when taking a hot shower doesn’t mean you have to smell like a bum.



I could swear that being less dirty also means feeling warmer in the sleeping bag. Not to mention better for preventing infections.

Foreign water
Some of those water sources may be filled with imported water, i.e., brought in by powerboat. Similar to some inland, remote campgrounds. The one on north rim of Black Canyon National Park has water trucked in.

Dr Bronners…
…I use Dr. Bronners regularly in cold salt water and never experienced any gooping. In my experience it has always rinsed off nicely.



Jon

http://3meterswell.blogspot.com

Bathing on boat trips
I like to use a solar shower. If fresh water is in short supply find some soap made for salt water.

Not that you need this but baby wipes

Dr. Shoals
foot powder…tube inserted into sock then squooze…lengthens acceptable sock use…even acrylic/nylon/cotton.



treat socks before leaving.



also useful as a body coating for punkie breakouts and the like.

Shoals
Medicated adds a component stops bug biting after or during the first bite…works on fleas.



For paddlers with middle of back fleas try bringing a long thin cloth working as a back scrubber. Soak middle with isopropyl alcohol. Scrub



I bring a small bottle along… mid size Coke…when bitten pour 5-6 ounces down back demoralizing the little suckers. Also good for foot bites…soak sock and go. Alcohol dilutes the irritant.

right
but works only if COG is over 7 knots

Paper shop towels or 2 washcloths
Instead of buying and packing out baby wipes heat a mug of water. Dampen and lightly soap a paper towel or washcloth and go over the important stuff. Wet the other towel to wipe/rinse. A mug of water can go a long way like this. A lot of water is wasted rinsing the one washcloth method when bathing. Using paper towels, that can be separated and carried in a zip lock bag, you can burn them when dry and reduce carry-out. Maybe save a bit of change in the process, too.

Dawn
is the soap of choice for me on trips. Do the dishes, and yourself. I have never done a saltwater trip, but from being in and out of saltwater, I can see the appeal.



There is no need to stink and the dirt you are carrying goes into your sleeping gear.

No rinse body bath

– Last Updated: Apr-24-15 10:50 PM EST –

I camp up to 10 days in the Everglades where there is no freshwater. I can't deal with saltwater bathing, my skin is sensative. I soak a bandana in a pot with a cup of water and capful of this stuff to bathe. There is no rinsing required you are nice and clean just towel dry. Baby wipes nice as additional cleaning if required.

http://www.norinse.com/no-rinse-products/body-care/item/no-rinse-body-bath.html

on the line…
COMPOSITION COMMENTS

Deionized Water, Triethanolamine Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance,

Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Citric Acid



MSDS for body bath. Not Mirazyme. Mira is over the MSDS line as is Simple Green.



More investigation necessary…the parabens are skin emmolients in the area of petroleum jelly ?



sez OK for the perineal and to feed fish…

Benefits of drysuit
An unheralded aspect of dry suits is that once you zip them up, your stink isn’t so noticeable!



~~Chip

Towel Off Immediately
Don’t let the salt water dry off on you, or else you’ll feel uncomfortable when you put your dry clothes back on with all that salt residue spread all over you. If you don’t have a dry towel to dry off with, then put your dry clothes back on immediately on your wet body, (yes, your wet body). Your clothes will dry off fast on you, and you won’t have that scratchy salty feeling.