I’ve paddled year round in SW Ontario, Canada. The freeze-up of the Great Lakes happens at different times each year, and is sometimes more thorough than others. I generally don’t paddle in ice thicker than 1/8" to 1/4", and I tend to use my poly boat for ice breaking rather than my composite.
A dry suit with appropriate insulation underneath for how long I think I might be in the water if the feces hits the ventilator is mandatory for cold water paddling. It doesn’t matter how good you are at staying in your boat, rolling, or reentering. The fact is that without a waterproof barrier your insulation layers are useless when wet. I like pogies, but I also like using my Greenland paddle. The two don’t mix well so I’m more often using neoprene gloves with my GP.
Down here in TX, September through May is “Prime Time”. It’s cooler, it actually rains occasionally and most of the rivers are running at good levels. Great fishing in the rivers and on the Gulf this time of year as well, so we really never stop, although we do stay in more in July and August.
Used the orange gloves today. Air temp was 32F. I wore the NRS Fuse gloves as a layer. Had no problems paddling or doing sculling strokes, bow rudders, but the combination of the two was too thick to push the stop button on my Forerunner. While I was wearing my drysuit, I didn’t use a skirt so couldn’t test them pulling off the skirt.
I switched to the Neff Ripper gloves but as I was taking some photos they came off and my hands got cold. I foolishly didn’t bring the light wool liner gloves but definitely will next time I can paddle as I think those orange gloves have some potential.
The big surprise was the NRS boundary boots, which I had purchased on sale at a good discount. I wanted heftier footwear to deal with the new reality of high water levels in my Great Lakes area. They did more than keep my feet warm - when I got up to the house and took them off, my drysuit booties were dry. That was a first.
It annoys me when people brag about never capsizing or claim that those who capsize must be of lower skill.
I know plenty of paddlers who never capsize. It usually doesn’t mean that they are good paddlers. It just means that they are never really committing to their training of skills.
I give up kayaking when the temps get much beyond 80 degrees and the water is flat. Paddling then is just a boring and an good way to get sunburned, skin damage and possible melanoma.
As long as the water temps aren’t hazardous…it depends on where you’re paddling, but paddlers don’t sit inside and look at the calendar…they go and do it!
Thanks… Mostly I go on the slow, meandering, James river here in the western suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. It wildly varies from 3’ in spots, to a middle “channel” section, roughly 12’ deep, to another section strewn with massive boulders that you maneuver around.
This is a shot of the James river, coming around the other side of Williams Island. You can see massive storm debris washed up on some of the boulders on the island! The depth where took this shot was maybe about 4 feet deep.
Do you think weather can keep the paddlers away from kayaking? I don’t think its too late to live your dream. Yes, with proper clothing, I would love to go for kayaking.
For those that do some rolling in the cold temps… Do you dry your face?
I only had a half hour of daylight on the water yesterday, and finished off with a half dozen rolls, before calling it a night. I set my paddle on a picnic table, as I tossed the kayak on top of the truck, and shimmied out of my dry suit. When I went to collect my paddle, I had to bump it loose… it had frozen to the table. Made me start to wonder about my face, if it gets too cold.
With my drysuit and 7mm hood, I stay nice and toasty (still working on my hands), but my face is exposed. Air temp was 28 deg F according to the truck. What happens when you have much lower temps? With a thin layer of water on skin, coming up from a roll, if air temps were +5 or 10 deg F… Seems like you’d get frost bit pretty quick!
Okay, got it. Since I figure wet work is part of kayaking, I thought you were talking about having a roll and left out a negatory.
I have never known anyone personally who pushed their skills hard for messy stuff, tidal races, surf or whitewater etc, and did not come out of their boat at some point in the learning process. Usually more than once. Not to say they don’t exist, I have just never met anyone who messed with all of those environments who did not have at least some unplanned exits while they were getting the new scenario down.
Sing, Kayaking in the sun cause increase the probability of skin cancer and cataracts earlier than one would expect. A close call with melanoma in 2004 prompted me to switch to night kayak-fishing along the coast of ME and NH.
No joke!!! I used to rely on lotion of SPF35 and up. Often, I still get burnt somewhere on my body. When I’m out fishing these days, I am swarthed in SPF 50 clothing - tights, hoodie, facemask, wide brim hat. I wear neo booties instead of sandals as I would get burnt on the exposed skin between the straps. I look like a mummy or someone on the way to rob a bank.
In terms of paddling, I much more enjoy the colder seasons and diminished sunlight. I am always dressed and comfortable in full wetsuits, hood, neo mitts and/or strapped on surf cap. I don’t worry as much about inadvertantly exposing myself to UV danger.
Feet are easily overlooked. I haven’t worn anything other than the basic zip up neo boots from NRS for many years now regardless of the weather. Can always get them wet if hot and it is one less place to worry about weird sunburn.
