I enjoy the view and paddle
I’m not everyone and am not giving advice…but I either continue paddling or I pull my feet out of the cockpit and put them up on the on the deck, lean back and enjoy the show. Believing that if God wants me I can’t hide.
Watching a thunderstorm from a kayak in the river is a beautiful experience and I have been in so many even to the extent of feeling the concussion on my skin. The shows are spectacular and the humbling experience is worth every bit of excitement.
This is not a suggestion from a death wisher rather the experience from one who has made his peace with God.
agreed
With the aforementioned advice regarding looking for all the signs, once you’re a mile or five offshore there’s no use worrying about something you cannot control (although the one time it happened to me it scared the crap out of me).
Paddles
Aluminum, wood, fiberglass or carbon fiber really won’t make a difference. If it strikes close, the kind of voltage you get from lightning will travel thru anything…
I do know someone who was in a sailboat and saw lightning strike near the end of the lake, probably 5 miles away. He was holding onto the aluminum boom at the time and he said it felt like he got shocked with 110v. I suppose in a case like that (with that distance), wood or fiberglass might be better.
gk, when we find your blackened body
spread out on your SOT, we’re going to say it was because you didn’t wear your PFD !
That will be fine with me but
give my kayak to Go With The Flow. David wants it.
ps, my Kestrel is not a SOT
and BTW you can have my Stohlquist PFD it’s like new, hardly worn.
Had a similar experience
Boy Scout staff on a hay wagon. We were coming across a railroad tie style bridge from an island to the lake side. About 50’ from the edge, all our hair went straight up, as soon as we could jump off the wagon, we ran for our lives. The lightning lite up the lake, and sent us to the ground.
This little lake in the middle of nowhere gets hit regularly. It’s amazing there is anything still alive in it.
or as Lee Travino said, hold up a
1 iron. Even God can’t hit a 1 iron.
Take your chances
I’m with Georgia on this one too.
The lightning has to travel through thousands of feet of wet air, then find a path to ground (electrically speaking).
Fresh water is not a great conductor, and the three extra feet that you provide above the surface of the water is pretty insignificant compared to the rest of the current’s path.
Enjoy the show. When you get back to shore, be careful that you don’t slip on wet winning lottery ticket.
…ditto the unpredictability
if anything…get off the water as soon as possible, ditch the carbon/graphite, & metal objects, and lie under cover of smaller bush/tree that’s hidden by larger one(s). Rocks, having water within them, are a no-no particularly in a river canyon/gorge. I’ve seen lightning bounce from side to side off boulders …1x was enough proof on that, for me.
*The insulating layer between tent-floor and rain-floor, kept dry, sounds good.
How did you get the brown stains out…
of your pants?
cheers,
JackL
My two cents worth…
Living in Central Florida (lightning capital of the US)and paddling in many a storm has taught me you’re a lot safer on a river than on land, especially surrounded by tall trees at the banks. (cypress and oak = good, cedars and pines = bad… the latter two may literally explode when struck by lightning, usually with flaming debris flying in all directions and starting forest fires in the process.
It helps if you have very little or no metal on your boat (anchors, metal push-poles, chains, aluminum-shaft paddles) or person (zippers, metallic buttons and snaps).
A grounding rod or plate won’t help due to the small size of our paddling vessels. If lightning hits a canoe or kayak no lightning rod nor grounding plate will protect you.
I hope this helps.
I’m not so sure about fresh water idea.
What makes you think “fresh” water is not a good conductor of electricity? I was in the water treatment biz for over 9 years, and I know PURE water does not conduct electricity, it’s the dissolved solids within the water that do. But fresh water (at least around here) is very high in total dissolved solids (TDS) and will conduct quite well.
I’m no expert in lightning, but still certified in water quality.
@
– Last Updated: May-21-07 11:07 PM EST –
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/outdoors.htm#boat
On the Water
The vast majority of lightning injuries and deaths on boats occur on small boats with NO cabin. It is crucial to listen to the weather on a small aquatic vessel without a cabin. If thunderstorms are forecast, don't go out. If you are out on the water and skies are threatening, get back to land and find a safe building or vehicle.
Boats with cabins offer a safer but not perfect environment. Safety is increased further if the boat has a properly installed lightning protection system. If you are inside the cabin, stay away from metal and all electrical components. STAY OFF THE RADIO UNLESS IT IS AN ABSOLUTE EMERGENCY!
What should you do if you are on a small vessel and lightning becomes a threat? If the vessel has an anchor, then you should properly anchor the boat then get as low as possible.
Large boats with cabins, especially those with lightning protection systems properly installed or metal marine vessels are relatively safe. Remember to stay inside the cabin and away from any metal surfaces.
Unsafe Aquatic Vessels During Lightning Activity
The type of vessels which are most unsafe to be in during lightning activity are vessels which do not have a cabin. These vessels are typically small, ranging from a couple of feet to 20-30 feet. These include:
* Canoes
* Water scooters ("ski-dos", or any other type of "personal" water craft)
* Inner tubes
* Rafts
* Boats without a cabin, such as Bass boats and Ski boats
* Sail boats without a cabin
It is important to note that just because a vessel is made of rubber does NOT make it safe to be in when lightning is occurring.
Reasons for spreading out
This comes from climbing experience rather than paddling, but still applies. The reason for spreading out is not simply to spread out the targets or have someone to bring home the body(ies). A lightning strike can disrupt your body’s electrical rhythms and stop your heart. Having people spread out increases the likelihood of someone being conscious to administer CPR and/or other necessary first aid.
Kayak/Canoe deaths by lightning
– Last Updated: May-26-07 9:24 PM EST –
What are our chances of being hit by lightning?
How many kayakers or canoeist have been killed by lightning? Of course we are growing in numbers which increases possibilities but I'll take my chances on the water.
touché
Good point.
It would seem logical to get to land…
– Last Updated: May-26-07 10:11 PM EST –
...if at all possible, drag your yak up into the woods, flip it upside down and crawl under and into it, and drink any remaining Gatorade and eat pistachios under there while humming Baptist hymns.
Every once in a while peek out from under it when the lightening lights up the trees just to make sure you don't see one of those boogeymen like in the Jason movies coming out of the woods after you.
Nah, lean back and enjoy the show
– Last Updated: May-26-07 11:42 PM EST –
It's free and better than Pirates 2. Honestly I ate pistachios while watching the last lightning storm from my kayak. I thought that was logical.
Are you still alive?
I think so, but I’ll go check…