Music on the Water?

Check ads on Surfline …
I don’t remember the name of the case but there is a case that I have seen people paddling surfboards, SUP, paddle boards and listening to their iphone. The earplugs are water proof and it plugs through an electronic contact into the case .



Personally I have the sound track in my head and sing to myself when alone .

I recall the first time

– Last Updated: Aug-24-13 5:17 PM EST –

I landed on a small lake in the arctic at the start of a northern canoe trip. We all stood on the banks of the lake and watched and listened as the float plane drifted off over the horizon and out of sight. There was a moment that I realized that perhaps for the first time in my life I heard the sound of the wind and the birds but not one single man made sound. I'll never forget it. It changed my life. It is hard to get away from man made sounds. Even up on the Allagash - every 10 - 15 minutes a jet flies over at high altitude.

The problem is that on a canoe trip there are many people who are trying to get away from all the man made sounds and so it is considerate to use head phones. Is that too much to ask?

Truth is that it worries me if the loons come to man made music. Loons have existed for ions with out man made music. Our goal should be to let them continue and to give them places on earth where they can continue on as they always have. How can we know the impact it might have on them if they become habituated to the sounds of humans.

You call them generalizations;
I call my comments above observations.

Life proof
Sound quality without headphones on a lifeproof case is about equivalent to a 1970’s transistor AM radio. My kid listens to his and it drives me nuts even when it’s music I like, or maybe especially if it’s music I like. With a lifeproof case there is no argument NOT to wear headphones.

What you really need
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKTzH4a-AZc

Musicians use a metronome
to train their ability to keep a consistent beat. You can get really good at it.

I may be totally wrong
but isn’t it sort of dangerous to paddle with headphones/ear buds in? It kind of reminds me of bicyclists who have headphones on while they bike in the city…makes me very nervous. They are certainly less aware of their surroundings.



On the other hand, unless you have your music absolutely cranked, you should certainly hear somebody about to run you over…although you may not hear them until they are almost on top of you…(I may be wrong, I’ve never paddled with music OR headphones)

Not unless around powerboats
There are lakes in the South and the Inland water Way in Florida where there are lots of big power boats where it might not be a good idea to wear earphones. Most places as long as there is not a lot of boat traffic it’s probably not a big worry.

agree
comes down to common sense. Some areas where I do solo fitness paddles mostly just have small, slower boats for fishing around. With mostly open headphones and a low volume you can still even hear those folks pretty well. Always be looking around and when there is more traffic, nature, etc. around then pause the music. If I’m paddling eight hours for fitness on a route I do often music makes the miles fly and rarely do I miss what nature has to offer either.

No there is a whole group of paddlers
who usually regarded on the lunatic frings, paddle to music with headphones on.



Mind you this is every day paddling and usually on some sort of very small body of water. I used to do this on a quarter acre pond.



Lots and lots of miles in a very small space.



http://www.freestylecanoeing.com/



It has nothing to do with tripping but the skills you learn while paddling to music do help you on trips. Believe me I did not take electronics on Lake Superior save to save my butt. Nor paddle to music in six foot seas. What music has taught me is the rhythm of the paddle and relaxed me so that I could focus on those seas and be balanced and relaxed.

Singing while Crossing …
Several years ago I did a three day trip out to Todos Santos island with an outfitter. There were a few paddlers who did not have a lot of ocean experience, one was a professor from San Diego State. When we started heading to Bufadora to end the trip we got 4 or 5 foot swells with some healthy wind waves on top … whitecaps … wind about 15 -20 kts … not a big deal in a sea kayak, but it was a pretty lively paddle with following seas and a big tail wind … The professor started singing bits from operas as we danced over the waves and surfed down the swells … I thought it was pretty cool… when we got to shore she confessed she was scared to death and it was the only way to keep from freaking out.

Install speakers
The American River in Sacramento was a real music zoo in the early 80’s, the boom box era. Rafts, canoes, tubers, kayakers all had music blasting.



I liked the guy who had waterproof outdoor patio speakers installed in the ends of his canoe. He could really crank out water shaking decibels.



Man is part of nature and the sounds he makes are, ipso facto, natural.



Of course I never went back to the American River, though I would like to go back to the early 80’s – or preferably the 60’s. Music started sucking in the 80’s.

I am amazed that g2d has not had
a suggestion that this is the advice column.



Not the whether or not music is good. Glenn you and I need to do atonement. Mea culpa



Sort of.

I love music
But not on the water unless my fellow companions wear headphones. Sorry, but I am not retired and have to endure man made noise all day. Would like true wilderness sounds if only on a weekend trip.

I agree with this

– Last Updated: Aug-26-13 9:28 AM EST –

I am retired but I enjoy a much quieter environment and always have, be it at home or when I'm outside gardening, walking, paddling or other activities I'm doing for my well-being. I like music but not all kinds of music and not loud music. I don't complain about others liking those; however, I would like a choice when I have the expectation of quietness or maybe I should say lack of what I consider noise pollution. If I went to a rock or other indoor or outdoor concert, I'd expect the volume. It seems that my and perhaps others comments have offended some, kayamedic in particular. Not my intent nor wish. Far be it from me to interfere with your desire to use music to improve your paddling rhythm or your desire for expressing your artistic urges through free-style technique through the use of music. So, my advice (so it does fit this category): be considerate of others in your decisions regarding playing your music when paddling so you don't interfere with their freedoms of choice.

motorcycles?!
I agree. Good grief. The music coming from motorcycles is secondary to the ENGINE NOISE COMING FROM MOTORCYCLES.



I guess i’m sheltered or privileged, but I’ve never, ever come across another paddler whose music I could even hear, much less was bothered by. Likewise a cyclist.