Life jacket, drysuit, paddles, ect. all stay in the car all year round. Works out ok because I really don't use that vehicle for anything else. Good thing because paddling gear reeks. Pretty much ready to go whenever the air is 35ish. Surprisingly there is open water pretty much all season in a few spots locally. The ice on the lakes may be two feet thick but there are still places with open water. The Merrimack River up in Boscawen, NH does freeze over but opens up regularly. The ocean is always open and under an hour away.
Hardest part about paddling during the winter is keeping my hands warm enough. Nordic Blue gloves seem to work best for me. The rest of me doesn't mind the cold so much. Paddling in the snow is pretty cool. Winter surfing is refreshing to say the least.
South Central WI here. My paddling season typically ends in October then hunting season begins. Paddling ended earlier this Oct due to knee surgery. I’m still on the mend. That means no deer season for me this year. Last time we had a missing family member at deer camp was when one of my son’s was off in Iraq. Looks like it’s my turn this year. Oh well, things change, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worst. That’s life!
That was a great day… I’ll be disappointed if the Shepaug doesn’t run this winter. Here in RI, you can sometimes ruffle the locals out mid-winter. Another great day was last New Year’s on the Branch here in RI
One of my rare poling excursions with riverstrider and tommyc1 - boy did it snow.
Hey Matt - it looks like we could make FatElmo and honorary member of the killer bees - he’s got the yellow and black drysuit. Hope to see you sometime after Thanksgiving.
roger that Elmo, we got to get ya’ up here sometime with Bob R. and Mint, add another Bee to the hive! Bob. R. can take the picture, as he dresses more like a harp seal on acid.
Erik, going hiking at Steep Rock today, curious how the Shepaug/Bantam are looking and it’ll be neat looking down as opposed to up
Water is getting hard . . . Still have the gear within reach but chances of getting out are slim. The lake iced over last night but will open during the day. Maybe another week and it will stay frozen. Did get out for an overnight a couple weeks ago, just me and the dog, no tent. It went down to -12 so it was a chore getting home, breaking through the ice.
Earliest paddle in the new year was mid February.
Paul
PS: That was -12 Celcius. We’ve been metric for so long, it’s all I’m used to
