Packing for PNW/great lakes trip - what to wear under drysuit in summer?

I’ll be driving along the northern tier of the country this August and September. Anticipate paddling in the Columbia River, Puget Sound, and the Great Lakes. I’ll be taking my drysuit but not sure what to wear underneath. Thanks for your input.

I paddle the Columbia and in the summer (now) I just wear a pair of shorts and a light shirt. However, right now the weather isn’t particularly hot. I might be going out on the Columbia tomorrow and yeah, I’ll be wearing shorts and a light shirt. I don’t plan on swimming.

I’m pretty sure there are still sea lions in the river from about Portland on down to the coast, but they should be scattered about and not in hoards like earlier in the year.

By August, the water in the Columbia should be in the seventies. Puget Sound is going to be much cooler, but that depends on just where in Puget Sound you’re talking about. Parts of the lower sound get warmer. The upper sound is basically ocean water, but can be swimming temperature in a hot summer.

Don’t underestimate the conditions you might find in the Columbia and Puget Sound. It can be flat, but be prepared for big water.

I live in Seattle and paddle in the Sound year round. For August / September expect the weather to be warm and the water to be cold. You may find some spots where it isn’t dangerously cold but don’t count on it.

I wear light wool next to my skin. Icebreaker makes some nice pieces that work for me.

Jon
http://3meterswell.blogspot.com

The drysuit makes adjusting for the PNW saltwater easy. I assume you want comfort ratings for full immersion, not just splashing or partial dunking.

Bring a set of lightweight wicking long undies, like what Patagucci used to call Capilene 1. That would be for the “warmer” waters, like high 50s to 60 degree water. These have a somewhat snug fit.

Also bring a set of slightly thicker long undies, such as the Capilene 2. These fit a tad more loosely than the Cap 1. The Cap 2 will get you down to water in the low 50s, comfortably, worn with drysuit of course.

Then bring another wicking layer that can fit over either of the above, for the upper body. Legs won’t need two layers in summer. Then if you paddle in colder water than above, you have more insulation without needing to bring three different weights of long underwear. In other words, layers will do the job.

https://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/statistic/avg-sst.php

Average surface water temps for the Great Lakes.

“Great Lakes” covers a lot. I may be able to provide some great information if you can narrow it down a bit more. My experience extends pretty much all around Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) from the tip of the Bruce Peninsula counterclockwise up to Killarney. It’s a huge area and there are massive swaths that are ruled by private property owners. There are also areas where there’s lots of crown land to camp on (if that’s your goal), but put-ins are more limited due to private ownership and parking. What sort of experience(s) are you looking to have?

I’ve paddled out from Toronto (Lake Ontario) from time to time, but usually during a cold winter when it’s the closest open water to be found. Big cities and the associated filth and crowding don’t do it for me.

Last summer I also paddled along the NE coast of Lake Superior, in Pukaskwa National Park. That was something to behold, but requires a large commitment for traveling time - both to get there and to paddle. It was abnormally warm when I paddled there, but usually much colder than the others.

Definitely refer to a water temperature web site, like what @Rookie posted. The temperatures vary greatly from north to south, east to west, and with water depth and wind patterns. For Georgian bay, the western shore along the Bruce Peninsula is usually much colder due to water depths. The eastern shores and the associated inlets and shallow bays are the warmest, but they too can reach colder mid-lake temperatures in the middle of summer if a storm stirs things up and/or the water moves down from the north. Generally by late summer, early fall you can expect average temperatures around 17°C - 24°C (63°F to 75°F) on the eastern shores, while the waters off the Bruce Peninsula tend not to get much over 15°C (59°F), if even that much.

But hey, maybe you aren’t even planning to be this far north in your travels. If you are, feel free to drop me a PM and I’d be happy to play tour guide for the day. If not, maybe this will be useful information for someone else. :slight_smile:

Any regular sportswear that wicks really well and doesn’t have big seams. I only have one polypro onesie that is specifically designed to be under a dry suit. Most of what I wear is one or another synthetic thing pants or top, could be capilene pr polyspro or fleece depending on the water temps. Or at times a silkweight paddle top like an old one from Bomber Gear.

I don’t put wool against the skin under a dry suit - makes me itch and a full day of that would be torture. Some people can take it though. Lots of folks like UnderArmour wicking stuff.

@Sparky961 said:
“Great Lakes” covers a lot. I may be able to provide some great information if you can narrow it down a bit more. My experience extends pretty much all around Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) from the tip of the Bruce Peninsula counterclockwise up to Killarney. It’s a huge area and there are massive swaths that are ruled by private property owners. There are also areas where there’s lots of crown land to camp on (if that’s your goal), but put-ins are more limited due to private ownership and parking. What sort of experience(s) are you looking to have?

I’ve paddled out from Toronto (Lake Ontario) from time to time, but usually during a cold winter when it’s the closest open water to be found. Big cities and the associated filth and crowding don’t do it for me.

Last summer I also paddled along the NE coast of Lake Superior, in Pukaskwa National Park. That was something to behold, but requires a large commitment for traveling time - both to get there and to paddle. It was abnormally warm when I paddled there, but usually much colder than the others.

Definitely refer to a water temperature web site, like what @Rookie posted. The temperatures vary greatly from north to south, east to west, and with water depth and wind patterns. For Georgian bay, the western shore along the Bruce Peninsula is usually much colder due to water depths. The eastern shores and the associated inlets and shallow bays are the warmest, but they too can reach colder mid-lake temperatures in the middle of summer if a storm stirs things up and/or the water moves down from the north. Generally by late summer, early fall you can expect average temperatures around 17°C - 24°C (63°F to 75°F) on the eastern shores, while the waters off the Bruce Peninsula tend not to get much over 15°C (59°F), if even that much.

But hey, maybe you aren’t even planning to be this far north in your travels. If you are, feel free to drop me a PM and I’d be happy to play tour guide for the day. If not, maybe this will be useful information for someone else. :slight_smile:

Sparky, I’ll be that far north for sure. I hope to hit a number of areas actually: Tettegouche State Park, Apostle Islands for a 1 or 2 day overnighter, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for a full day paddle, and Bruce Peninsula State Park (haven’t thought much about my itinerary there but the pictures I’ve seen make it look like a pretty awesome destination. FWIW, may also stop in Port Sanilac, but possibly not paddle. When I was a little boy, we drove from Maryland at least a couple of times to visit my Great Aunt and her family in Michigan. They had a cottage in Port Sanilac and I have very fond memories. My uncles moosehead on the wall, watching ore carriers through a telescope he had on the porch, pretty rocks on the cobble beach, burning up on the beach but turning purple by the time you were knee deep in the water. Anyway, I digress. But I may take you up on the tour guide offer.

How long do you figure you’ll have to spend at Bruce Peninsula National Park? Were you thinking day paddle(s) or multi-day trip? What’s your comfort and skill level for conditions?

Regarding clothing, the current season is the most difficult to dress for. Warmer air and frigid water. Rolling helps me immeasurably in this respect, as I can dress for the water and frequently roll to prevent overheating.

For larger open water, If the air is warm, I don’t wear much under the suit. Just a lightweight wicking top and fleece bottoms. Most of my excess heat seems to be in the upper body, and the warmer bottom layer helps if my lower body will be in the water for an extended period. I do count on my own self-rescue abilities and/or my PLB to limit the time spend in the water with this setup. My best estimate based on swim testing is that I’d be comfortable for about 10-15 minutes, ok for up to 30-45 minutes, and slowly getting in worse shape beyond that. Your own margin of safety may be more conservative. Getting into the summer and fall I wear only wicking clothing when it’s hot, again frequently rolling and taking advantage of evaporative cooling, and possibly a sweatshirt and jacket if cooler and raining. I’ve considered a paddling top for this type of weather but haven’t gone that route yet. This gets me through until September-ish, when the cooler air temperatures begin to have more of an impact on safety. It can still be very warm many days, but there can be a large swing in temperature from day to day and very cool nights.

Late spring, summer, and fall on smaller inland lakes, ponds and rivers I use a shorty wetsuit or just quick-dry clothing depending mostly on the air and wind.

I have a pretty open schedule so am mostly just “playing it by ear.” Other than the Apostle Islands, I anticipate that all my kayaking ventures will be day trips. Whether I do 1, 2, or 3 days in BPNP (I haven’t checked yet to see if camping spots fill up - some parks I’ve looked at just to camp along the way are already filled up in July) depends on how many days I need to be there to get a good sample of what it has to offer, what the conditions are like when I’m there (I am not a thrill seeker and prefer nice calm days and warm water but have a solid roll, a re-entry and roll and a good boat…but if there are protected areas with nice geology, that is what I’d be gravitating towards), and how eager I am to get back home to my sweetie.