So while in NM paddling the Chama I counted down the miles to the takeout A couple of days prior to paddling I helped my brother assemble patio furniture. The next day I could barely move my left arm. We had a launch permit (lottery) so I was determined to go. We camped 1 night and r2ed 32 miles. My arm was barking the whole time. I did manage to sleep a couple of a hours in a camp chair. The first sleep I had gotten in three days. Much Tylenol and ibuprofen (Ibeenboatin’) was consumed. I did as few strokes as possible to stay in current and content to bounce off rocks and shoreline. That was a couple of weeks ago. I’ve cut way down on the pain relievers but not close to being able to paddle again.
A few years ago I got some plantar fascitis. It flared on a level 3 instructor day when we were to climb out onto a sharp rock ledge and do a shallow belly flop dive into the Noli. I pretty much just fell into the river. My booties were thin soled and I couldn’t take the pain of the rock.
In the 80s We were partying hard at the Rivermen rafting company. A group of strippers from Cincinnati had come to WV to run the river. We all- customers, guides and vidiots got pretty happy. The next day I was just praying I wouldn’t toss my cookies on the bus ride to Thurmond. I was miserable all day c1ing and videoing on the New totally hung over. Didn’t feel like a human being until I saw the New River Gorge bridge. Another time I had an inner ear issue which made working on the New miserable- felt sea sick, couldn’t boat worth crap.
One time on the Suwanee, at the source below the sill, the maple trees were blooming. My allergies got so bad my eyes were swelling shut. Fortunately benedryl was in the car at the takeout and I was getting feedback from other paddlers to paddle left or right to get there.
Paint Creek in wv got me once. Impact dislocated my shoulder when I flipped at the base of westerly falls and watched YouTube videos to unsuccessfully try to reduce it Eventually I went to the emergency room
Those are my tales of stupidity and suffering. In each case I decided to push through. After this last adventure I’m thinkin’ I ain’t got no more push left in me. I’m gettin’ to old for this s**t!
Share your tales of physical discomfort…on the water…hey we’re old and we know how to suffer and how to share it!
Only one. 38 mile trip. Ran out of water. Stopped on the opposite shore to buy bottled water from a machine, and it ate my money without dropping the water. 11 miles away from home. Dehydrated. Ran out of gusto and limped the last 4 miles to shore, while the VHF weather reported storms developing to the south. I didn’t care. The only other bad memory was a trip where those sucker flies were biting me.
Nothing too specific. My Dad passed on his bad joints. I’ve had 3 back surgeries, a shoulder and wrist surgery, and a brain surgery. I had to relearn to walk after the brain surgery and lost a lot of muscle coordination.
Now my right leg is partialy functional BUT I just bought a SOT because getting in and out of cockpits isn’t a fun thing and I will keep paddling as long as I can.
Drugs, mostly Tylenol, keep me going. The back Doc prescribed an opioid but I’ve usually managed to avoid it.
I would not be paddling without the help of good friends.
Man, I hear you. I once did a long paddle with a gnarly shoulder sprain from helping a friend move. My arm felt like it was on fire, and I basically just floated and did minimal strokes the whole time. Ended up needing a few weeks of physio to get back to normal.
I have migrated from sit on ocean kayaks with rudders to Hobie pedal kayaks and found that I could travel twice as fast with no more effort than when paddling. I got to the point where lifting them up an onto the kayak racks on my truck got to be too much and so I invested in a jetski trailer so I could simply back down into the bay and easily launch the kayaks.
Now I am considering a Sea Eagle 465 double inflatable kayak that weighs 45 lbs and no trailer needed. A key advantage of the Sea Eagle kayaks is that they are made so the skeg can be replaced with a Bixby electric motor in seconds. If I have to deal with a strong tidal current or headwinds the Bixby would make a great deal of difference for this 74 year old.
As I entered my 70’s I knew I needed to find non impact exercise and to start doing using free weights to keep the muscles in shape that support my back and limbs.
Not on the water, and I won’t be on the water for awhile, I had a total knee replacement Monday. Ice and drugs are making me feel pretty good that I’ll be back on the water as soon as the wound allows.
Two years ago I did a lot of trips in my whitewater canoe and aggravated my knee. For a long time it was sore to the point that I couldn’t kneel in my canoe. Doctor told me it was arthritis and I was going to have to live with it, so I bought a sea kayak. Turns out it was more bursitis than arthritis, and my knee did eventually settle down. Glad to be back in my whitewater canoe, but I still try to get out in the sea kayak.
Fortunately, never had a serious injury on a trip – hope it stays that way.
So new boat. Good on you, my friend. 
Paddle On.