rolling without noseplugs

Roll quality
IF your clips-on roll is good, then the rushing and degradation are caused by psyching yourself out. I’ve been in situations when I thought I had noseclips on and rolled up anyway, even in fresh water. The pain hit immediately AFTER I rolled up. And it hurts a lot more than clipless rolling in seawater does. For me, salt water up the sinuses still feels unpleasant, just not nearly as harsh as with freshwater.



It is possible your roll is shaky in the first place–if it’s not an instant response that you don’t think about, there’s more likelihood of psyching yourself out.



There are some similarities in rolling clipped vs. nonclipped and flatwater vs. rushing water. You need to actually experience the unfamiliar stuff to learn how to deal with it; other people telling you isn’t enough. Breathing out through the nostrils does work, as long as you don’t try to forcibly snort. Because then you will just run out of air instead. Think of the outgoing bubbles from your nostrils as a moving barricade to incoming water, and that should help you control the amount and rate of out-breathing. But there’s no way around the fact that as you learn, there will be some discomfort.

Turn your head and cough
The ocean is a like giant Neti Pot. The saltwater in your nose doesn’t burn at all; it just makes you contribute nasal fluids. Freshwater up the nose is absolutely painful, though it doesn’t extract as much DNA.



Pressurizing your sinuses helps keep out water, but isn’t 100%. I don’t like giving up my air by actually blowing it out, and I’m too uncoordinated to do it any other way than in one big snort. I enjoy frequent roll play in freshwater and wear nose plugs rather than deal with it. But just so I’m used to it, I always make sure to do some rolling without nose plugs…usually on the first roll of the day when I forget to put the darn things on.

get reamed out or just don’t flip,
that’s pretty much been my approach. When I was younger and macho I used to boat a lot of ww without noseclips. After several years, I developed continuous sinus problems. So I suffered quite a bit and got sinus surgery and it has helped a lot. Unfortunately, my allergies are actually much worse now that I’m unclogged most of the time. I rinse my sinuses daily with salt water, take clariton, use a nasal steroid daily. I also put a little alcohol in the ears when water is an issue. Mostly I just try to avoid flipping to begin with. An “open boat” or “old school mentality” limits my flips to just a few a year even though I kayak. You won’t climb the ladder of difficulty, or develop playboating skills that way but it keeps me in a boat and paddling which is my goal. A half a dozen times a year I practice in a pool. I’ll be snottin’ for days afterwards even with noseplugs on. That’s my approach. It may not be sensible for others but it keeps me paddling. Paddle within your ability and just don’t flip over. Then the whole noseplug thing is a nonissue.

you and kocho bring up a good point
I understand whitewater paddlers wearing nose plugs all the time, the likelihood of getting overturned is pretty good. OTOH, I can’t imagine wearing them while sea kayaking unless I’m playing in surf. Definitely couldn’t do it on a trip.

The only time I use nose plugs is sometimes in surf, and during indoor or outdoor practice. I can’t recall a time when I capsized because of conditions, and rolled back up, that water in my sinuses bothered me; it was the least of my concerns at the time.

Well…
…it’s going to require some experimentation.

I actually like rolling in salt water
In the not too salty areas where I paddle on occasion, I actually enjoy the cleansing effects of the salt water. Not nice if it gets in my sinuses, but the “neti” effect on the nasal passages is quite welcome for me.



I rolled a few times yesterday in the Delaware bay without nose plugs and it was fine. If anything, i would have liked ear plugs as the water temp was just cool enough to feel it in my ears. I wnot wear plugs (nose and ear) for touring and on most white water, but I have them handy for “tricky” situations and for rolling practice.



I don’t find fresh water particularly objectionable. Yes I feel it worse than salt water, but my concern is with water contamination more than anything else there.