recognizing cold impacts
I would add this: during the many decades I was involved with my outdoor club, we initiated or assisted authorities in rescues and extractions of many people. Some of the most frequent and difficult were those of people who were not injured, but rather rendered confused and unable to function due to various stages of hypothermia. Anyone involved in outdoor recreation should learn to recognize the early symptoms of even first stage hypothermia in themselves and others who are with them. It isn’t as easy as you might think to stop or reverse the downward slope of hypothermia once it begins. Someone who is shivering or beginning to stumble or slur their speech is not going to recover unless direct action is taken to get water, nutrition and probably outside warmth into them immediately. Just getting a struggling and deeply chilled swimmer back into a boat or even to shore may not be enough to save their life. Keep that in mind too when you dress for paddling or if you are paddling with others who are not properly dressed for conditions.
I have my own “selfish” reasons for refusing to paddle with people whom I don’t feel are properly outfitted or using safety equipment. I have no problem coming to the aid of people who are incapacitated due to no fault of their own. But I have had trips I was prepared, both mentally and equipment wise, to enjoy in the past that had to be aborted to aid in the evacuation of people who had blundered themselves into difficulty through carelessness and lack of preparation. And, honestly, I resented them for it.
Thermometer
Good advice! They take temp readings here at the Missouri every few hours so I try and use that data to determine what’s safe. 60 degree water I have no problem for a short submersion. Just recently the water dropped about 10 degrees and I have no experience under the 60 degree mark.
Well Said
Though I tend to think its the careless and under prepared people that are selfish.
temps
from what I have read and tried me at 6' 230 lb. I get the dry suit out at 60* F water temp. Not big on my wet suit any more. 70* I use nothing and 60*-70* I use my kokatat pants and a paddling jacket. They would at least trap water and let my body heat it. They will leak but they will trap water Two Air means zero to me. Water here on Long Island can drop to 36* in the winter. I go it alone a lot so I have to depend on myself. I have kokatat Expedition dry suit (with hood) various gloves and pogies, Kokatat polar-tec one piece, rash guard & various Kokatat and NRS core layers. I will adjust the layers with water temps. I usually paddle fast and hard 80% of the time. Rather be safe and bit over warm than not survive. I have floated in the water at + - 40* and even with all the gear it's cold. Last year I left the dock and took my Kokatat balaclava with me not on me. Started to get rough and I was cursing I did not have it on. Didn't feel safe stopping to put it on. Finally found a small cut 15' long in the marsh and paddled up there to get it on. Never again. I respect the water and the cold. Air temps and wind count but when your in the water not much more than your head projects above the water. When you burn your finger your don't hold it in water your would rather run cold water on it. Picture your limbs going through even 60* water with a farmer john suit and the water ripping the heat from your limbs and core. Spend money get good gear or wait till temps are up. See all kinds of idiots in the early spring out here water 50* and air 75* with nothing on except a shirt and shorts. Saw some young kids like that and called the CG. Didn't want it on my conscious if something happen. Would you buy a cheap parachute? Good used suit is better than a new cheap crappy one. Just think every time your in a diner a million others sucked on the same fork. You can wash any suit and what you don't know won't bother you.