Why I like cold weather paddling...

You mean like this
http://community.webshots.com/photo/93964448/93964448jaCXNZ



Cheers,

JackL

Snow makes the banks beautiful-er
http://community.webshots.com/photo/501266177/503290989QHOGNq

I only wish the rivers didn’t freeze over round here. Winter would be a lot more tolerable if that global warming would just kick in.

very nice JackL

It feels so good…
…when you finish!



JH Bahn

Clear water
in the winter because the glaciers are not melting and the sea lions come up here to skagway. It’s also nice to have the quite and the lack of other boats on the water.

Why not paddle in winter?
Usually the only thing that keeps me off the water in the winter is if it’s totally frozen over.

I concur with those that remark about jet skiis not being on the water. Plus, the snow on the banks gives the paddle a totally different perspective than warm weather paddling.

I paddled the AuSable in Grayling, MI with a friend, one cold (6°) January morning after a 4" overnight snowfall. The beauty of it all would give you one reason some of us paddle all year, even though it gets cold. Though, I am finding that as I get older, my body is starting to rebel.

The only thing that rebels…

– Last Updated: Jan-07-06 10:38 AM EST –

with me is, is at the end of the day when I am lashing down the boats on the roof.
Then my bare fingers hate me, and I have to coax them to finish the job.

The thing that I absolutely love though is the clarity of the water.
Here in western NC in the summer you cannot see more than a foot down in the water, and right now we can easily see the bottom at twelve to fifteen feet deep.

Cheers,
JackL

Why fight it?
Boy, reading how much you guys had to put up with to paddle in winter, I’m begining to understand why they’re building indoor ski slopes in the tropical country for summer skiing!!!



Ever heard of skating, snow-shoeing, cross country skiing… fellas?



Took a ride on a sail boat across the frozen lake once. Can’t describe the feeling adequately in words. I’ll try that over winter paddling any day!

I Am Not, That’s The Problem…
Last week, I was up inland Maine. Lots of snow around. Got my downhill and x-country skis and snowshoes. I got out. But, I kept thinking about the surf that I was missing from a nor’easter. From the reports, I missed a heck of a surf session while up there.



If it feels like a “chore” to go paddle in the winter, then it’s probably not worth doing and better to do some other activity. However, if you still get a buzz, that sense of anticipation/excitement, then it’s worth doing because it breaks that “closed in” feeling that winter brings to those who do NOTHING.



sing

NO…never
I am a real ‘fair weather’ kayaker. Temp must be between 60 and 85 degrees with no rain in site. Way too cold in the winter to paddle—plus the expense of the wetsuit and other winter gear is prohibitive for me.

to get "OUT"
I learn to ski in order to get outside in the winter. I enjoyed it so much I now fly away to the Rockies to get in a week of GOOD skiing on top of whatever I can catch around the Northeast.



But come March/April, I chuckle when my skiing buddies talk about the disappearing snow. Because for me, it’s just fine time the snow is gone. I can’t wait to take my bike out!



I also can’t quite stand it when my cycling buddies complain about rain and snow, because rain makes river run and snow is great to slide on and eventually melt to become whitewater!



That’s been my style for many, many years. A few years back, I added kayak to the mix. Now, I have to break the year into 3 parts to allow the 3 different kind of activities to have their OWN “slot”!


Paddling in a snow flurry…
or even a short snow squall is a lot of fun. Much nicer than paddling in the rain. Plus I like the reaction of nonpaddlers when they see you driving by with a kayak on top while they are shoveling their driveways.



Ian