Spring is Here, Wear Your Cold Gear

It happens every spring--a fellow paddler is tragically lost to a river they've often paddled in the past. This unfortunate event is a reminder that in any situation your life and that of your loved ones can be forever changed in seconds. The loss of a fisherman canoing on the Kansas River this week reminds us all to be cautious when going out this time of year. Our prayers are with the family of this young man and hope he is found soon.

This tragic incident and the accident in March of 2007 near Edwardsville has prompted me to "lecture blog" on the subject of cold water paddling. This is a no-brainer when discussing winter paddling, however spring fever can cause us to be less cautious than we should be.

After a long winter it's difficult to resist the urge to just grab your boat and go when the weather is nice. And when the air is warm nobody wants to climb into a wet suit. I'm sure it's tempting to be casual with a PFD and leave it unzipped or just stuffed in the boat somewhere, but accidents can happen to anyone at any time. That one time you don't wear your vest can be the one time you really need it. I'm a true believer in this type of thinking because the one time I didn't wear my seat belt was the one time I was in a rollover car accident--I was very lucky to survive.

So if you're going out to paddle soon, here's something to think about: Right now the temperature of the Missouri River at Kansas City is about 55 degrees. That doesn't sound so bad, especially when the air temperature is in the 70s, but let's get a little perspective. Try turning on your shower with only the cold water on. Now step in. That's what 55 degrees feels like. I just checked the temperature of my cold tap water--it's about 54 degrees. Unexpectedly being submerged in water that cold will cause you to gasp (not a good thing if you're under the water) and cold shock can cause you to lose some of your cognitive and motor skills. It seems to me that when it's nice out, the effects of immersion in cold water would be even more intense than if you were paddling in cool air.

So it's the same old "moral of the story"--be prepared, prepare for the worst and wear your PFD. On the safety page of our website is a link to a brochure about preparing for cold water boating. There's also a great article from the February issue of Sea Kayaker Magazine about the science behind cold shock.

Now, I don't want to put a chill on your desire to get out there this spring so go out and enjoy yourselves--we're going to--just be careful.

Winter Blues Blog

Welcome! I'm starting this blog to put on our new website. Actually, I'm dealing with winter blues and trying to stay busy to distract myself from the fact that I'm not out on the water!

I know a lot of you out there have valuable information for paddling resources in the Kansas City area and would like to share that information. Additionally there are those out there who might be interested in joining or starting a paddling community--we're working on that in the KC northland--and maybe this can be a way to hook up.

I'll be posting blogs on more specific topics and announce upcoming events when I get word.

Think warm,

Heather