34° Water

[ak_powder_monkey]

Makes for a really cold swim... Which makes learning tough because you don't want to swim... That being said I think I'm started down the path of learning to paddle... First off kayaking is way more fun than rafting, way way way harder though.

We started in the lake


Then the pool


and today I sucked it up in the river

the teacher though did not:


Yeah there was a glacier involved


some wildlife



and some (very tame/small) whitewater!

[altasnob]

Nice. The think I love about kayaking is its the only sport that gets better when the skiing sucks, its pissing rain in the mountains, and the snowpack is melting.

[wcf3]

Learning to paddle in really cold water is, uh, character building. Dry suit, neoprene cap and poggies or gloves all help. On the plus side, going for swims in that kind of water gives a really strong negative reinforcement signal and huge motivation to get your roll dialled in.

[crackboy]

definitely get yourself some sort of neoprene cap. it dulls the cold head rush and will buy you some time if you flip so you will have more time to roll before the cold makes it feel like you can't breath.

that and pogies are way better than gloves by far, especialy if you stick a pair of latex gloves underneath tucked into your drytop/suit

[wendigo]

Nice. Learn some skills, then pick up a few packrafts and go exploring.Packrafts are a better tool for AK, imo.

[ak_powder_monkey]

Packrafts are sick, this is true...

[XXX-er]

that and pogies are way better than gloves by far, especialy if you stick a pair of latex gloves underneath tucked into your drytop/suit

I like pogies cuz they don't interfer with your grip

I got stuck for pogies on a trip out to prince rupert after we had switched from creek boats to a seakayak ... I used natures blend bagel bags

[CouchSkiing]

Use to surf throughout New England in the winter prior to moving west. What I remember most is how painful your teeth can become duck-diving in such cold water. Feels like someone is constantly pulling out your molars then digging a sharp cold object into your now empty gums. Oh, and the hypothermia.

Agree with the comment above about the neoprene cap/hood, cold water can do some lasting damage to your hearing.

[RootSkier]

How cold can the swim really be if you are all in drysuits?

Anyways, nice work. Kayaking is rad.

[mattinak]

Congrats on gettin into kayakin dude!! Alaska is a very sweet place to kayak
Props for gettin after it even when the water is cold!!!
And who was your instructor?

[Alaskan Rover]

I remember the first time I moved to Fairbanks, I got conned into going for a swim in Chena River in May (okay...there WAS some beer involved, if I remember right). It wasn't 34 degrees, but it wasn't a whole lot warmer, considering all the snow melt previous. (in late July, it is downright SWIMABLE temperature..heh heh).

I remember when I dipped my foot into it, it was cold enough that it felt strangely "hot". After my body went numb, I stayed in for a little bit. I was cold for a couple days after that...and hot shower after hot shower couldn't seem to warm me up.

Since then, I've taken a few unscheduled dips in the cold-stuff when kayaking without a dry-suit, and it wakes you right up, believe me. Try Yukon River near Eagle, Ak just after the last of the ice clears out, but cold enough there are still floating mini-bergs. Snagged a tree branch...flipped my kayak over...stupidly no dry-suit...and getting colder by the second...arms going numb. Made it to shore with the kayak in tow, but man was I wary of tree branches after that. Nothing like death looking at you from the other side of the river to get your ass in gear!! Kokatat dry-suits have been my buddy ever since, and have been known to paddle in a full-blown 'gumby' suit as well...ha ha.

[Purveyor of Slack]

How cold can the swim really be if you are all in drysuits?

If its seakayaking, ask the dead ER doc they found in Bham bay.

for signif immersion you need insulation under the suit.


Dry=/=warm

[Purveyor of Slack]

Oh y,,a forgot the cold shock--you like the laryngospasm??