I forgot my camera, but here are some great shots of the annual Cold Water Boating workshop run by the The Small Boat Shop in Norwalk, CT, taken by Ric Klinger of the shop.
I always enjoy participating in this event, and this year was even cooler than usual - need proof? just look at all that ice! They always run this in the depth of winter because they want people to feel for themselves what the gear does & does not do for you - having ice to swim in just made it even better.
I hope to find time to do a bit more of a review, but I'm absolutely pooped after a beautiful but tiring paddle around the Norwalk Islands, need shower and sleep - but look what was on the front page of the Norwalk Sunday Hour today (I think you get one look before they want you to register, but if you want to read the whole article, it is free to do so).
Nice to see the cold-water message get some very good visibility in the press.
12 comments:
Brrrrr .... Pat and I just got back to Albuquerque, and we had the heat turned down while we were away, so it's not warmed up yet. Now you REALLY have my teeth chattering.
That looks far far too cold!!
Oh, it was fun!
Actually, I was thinking this afternoon that one of the neat things about Kayak Safety exercises is that they are usually a complete kick - if people don't end up laughing, you're doing something wrong.
The guy in the olive-green suit, with the camera, is the head guide at the shop. He got the swim off swimmingly - TQ & I had gone in & done a couple of rolls & stuff, but the other participants were all sort of standing on the edge of the dock looking down at the slush apprehensively.
Then, with no warning at all, Chris (the head guide) pointed his camera at himself, did a forward flip off the dock & went in headfirst.
I just about fell out of my boat right there, I was laughing so hard.
30 seconds later everyone was in and the frosty frolic had begun.
My god, you people are out of your minds.
Aaaaabsolutely! :D
ps - David, so sorry to hear that the 3BF had such an emphasis on the F this year. Bummer.
Glad to see you're still paddling!
Good heavens! SiteMeter is suddenly going crazy with visitors -- looks like maybe somebody posted this page to a Bay Area Sea Kayakers forum?
At any rate, welcome! And doesn't this make you glad you live in the balmy Bay Area? I hear it's tanning weather today, enjoy! :D
Visitors from California, I meant to say.
p.s. - Yes, I am a trifle jealous. Although 37 actually felt wonderful yesterday!
Yes, hi, I'm one of the BASK gawkers... one of our members posted the link to our forum. BRRRR.... you people are nuts! Kidding, it's great learning and important to practice in tough conditions. Looks like fun. Totally different than our weekend -- it was in the low 70s here and we were rolling just to keep cool.
Well, glad to have you all here enjoying our East Coast lunacy! I actually mostly grew up out west myself -- mostly Hawaii, with a couple of years in Vallejo and a couple near Bremerton, WA -- so I had a lot of learning to do about dressing for cold-water survival. I have to say this workshop was about as much fun as any cold-water workshop I've ever been to - the ice really added a new dimension.
See more at:
https://www.facebook.com/uscgauxnorwalk
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