Last year, with Robert Folster’s encouragement, a hardy group of NSPN members got together for a cold water practice session on Easter. While it was short, they had great fun and promised to get together the following year and make it an annual event. Thus began the Easter Bunny Plunge.
I am initiating this year, as Robert is out of commission due to elbow surgery.
This will be a combination paddle/cold water practice event. You’ll have the opportunity to do some rescues in cold water and we’ll do a short paddle too! LOTS of hypo kits and chocolate will be on hand and careful attention will be paid to all paddlers’ condition and well-being. This is a CAM paddle (Common Adventure Model or Chocolate Adventure model, you decide)
So bring your bunny ears (really!) and join us for some cold water fun! Extra ears will be on hand for those who don't have them.
We are still determining the location, but it will most likely be somewhere between Salem and Ipswich. Details will be firmed up as it gets closer
Reply here if you intend to go and separately, please email your float plan info to me: cathyfolster at verizon dot net
The fine print:
Launch at 10am from XXX
Paddle to XXX and have lunch and chocolate
Practice rescues, etc
Paddle back to launch
Approx. 3pm return
Drysuit and appropriate underlayers are a must for this paddle. Bring your lunch and best to bring a hot beverage too.
You’ll need cold weather outerwear as well. Here’s an example of what I wear/bring:
Warm fleece hat, fleece flip top mittens, down jacket, warm outer pant layer – worn at launch to unload and pack boat.
Paddling:Fleece hat stays on with a cold water cap under it and mittens are traded for neoprene paddling gloves. Pants and mittens stay in car and down jacket gets packed in boat for lunch. Also packed in boat are lunch mittens/gloves, cowl, storm cag and new dry gloves for after lunch. The new dry gloves are not necessary if you keep your paddling gloves between your pfd and drysuit during lunch – they’ll be a little hard to put on, but will be warm. I also have a complete set of dry clothing as optional layers or in case of getting unexpectedly wet.
At lunch, first order of business is to get the lunch mittens and cag or down jacket on. Then out comes the ground pad and lunch!
Also have a hypo kit – see this post if you want more information on how to put one together: http://www.nspn.org/forum/topic/9825-hypo-kit/. Don’t feel overwhelmed by all the gear. The start of a good hypo kit is a thermos of hot tea/chocolate/soup/water and a warm jacket/blanket/tarp. Do you have any handwarmers/feet warmers from skiing – those are great! An old yoga mat is a great ground pad. Don’t worry about packability if it’s just a day paddle – you have plenty of room in your boat on a day paddle. If you don’t have one and don’t feel you can piece a small one together, just let me know. We should have plenty on hand from others to care for everyone.

Event details