Cold Water Workshop

[rfolster]

Are you interested in extending your paddling season beyond the short New England summers?  Wonder how it is that people are STILL kayaking even as you read this on a brisk fall day?  Learn the tricks and techniques of paddling safely as the temperatures drop at the yearly cold water event to be held on Saturday, November 10 at Newbury Kayak and Canoe, 291 High Street (Route 1A), Newbury MA starting promptly at 10:00am and wrapping up around 2:00pm.  Plan to park in the lower lot down by the water and line up the cars against the hill below the shop.

We will begin inside the shop with a quick overview covering the dangers of cold water and how to mitigate the risks with gear and knowledge, followed up with a bit of a swim at the shop's boat ramp, and will finish up back inside for a wrap-up discussion over pizza lunch. For those with prior experience, feel free to come and help out, and if you have a spare suit, let us know.  The shop will also have some suits for those who have never owned a suit and are looking for a first-time experience.  If anyone chooses to test out a wetsuit, best to plan to be able to dry off and change before heading back inside for the discussion, as the shop will be open for business, and we would like to minimize making a mess of the place.

Please RSVP on the calendar if you wish to attend so that we can maintain a head count.  If you need to borrow a drysuit, please post to this thread so that we can contact you about sizing.  See the following websites for sizing info:
https://kokatat.com/support/sizing
For those who wish to help out and/or have a spare suit for others to use, please PM me so that I can manage logistics.

We recommend that a hot beverage will go a long way to keeping warm, and maybe even a snack before going for a swim.  Please bring form fitting fleece or synthetic long underwear to wear underneath the suits, wool/fleece socks and closed shoes that can be worn OVER the bulky drysuit sock and your socks. Loose fitting fleece jackets are too bulky to go underneath a drysuit.  Down jackets can be worn underneath, but is less effective as the water compresses the suit, so not an ideal option.  Please bring any gloves/hoods/hats/shoes that you have that are extra so that if someone else is missing an article of clothing, they can borrow.

Although the shop has a bathroom, the system can be challenged when there is sudden heavy usage, so I believe there will also be a (super clean) porta potty that folks will be encouraged to use.  If you have any questions, feel free to post here, PM me, or contact the shop.  We hope to see many new faces and old friends as we usher in the glory of fall and winter paddling!!