NSPN Cold Water Workshop: Call for Participants

[rylevine]

This posting is to gauge interest in an NSPN Cold Water Workshop consisting of a zoom session, beach briefing and preparation, and a short winter paddle.

 In the zoom session we would first discuss the scope and goals of safe winter paddling. There would be a review of cold water gear, the hypothermia kit, the dry suit, and recognition and treatment of hypothermia. We would also assess the needs of attendees for gear and suits, to be lent by NSPN members and commercial outfits for the subsequent cold water paddle. Note the NSPN posted Moulton Avery zoom session today and March 18^th on the NSPN forum.

 As we did with the summer skills sessions, for the winter paddle participants would break into pods with 1-2 leaders each. The beach briefing would demonstrate dressing in the dry suit, and include a quick discussion of gear and the hypo kit. We would also talk specifically about strategies for keeping hands, feet and head warm.

The beach briefing would be followed by launching for a short paddle - perhaps Riverhead to Dolliber, or an equivalent in NH/ME. A quick lunch at the destination will demonstrate how to handle the inevitable out-of-the-boat chill down. Tips from experienced winter-time paddlers will be shared and discussed. Then paddle back to the put-in. If people want to test their dry suit and dunk, that could be done at the put-in with cars nearby. Overall, the session will be very pragmatic - just the nuts-and-bolts of winter paddling. In addition to comparing strategies and tips, useful for all kayakers, newcomers to cold water paddling will have an opportunity to safely experience a winter trip.

 If you are interested in attending a cold water workshop, PM Bob Levine or Jim Snyder. We will respond as plans develop.

Background: In past years, NSPN ran very successful cold water workshops in the fall. They included an in-house session, beach session, and various on-the-water activities. The latter ranged from paddles and rescue practice to just dunking with a dry suit. COVID and the winter time frame make such an extensive workshop impossible. The goals have to be much more modest.

[Jim Snyder]

3 hours ago, rylevine said:

 

 If you are interested in attending a cold water workshop, PM Bob Levine or Jim Snyder. We will respond as plans develop.

In the interest of maintaining just one list, PM Bob only. If you have comments or questions, please post here. 

[Sue H.]

Is the time frame for these events in February or March ?  Is that what you meant by a short winter paddle ?  Should you consider giving an explanation of what a PM is and how an NSPN member would "private message" Bob ?  Newer members, and many existing members, do not spend time monitoring and navigating the NSPN website and may need a brief tutorial in order to access the benefits of announcements, posts and calendar events.  I would invite folks who's initial response to the idea of winter paddling is "no way, not for me" to hear from year round paddlers.  I think we might want to consider that folks could participate in the zoom portion of this Cold Water Workshop, and then decide if they would like to give it a try after learning about what is required.  Let me share a poem by Alan Alda, "Begin challenging your own assumptions.  Your assumptions are your windows on the world.  Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in."  Let's inspire folks to be open to the possibility, I know Bob will have have great info and experiences to share (I have inside knowledge that the Zoom presentation will be dynamic, and interactive !)  What could be bad about gaining knowledge and seeing friendly, and to some, familiar faces... yes faces, a benefit of Zoom.

[Jim Snyder]

Cold water can kill you in less than a minute. It's actually so dangerous that it kills a lot of people within seconds. Thousands of people have drowned after falling into cold water and a lot of them died before they even had a chance to reach the surface.

-From the front page of the National Center for Cold Weather Safety

This is Moulton Avery's organization. There is tons of information on how to avoid becoming a statistic in cold water.

http://www.coldwatersafety.org/nccwsRules3.html

[Phil Allen]

With all due respect to the reality that cold water paddling is an added challenge to an otherwise risky sport, Avery’s claims of death within seconds are hyperbole and not supported by accident reports or the medical literature.  
 

I don’t want to diminish the added risks of paddling in the cold water months, which these cold water workshops have nicely addresses over the years.  Thanks for organizing and let folks know if you need assistance when you run the program.

Phil

[Jim Snyder]

33 minutes ago, Phil Allen said:

Avery’s claims of death within seconds are hyperbole and not supported by accident reports or the medical literature.  

Phil, I probably could have grabbed a better quote to call attention to the website. I think it has a lot of good information for paddlers but the kind of incident in that quote refers to people ending up in cold water without the protection of wet or dry suit and gasp water before air. it was not my intention to be alarmist.

[Jim Snyder]

Update: 

The club has secured two different available sources for rental drysuits for this workshop and budgeted funds so there will be no cost to participants. 

[Alex Debski]

I’m always up for a paddle! I’ll stay tuned for dates (zoom, too)

[BethS]

I am interested as well,  depending on the dates I'd love to participate. The past cold water workshops have been very educational!