prudenceb Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Many thanks to Suz, Scott and Rick for a bracingly fun day out in the sun and wind off of Pavilion Beach. A huge turnout (30 people or so) made for three good-sized pods. We swam, got cold, got warm, ate, paddled, walked to an overlook over a pond on Plum Island, enjoyed Suz's special ladies seminar, and learned a lot - as always - about staying warm in the cold. No one's fears about death were realized, and a full 100% of us returned to the beach at the end of the day - some not without a bit of end-of-the-day drama as a wave close to shore knocked one of us over, and an interesting rescue ensued.pru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efkirton Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 A really great day, the way that this group is willing to share their knowledge and time is most unusual , leaders especially . Thank you all for a wonderfull day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Charette Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thank you Suz, Scott, Rick, and all the others who helped out. This was a great learning experience and a lot of fun as well. Also, thank you Scott for the men's special seminar.Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thanks to all for participating in the best cold water clinic yet. Water and air in the mid 40's. Lively breeze added to the wind effect. 3 pods of 9 each braved the conditions for 5 hours on this sunny day. Many fears were overcome multiple practice rescues in groups of 2 and 3 were performed with some unexpected surprises. Below is a link to my photo cronicle of the "NSPN Cold Water Workshop 2012" http://www.pixel8er....64859&k=tqj4ZHF Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Looks to have been a good day for all on many levels.Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I like picture #38 the best. Could you please e-mail me a high res of that one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfolster Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I like picture #38 the best. Could you please e-mail me a high res of that one?Great picture for the holiday party slide show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Why did I know which photo you were referring to without even looking.........pru(The ladies regretted that we did not have a camera for our seminar. It would have been pretty as a picture!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfolster Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I would also like to extend thanks to all of the long-term members who choose to offer their assistance as well. Suz said that this was the largest group to ever participate in the workshop, and I think that having some senior membership on hand made for an excellent day for everyone!Thinking back to last years event (my first), I opted not to do any rolls, or even get in the water beyond the beach. There is so much emphasis on what can go wrong, you can get yourself psyched out. If I am not mistaken, this time was actually my first time going upside down in cold water, and I would like to give a personal thanks to Doug for being patient and encouraging while spotting for me. And for anyone who asks, the answer is no - the beard does not insulate against 45 degree water!One suggestion I would like to throw out there is to always test your gear before you go out on a paddle. I know that a couple suits encountered small leaks yesterday, and you would not want to find that out at an inopportune time. Any chance you get, give yourself and your equipment a thorough workout. A short dip before any paddle will give you the chance to burp your suit, test your layering to make changes while you still can, and test your warm-up clothing and techniques as well. It will also give you a chance to tell the other paddlers in your group why you are wearing a dry suit when they are in neoprene shorts and short sleeve tops - you know, on one of those amazing 70 degree day in the Spring when the water is still around 40 degrees (actually happened to me last year).I am happy to see the increased participation and look forward to an even larger group next year. Don't worry Suz, we will give you all the help you need! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalerks Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I wanted to also say thanks for Suz and every one for putting this on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I like picture #38 the best. Could you please e-mail me a high res of that one?I've been employing the wisdom implicit in picture #38 for almost a decade now and have been the gentle butt of many jokes about it. Once I actually lost it and a rescue party sprung into action to retrieve the helpful grail, without success. Why are we so squeamish about such a necessary function of life? And Doug, why no pics of the women's caucus on the subject? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eburgess Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I bought my drysuit last winter and decided that this year I would paddle year round as much as possible. When I saw the workshop posted I immediately and enthusiastically signed up and encouraged several friends to sign up, too. Being new to cold water paddling, it was just what we needed to find out about the gear required and get some first hand experience. However as the day drew near and the apprehension grew, I kept wondering, "what the heck was I thinking, and how can I get out of it?" I summoned all my courage, though, suited up, and had a very enjoyable day getting comfortable with my gear and learning a ton! Thank you so much Suz, Scott, and Rick and all of the other seasoned cold water paddlers for taking the time to patiently teach us about dealing with cold conditions and sharing your gear ideas and tips. It was much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katherine Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Thank you muchly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 Must say with the ice on my rinse water from the night before, I wasn't really looking forward to the day and getting cold. I dressed a bit warmer than usual to account for the 'standing around' and it made a world of difference. As a round up, we had 29 people attending, 16 people were repeat offenders. Without such a great group of people coming out and willing to get cold, we wouldn't be able to leave the beach. So, my thanks goes out to all who came out to give a hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgibson Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I would like to add my thanks to Suz, Scott, Rick, and all the repeat offenders who were there to encourage, cajole, and help demystify paddling in cold weather/water. I really appreciated the generosity of all involved and look forward to a longer paddling season. It was also fun seeing old friends and meeting new ones. All in all a great day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toto Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 This was my first NSPN paddle and I nave to say it was a great time! Thanks!!Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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