florriej

Shari, do you have carpool plans? If not, Newburyport is on the way from Wenham. I'll be glad to drive or we can put my boat on your car, either way. Let me know if that works for you - Florrie (978-462-3939)

Hi - I'd love to join you also. I paddled sometimes with nspn a couple years ago, until tendonitis shot me down. But I'm (gradually) back. Thanks Katherine for organizing,look forward to seeing everyone! I live in Newburyport and would be open to carpooling. Florrie

I've been having some trouble with my shoulder, but if it's good I will definitely be there - I should know closer to the date for sure. Thanks for a great idea - Florrie

I'm coming and my friend Jackie is too. Florrie

Wow, talk about strength on every level. But it doesn't look like he's wearing a pfd - how scarey is that?

I agree, I think it's a temperature issue rather than toxin issue. I went back to the book for a few more facts - "The heart rate may be expected to decrease 10 beats per minute for every degree Fahrenheit of core temperature drop. An irregular heart rate called atrial fibrillation is frequent in cold hearts. By itself this arrhythmia poses to threat to life. However, as core temp drops the heart may suddently go into ventricular fibrillation. This causes the heart to fail to provide any effective pumping action. Worse, ventricular fibrillation soon degenerates into cardiac death. The slightest jar is enough to produce such a lethal event in the cold heart." I think this includes the shock of colder blood from the extremities entering the core. "Certainly CPR would cause a profound chance of ventricular fib, and for that reason, once initiated CPR must be continued until the victim is shown to have a functioning, regular pulse rate or acceptable ECG". Which, it seems to me, could easily be unrealistic or impossible when hours away from rescue. This is from 1991, so it's probably been updated, but Wilderness Medical Society advises to initiate CPR in chronic hypothermic victims UNLESS 1) Any signs of life are present (!) 2)Do Not Rescuscitate Status is documented 3)Obvious lethal injuries are present 4)Chess wall depression is impossible 5)Rescuers are endangered 6)Do not start unless able to continue throughout the remainder of the evacuation process Florrie

I may be mixing my concepts up here, but I seem to remember a phenomenon called somthing like "hunter's flush", where, in a last ditch effort towards survival, the body lets go of the blood in the core, releasing it to the rest of the body. This results in a feeling of heat, briefly, and thus the clothing removal. -Florrie

Know any good plumbers round here that don't mind finishing someone else's work? That is our biggest struggle right now. Graham I swear by Angie's List (angieslist.com), they list any kind of service person you can think of, with reviews by folks who have used them. They'll go to bat for you if you have a problem. I've had great luck finding competent help there. Also, when contractors know you're going to submit a review of them they seem to care more. Great job with the house, thanks for sharing the pics. Florrie

Hypothermia begins with the body keeping blood in the core to protect (warm) the essential organs, sacrificing the extremities. The brain is not protected in this, which is why symptoms of hypothermia include disorientation and poor judgement. This blood thickening and remaining in the core happens over time when the body is too cold for too long, even if the person is doing all the right things - remaining hydrated and well fed. Remember the Monadnock Guide who died several years ago during that really cold winter? He was backpacking and night temperatures were minus 40 over 3 nights. He was experienced, had all the right equipment and knowledge but human bodies just can't manage certain conditions! His gear was found strewn all over the trail. I guess we gotta be smart enough to remember how fallable we are!

Here is some info from the book "The Basic Essentials of Hypothermia", by William Forgey, MD, (1991) a small book packed with tons of good info on treatment & prevention of hypothermia, nutrition requirements in the cold, and physical responses to cold. "Exercise in cold water can increase cooling rates by 35 to 50 percent. Some authorities have felt this was due to increased blood flow in muscle [encouraging cooled blood from extremities to travel into core], while others feel it is the increased turbulence of the water which increases the rate of cooling [not allowing body to heat water around it]. "Regardless of which, movement such as swimming in water decreases the survival time. Depending upon circumstances, perhaps swimming to a nearby point of rescue is the best option. But for those who must remain in the water until rescue arrives, remaining as still as possible is the best choice" [assuming you can't climb on top of a boat and out of the water]. "Cold stress acclimatization and food intake have little effect on the rapid heat loss experienced during immersion in cold water." He goes on to talk about the elsewhere discussed Huddle position of curling up with your life jacket. However, it is apparently difficult to maintain this position without getting washed around by the water and repeatedly getting head and neck wet, which negates any positive affect. If that happens, the author suggests straightening your legs, crossing legs at the ankles and bringing the thighs together, minimizing heat loss while not allowing you to go awash in the water. Chart of estimated survival times in hours of lean subjects (11% body fat) wearing various types of clothing in rough seas at 43 degrees F. (taken from Wilderness Medicine Newsletter, April 1990) //// time to incapacity// time to unconsciousness // time to cardiac arrest light weight clothing: .4 - 1.3 hours// .8 - 2.6 hours // 1.3 - 4.3 hours 3.2 mm loose wetsuit: 1 - 2.9 hours // 1.9 - 6.0 hours // 3.0 - 9.9 hours drysuit w/fiber-fill insul: 2.9 - 8.8 hours // 5.7 - 18.2 hours// 9.1 - 30 hours "It will be noted that there are significant variations in lengths of time until loss of coordination and probably death by drowning will occur." He doesn't go on to explain the variations, however, only stating that temp of water and amount of fat a person has affect rate of cooling, with cooling occuring faster for thinner people. Just some stuff to ponder while sitting on the couch in front of a warm fire....

Bill & Ern, thanks so much for the input, I'm going to reply individually so as not to shift the theme of this thread! Thank you! - Florrie

This was my second season of paddling, and I agree with those above - it is exhilarating to gain competence in a new sport. Kayaking is so intriguing in that it seems to use all lobes of the brain and all parts of the body. The high point for me was surf practice in Seabrook - wow, to be managing conditions that previously gave me a panic attack was so much fun: my brace was emerging, every week I would gain another glimmer of understanding of boat management, I wasn't scared anymore, and what a friendly, welcoming crew. I thank Cathy Foley for encouraging me to attend (I needed that). Also I thank Rob for running a trip I was actually qualified to go on, and for all those great pointers on my forward stroke. And the coaching, comraderie, and information from so many people has been so helpful. All of this was cruelly halted by tendonitis in my wrist in August, which distressingly is still not much better in spite of treatment and exercise. I think next season I'm going to have to scale back, focus hard on my stroke technique and holding the paddle correctly (ie, lose the death grip), and hold off on practicing in conditions for a while. I will continue to enjoy reading about others' wild exploits though! Florrie

Ross, how wonderful, thanks for sharing the good news! Florrie

Turns out I have tendonitis in my wrist - I'm missing out on all the fun! See you at the meeting though. Florrie

Suz, thanks for revealing the "secret"; it's so interesting to read about the inner workings of these moves. You must need really good firm contact between knee/leg and boat. I think I might be too loose. I've also heard the advice to practice using a paddle float. Florrie

Did it feel scarey or overwhelming at any point, or did you always feel it was manageable? Thanks for an excellent read! Florrie

I have read that if powerboat collision is inevitable you should flip your kayak and push yourself out with your feet as deeply into the water as you can. I always wondered how this would work with a life jacket on. I never paddle without one, and thought maybe if things looked that dire would I whip it off just as the boat is bearing down before flipping? Hope I never go through that. Florrie

Turns out my roof is getting replaced on Saturday, so I need to be home. Sorry to miss it! Florrie

Ed, I'm interested in joining you. Will you post directions to the put-in? The only Casco Bay put in on the website is Cousins Island. Thanks - Florrie

Beautiful pics Doug, and thanks again to Rob for a great trip. It was amazing how many people flipped and had to be rescued even in such calm conditions. The terrified screams of Liz still haunt me...

Thanks Bob & Bob. The picture was a help, very clarifying. I think I need to go back to trying the re-enter & roll and pay more attention to what's going on between me & the cockpit. Maybe it's more a thigh/knee issue than hip, I'm not sure at this point. Good to know what to be looking for.

Okay - thanks for the clarification Phil! Florrie

Thanks you guys - It sounds like I need to pay more attention to knees/thighs when it somes to rolling the boat around, it's not all hip. I guess "hip-flick" would be more accurate as "lower-body-flick", but not as catchy. I will skip the wedge shaped blocks in favor of foam pads. Thanks again for the input! Florrie

Sounds good, I'll be there. My understanding of where the put-in is: 133 to Harlow St (at Conomo Pt Antiques). Then left on Conomo Pt Rd. I assume put in is at the end of the point/road (or on the way to it) and will be recognizable! Thanks Rob - Florrie