The sky is clear and the sun is slowly rising.
It is -5C, feels like -9C here in Perth in eastern Ontario.
The flags are moving very little if at all.
I think I'll go for a paddle. I am well rested. I will eat appropriately.
I will think of my paddle plan.
The Bay of Quinte is beautiful. Belleville, Ontario is an incredibly beautiful place because of it.
I would love to paddle the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario in this area ... Prince Edward County.
Two men went out onto the Bay the day before last and failed to return as planned before 2200 that night.
SAR at nearby 8 Wing, CFB Trenton searched through out the night after being notified by the float plan contact.
The search is now being conducted by the OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) detachment in that area.
The men went out in an aluminum boat. I have been listening to the CBC Ottawa this morning but no mention of this situation.
As a sole paddler risk management is always a concern.
As a sole paddler I abide by survival principles and ... there are some I don't abide by.
For the principles I adhere to I commend myself.
For the one's I don't adhere to I excuse my behaviour, to my detriment, no doubt.
So this news story about these two has struck a nerve. The angel on my right shoulder is quietly being heard loud and clear over the din from the devil on my other shoulder.
There is a very important lesson in this story for me and I need to hear it.
I need to listen. And to think. And do the right thing.
I so badly want these guys to be okay.
It could happen to me.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
To Gallaghers Point And Back
It was a very good paddle. Rainy with a bit of wind, but very mild ... 11C. This first image shows the trees on Hog Island. This is the Lower Rideau Lake still.
The next image shows the bridge at Rideau Ferry. Once I cross under the bridge I will be into Big Rideau Lake. There are three "Rideau" lakes ... the Lower, the Big, and the Upper. The Upper is at the highest elevation. The Lower and the Big are at a lower elevation than the Upper. The Big is called that because area wise it is the largest.
The next image shows some of the islands in the Big Rideau. It is raining and slightly windy.
This one is a shot of the stern of the kayak showing the extra paddle and removable deck light.
All these photos are taken with the waterproof GoPro Hero 3. This underwater image shows the surface of the water, the hull of the kayak and the rocky bottom of the lake.
Here I am parked for a snack/break.
Finally, heading back towards Rideau Ferry, the Lower Rideau where I put in and take out.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Thirty Nine & Still Dreaming
The title of this post refers to my 39th time on the water since July 14, 2013, when my kayaking career started.
The "Dreaming" part of this post title refers to those moments when I stop in the lake and just relax ... just listen ... just be.
That dreamy state is one of the feelings that shows me how good being on the water is for my head, heart and soul!
Since my last post I have been on the water 3 more times ... on the 11th, 12th and 17th of November.
The weather is even more important on the water at this time of the year.
November 12 was the first time I paddled in freezing and snow conditions. It was snowing, the temperature was below freezing and there were wind gusts which caused the wind chill to plummet.
The ice is visible on the equipment on the above images. The equipment still performed as intended, however ... after getting off the water the paddle would not separate because the joint was frozen.
As far as the effectiveness of my thermal protection is concerned, it all worked well. My nose and cheeks and mouth did get cold in the wind.
The 5mm neoprene mitts were a lifesaver for the hands.
The hands have to be able to work. Survival depends on it.
Fortunately there were no capsizes, although I am confident that I could have self rescued should one have occurred.
The dry suit performed over and above as usual.
My most recent paddle was on the 17th. A more than 3 hour trip to Gallagher's Point and back on the Big Rideau Lake.
The 11C degree temperature was a gift. It was rainy and windy, but not excessive. The night of the 17th the big winds that caused havoc in Illinois came through here. By the time they arrived here they had diminished to about 50-70 km/hour winds. There were power outages across southern Ontario and Quebec.
The "Dreaming" part of this post title refers to those moments when I stop in the lake and just relax ... just listen ... just be.
That dreamy state is one of the feelings that shows me how good being on the water is for my head, heart and soul!
Since my last post I have been on the water 3 more times ... on the 11th, 12th and 17th of November.
The weather is even more important on the water at this time of the year.
November 12 was the first time I paddled in freezing and snow conditions. It was snowing, the temperature was below freezing and there were wind gusts which caused the wind chill to plummet.
As far as the effectiveness of my thermal protection is concerned, it all worked well. My nose and cheeks and mouth did get cold in the wind.
The 5mm neoprene mitts were a lifesaver for the hands.
The hands have to be able to work. Survival depends on it.
Fortunately there were no capsizes, although I am confident that I could have self rescued should one have occurred.
The dry suit performed over and above as usual.
My most recent paddle was on the 17th. A more than 3 hour trip to Gallagher's Point and back on the Big Rideau Lake.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
To Port Elmsley & Back
My most recent kayak adventure occurred this past November 7.
It was a paddle across the north west side of Lower Rideau Lake, past Beveridges Bay and on towards the Tay River.
It was a well planned trip. The spherical compass has made all the difference. I plotted a course on the chart to Stonehouse Island my first reference point. Once past the island I tracked to the port and consulted the chart to avoid shoals and shallows.
Here is one short video from the trip.
It was a paddle across the north west side of Lower Rideau Lake, past Beveridges Bay and on towards the Tay River.
It was a well planned trip. The spherical compass has made all the difference. I plotted a course on the chart to Stonehouse Island my first reference point. Once past the island I tracked to the port and consulted the chart to avoid shoals and shallows.
Here is one short video from the trip.
This is taken about 15 minutes into the 2 hour journey. I am using a GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition. Handheld at this point still to install a bracket to the deck of the boat then I won't have to hold the camera.
It was a good paddle. No rolling or rescues on this trip. The water is cold on my head and my hands. The thermal gear keeps the rest of me dry and warm, definitely a needed investment.
Chao for now!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Kayak Submarine
If this guy isn't rich yet, he soon will be. Maybe.
The CIA and every other dirty trickster will be all over this.
Check it out here:
Pretty cool, huh?
The CIA and every other dirty trickster will be all over this.
Check it out here:
Pretty cool, huh?
The Trusty Kayak
So this past Friday, October the 25th, I was able to get onto and into Lower Rideau Lake.
I did my usual pre water checks. I inspected the hull and the inside of the boat. Then I walked into the lake and submerged a few times to ensure the integrity of the dry suit.
The water is cold enough to cause paralysis with in a few seconds, or perhaps minutes, at the most.
Click here to go to a good cold water immersion info site.
In and on the water by 1300/1 pm and out by 1500/3 pm.
An hour and a half of capsizing practicing rolls, paddle float rolls and rescues and meditation on the back kayak deck. Then a half hour to paddle the somewhat usual 8 mile circuit: boat launch to Hog Island, Rideau Ferry, Nauds Point and back to the boat launch.
Truly a wonderful adventure on and in the water.
The practice is paying off, slowly but surely.
The water was flat like a shiny plate of glass. Very unusual for that time of day.
The only other craft that appeared that day was a cruiser on it's way to Poonamalie. In the distance.
So why did I title this post the "Trusty" kayak.
I trust the kayak because I checked it out before I got a mile off shore. I also tested my thermal protection, the dry suit, as well.
My checklist is short for this type of water play. Clearly the checklist has to be appropriate the planned water event.
For two hours of what is essentially safety practice followed by a short paddle the list is not long.
So yeah, I had a bunch of fun and ... the money machine as been shut down for the season, so I no longer have to pay $6.00 to use the launch. Yippee!
I did my usual pre water checks. I inspected the hull and the inside of the boat. Then I walked into the lake and submerged a few times to ensure the integrity of the dry suit.
The water is cold enough to cause paralysis with in a few seconds, or perhaps minutes, at the most.
Click here to go to a good cold water immersion info site.
In and on the water by 1300/1 pm and out by 1500/3 pm.
An hour and a half of capsizing practicing rolls, paddle float rolls and rescues and meditation on the back kayak deck. Then a half hour to paddle the somewhat usual 8 mile circuit: boat launch to Hog Island, Rideau Ferry, Nauds Point and back to the boat launch.
Truly a wonderful adventure on and in the water.
The practice is paying off, slowly but surely.
The water was flat like a shiny plate of glass. Very unusual for that time of day.
The only other craft that appeared that day was a cruiser on it's way to Poonamalie. In the distance.
So why did I title this post the "Trusty" kayak.
I trust the kayak because I checked it out before I got a mile off shore. I also tested my thermal protection, the dry suit, as well.
My checklist is short for this type of water play. Clearly the checklist has to be appropriate the planned water event.
For two hours of what is essentially safety practice followed by a short paddle the list is not long.
So yeah, I had a bunch of fun and ... the money machine as been shut down for the season, so I no longer have to pay $6.00 to use the launch. Yippee!
Monday, October 21, 2013
Yeah Baby!!!
It was another beautiful day yesterday. I spent part of the afternoon/evening on the Lower Rideau Lake.
A profitable one and a half hours of practice followed by a paddle over to Nauds Point, Millar Bay and Rideau Ferry/Hog Island and back. A distance of just under 8 miles.
The fun stuff included paddle float rolls, ladders, scrambles, and the head in the capsized cockpit, breathing the trapped air.
The standard procedure now is to sit on the back deck while pumping the water out of the cockpit. The back deck is where I meditate. I am able to sit cross legged back there now.
Another fun technique is to do the ladder recovery with the bow pointed into the waves. While I am slithering up the back of the kayak the water turns the kayak 180 degrees to face downwind.
The dry suit is working very well. It is a amazing to me to be able to play for well over an hour or two in water that would otherwise be out of limits to me.
I have started to study marine navigation. At this point I am using the compass on the charts but already have a spherical compass to attach to the kayak deck.
Thirty three times on the water since July 14, 2013.
So why? What does it accomplish? What is the point?
Fun, learning & exercise! It is beautiful out there. We are very lucky to be able to enjoy the immensity and grandeur of our natural Canada.
We are so fortunate.
I don't know who or what to thank ... but I am grateful.
Thanks.
A profitable one and a half hours of practice followed by a paddle over to Nauds Point, Millar Bay and Rideau Ferry/Hog Island and back. A distance of just under 8 miles.
The fun stuff included paddle float rolls, ladders, scrambles, and the head in the capsized cockpit, breathing the trapped air.
The standard procedure now is to sit on the back deck while pumping the water out of the cockpit. The back deck is where I meditate. I am able to sit cross legged back there now.
Another fun technique is to do the ladder recovery with the bow pointed into the waves. While I am slithering up the back of the kayak the water turns the kayak 180 degrees to face downwind.
The dry suit is working very well. It is a amazing to me to be able to play for well over an hour or two in water that would otherwise be out of limits to me.
I have started to study marine navigation. At this point I am using the compass on the charts but already have a spherical compass to attach to the kayak deck.
Thirty three times on the water since July 14, 2013.
So why? What does it accomplish? What is the point?
Fun, learning & exercise! It is beautiful out there. We are very lucky to be able to enjoy the immensity and grandeur of our natural Canada.
We are so fortunate.
I don't know who or what to thank ... but I am grateful.
Thanks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)