Fall Paddling, Dressing for Immersion and Safety third!

[@lysan1445]

I only paddle rivers and lakes, and in cold water, I always wear a dry suit. Two weeks ago, I capsized and made a wet exit. I was so happy about my dry suit when I swam back to the shore, my kayak in tow. Staying dry definitely prevented hypothermia and a nasty cold afterwards. Never underestimate cold water! I decided to swim back as the shore was just a short distance away, and it took less energy than trying to reenter my boat. I have used my whistle several times. Blowing a whistle caught the motorboats' attention and kept me safe from them crashing into me. They often overlook paddlers.

[@AdventureOtaku]

I worry more about power boats hitting me than anything else. Thanks for watching.

[@marycrawford9428]

Agree. Luckily the back country lakes I usually paddle don’t attract the big boats.

[@philipoakley5498]

Already thumbs up by the first minute. I almost always use my drysuit here in Scotland because!

[@AdventureOtaku]

Well…. Scotland. Do you wear it all year?

[@philipoakley5498]

@@AdventureOtaku If river kayaking (white water), then it's all year. For the Canadian, light winds, summer, no rain forecast, then no (but wellies (rubber boots)). Otherwise It's a drysuit all the way, even if mine is a boil-in-the-bag style (fabric is pond liner!). The water is rarely warm! Woollen socks are great for absorbing condensed water vapour and keeping feet warm.

[@soihavetoplay]

Thank you for your focus on doing things right, doing it safe.

[@AdventureOtaku]

thank you for watching! and/or kind words.

[@dennisstahl7621]

I live in the pacific NW and have been paddling a long time. I carry most of those items you do and like you on every paddle including a plastic signal mirror, a lighter and paracord. I am the guy sweating in my dry suit in the summer and cozy in the winter and this is why I prefer to paddle more in the off season. Nice videos good job at keeping it interesting.

[@AdventureOtaku]

thanks! thanks for watching!

[@tehbieber]

Lol, meanwhile I'm here in Florida putting on the dry suit as soon as the snowbirds start showing up to swim at the beach

[@AdventureOtaku]

Tell me about it

[@prophecy66]

Great video. Had a laugh at the shock to the body below 80F, must be nice to have water that warm lol. Here in Canada I swim in shorts in water that is 70F no problems. Clearly we all vary to some degree in what temps we can handle. Which is a good reminder to always test out what layering works for you personally, I usually get away with 1 maybe 2 layers of merino under my drysuit, whereas my buddy needs several or he's freezing. Down to around 50F now, definitely drysuit temps now. Like you I also paddle year round. I think winter is the best time, even then i'm still rolling and practicing rescues and what not, that cold water is refreshing.

[@AdventureOtaku]

50 degrees is more than refreshing but I’m glad you like it. Watch my “prep for Alaska” videos to see how much I like it.

[@patrickh621]

What is the manufacturer/model of the strobe light you mention at 7:08? Cannot find it on your lists. Thanks! About the drysuit - for me it is just a matter of "peace of mind".

[@AdventureOtaku]

northamericansurvivalsystems.com/products/ they should be paying me. Ill add it to my gear list, great idea.

[@capehorn171]

Paddling on Lake Superior I wear my drysuit from September through June. What I have on underneath depends on water temp. Who I'm with and where I'm going.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Exactly right.

[@DwightFitzmorris]

Hi Brett, I normally wear a dry top and dry pants when summer paddling but 2 weeks ago we had our 1st frost with the water temperature at 55* and I fell in 1st thing in the morning exiting my kayak on an island 2 miles from the cottage. It was frigging cold so sitting by the fire warming up, I immediately got my phone out and ordered a dry suit I could afford from Alibaba at $265.00 cdn. It arrived today and I will test it on this coming weekend.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Good luck! I have to admit I’m curious how good a $265 dry suit is…

[@JonPaddles]

Lake, river, ocean, it doesn't matter cold water is cold water. Every vessel I have has its own safety kit. The canoe and the 2 kayaks I use most have their own first aid kits in them permanently. Don't have first aid kit in wife or child's kayaks right now for simple reason is they don't go out without me (their choice, and I look forward to the day when kiddo is ready to and wants to go without me) I have the same setup in all of my PFDs so I don't have to think about moving gear from one to the other.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Excellent. That’s the same way I do first aid kits

[@JonPaddles]

@@AdventureOtaku I've had people look at me like I'm crazy for having a full safety kit for each vessel when I have more vessels than people here. When I explain why they change their minds. Reasons 1) the cost is cheap compared to the vessel for the kit, and it gives me spares in case one is damaged. 2) If a friend or family member is joining us I don't have to worry about having enough kits as this way can have them all on the water at the same time.

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

And here's me that paddles winter in wife beater (black singlet) and shorts. Mind you, it generally doesn't get that cold here but occasionally see a little ice at the edge of the lakes and rivers. I did try wearing a wetsuit a couple of times but just too hot.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Be careful

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

@@AdventureOtaku I run pretty warm. The kayaking group I'm with have come to accept it.

[@beingaware8542]

Lots of unfortunate and needless sea kayak deaths in Maine past few years. A few on lakes as well. Kokatat drysuit with layers under it for me!

[@AdventureOtaku]

There are, and I was just reading through the USCG list of boating injuries for 2023…..

[@Simon_W74]

I started off with semi dry trousers and a semi dry cag. It was what I could afford at the time of buying my first Touring Kayak. Earlier this year I bought a dry suit. the only issue I have had with it was operator error. Not ensuring that the zips were seated correctly. So when I did take a swim (twice) I got cold water seepage. It was early February and it was only about 6C and no idea what the water was. Defiantly cold. As I had one base layers I was mostly kept warm. apart from my backside as I was in a kayak that unlike my own had a cloths and foam seat that I couldn't warm up with my own body heat. Luckily I didn't get cold enough for it to affect my hips. It was my first time on what was meant to be white water grade 1 to 2. and I was in a Tourer. The river was in Flood so the condition where not ideal for a total white water novice. After my swims I got the hang of it and started to enjoy the experience, just as well as the river got lumpier and the flow was ever faster. Wouldn't do it again in a Tourer though. That was down to those on their course saying we needed a variety of water craft, so I took that as take a Touring boat only. If I knew what I know now I would have also taken a white water boat as well. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Oh and making sure my zips on my dry suit were correctly seated. If I was paddling at the minute I would be going out in my dry suit without a doubt, as I have to protect myself from the cold as it gets right into my Arthritis affected joints in no time.

[@AdventureOtaku]

I have never made the mistake of the "not quite closed" zipper. But I did once take off my skirt and PFD to realize I had just never zipped my drysuit entry zipper. Could have been catastrophic. I just wasn't paying attention, and it is proof it can happen to anyone.

[@Simon_W74]

@ mine was also the first time I had worn the Drysuit. I had taken it partly off as I was having trouble breathing due to my base layer top being the wrong size as I found out once I got it off. I ordered an XL and Reeds sent me a L. I will just cut the neck for this years use.

[@MikeSG1960]

I 100% agree that the 120 is a little flawed to your point. 50 degrees is cold especially when you immerse when not expecting it. There are some good charts that have water temp and recommendations on clothing. During standard daylight times when we don’t have as much daylight I also and a headlamp and if I know I’ll be out at dawn/dusk a Kayalight marker light. Curious about your strobe. What model is that?

[@AdventureOtaku]

North American Survival Systems! northamericansurvivalsystems.com/product/ef-30a-3/?srsltid=AfmBOoq1nFNjOj-4mwO2BQ-S67fOsRnPaSnBGrd_ahsBSYfuGeCgnRed

[@philipoakley5498]

The "Safety Third" thing sound like a very USA self rationalisation thing. Survival of self, survival of local group, survival of tribe, survival of supporting 'society' (perception of boundaries..)?

[@AdventureOtaku]

It may be a USA thing, but I think it is more than self rationalization. For decades we have been inundated with “safety first” particularly at work, and we have - some of us have, at least - realized it drives complacency. I can’t tell you the number of times I have responded to a call as an EMT or medic to someone with a power tool who injured themselves. Usually claiming “they weren’t paying attention” or “I did something stupid.” We have been trained over decades that our employers, or our schools will make everything safe for us, and that is only part of the equation. There has to be some measure of personal responsibility. And there is no place that is more true than in the outdoors. There aren’t squadrons of rescue helicopters waiting on the other side of the hill to respond to our inreach sos.

[@joelgallun5447]

Apparently it came from Mike Rowe. That says pretty much everything you need to know

[@AdventureOtaku]

It absolutely came from Mine Rowe, I detailed it in a stand alone video. But whether you like him or hate him I think the concept applies very well for n the outdoors. Judge the concept on its own merits not on those of the messenger.

[@roastawk]

First again!

[@AdventureOtaku]

and I appreciate it!

[@soihavetoplay]

@@AdventureOtakuhe beat me! Ok great topic. I am at the north border of Illinois. We are having some unexpected beautiful days of fall paddle, 45-54 degrees. With sun, it feels nice but, but water is starting to get cooler due to overnight temps. I am wearing a dry suit already just to be dry on my legs, but if accidents happen I feel safer being along.

[@DrPV]

What is the threshold for water temp that you dress for immersion?

[@AdventureOtaku]

As I said in the video, when my brain says “that’s cold!” Which I know isn’t very scientific. I don’t think there is ONE threshold that you have to cross. I think there are a lot of factors.

[@nunyabidness3075]

Does “stuff” really happen when we least expect it, or do expectable things get categorized as “stuff” because we were not prepared? Hmmm🤔

[@AdventureOtaku]

I can say without hesitation or reservation that unexpected things happen, at inopportune times. Even if I just reference my work as an outdoor educator/guide - so let's ignore the highly chaotic EMS work that I did and the film photography work I did. Here is one example, while teaching a SUP class, an unexpected wind shift and wind speed increase occurred just as a student was telling me he lost the fin on his SUP. The only time I have had a student lose a fin, paired with an unpredicted weather change. This is just one example. I would also add, you can practice for when things go wrong, but they will never go wrong the way you practice them. There is always some twist. And you can say "well, weather changes, just wait." That stuff you can prepare for. It is what comes along with it that makes it difficult to prepare for. The person who didn't fuel right, the person who didn't sleep well, the paddle that breaks, the rudder/skeg that fails. All of those things on their own are manageable. it is the kind of thing we prepare for, and if they occur on their own, great! But when they don't... Which is why, debriefs are important. which no one does.... Sorry, you set me off on something I enjoy discussing and think about frequently.

[@nunyabidness3075]

@ No need for apology. Passion around safety is good. My experience is from the military and aviation. In aviation, we have an informal rule of it being the third problem or mistake that crashes the plane. I think most people realize we are stretching the truth because we often explain the accidents in ways that reinforce that. OTOH, it also seems to be a really true thing because it’s often the third thing that overwhelms the pilot or crew. For instance, night is more dangerous. Low viz weather is more dangerous. Now, your engine might be burning extra fuel due to mechanical issues, and that is no big deal in day VFR flying while it can absolutely cause a fatality in night IFR flying. The NTSB report will likely say the pilot failed to properly monitor his fuel level leading to unexpected fuel exhaustion. Complicating factors include night IFR conditions and previously undetected cylinder wear. This might not be the best example, but I can see someone saying it happened at exactly the wrong time, but also when it happens during the day it’s just not usually memorable that it even happened. It’s not stuff. It’s mostly predictable. Also, the report could make that out to be four things by separating night and IFR conditions into two, but because we think there’s almost always three the report will combine them, lol. It’s really a thing. In the end it’s maybe all semantics and psychology. The more prepared you are, the safer you are.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Totally agree, in the outdoors we often talk about things like, rarely do people in the mountains die by rapelling of the end of their rope - it does happen, but extremely rare. It's exactly as you said, a compounding of errors or circumstances. They thought they knew where they were, they were wrong. then the weather changed, when they realized they weren't where they thought they were they realized they couldn't get back before sunset....and it continues from there.

[@galactusfantasticus4814]

That person has never been fishing on a lake in Canada in November. Nor have they ever been ice fishing.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Nope. I would guarantee that