C-Forum

Maybe this is one of those stupid questions ...cuz i paddled in canada but people can paddle year round in california eh? (other then it being kinda cold)

Im looking forward to paddling in Southern Ontario up until the rivers freeze over! (If i can get my freeking drysuit by then) You don't want to swim if you only have a wetsuit. Doesnt really help you enough when the water is 2 degrees (36 F) I'm sure you probably already know, here's a couple yakker sites that are local, and post good info about Ontario boating conditions, riverlevels, etc. (I believe you're in Ottawa)
-- http://www.boatwerks.net
-- http://www.kayaker.ca

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Mike.

Assuming you are talking about Northern CA, I can comment.

Up here in western WA state we can paddle year 'round. Some claim they are too busy skiing in January, but those on the river know better! Ice in the river is very rare, and a drysuit will have you feeling toasty on all but the coldest days. Neoprene gloves and a head sock and you are good to go.

It may be different in CA, but up here the cloud cover and the Pacific Current affect each contribute to air temp's that stay between 40 and 50 f, night and day, almost all winter.

At my college we have pool sessions four times a week. Twenty kayakers and one C-1er (me) taking over the Olympic-sized pool in winter is quite the spectacle... the diving team always blames us for leaving leaves and other debris in the pool.

Thats so funny about the pool! I've been practicing in the pool and teaching my buddies how to roll my canoe while Im boofing my kayak. Some people have no idea what it is, they're like, "SO do you do crew "...funny californians

yeah, we have pool sessions twice a week and last year i convinced the lifeguard (funny, the only lifeguard i could convince was also the only MALE lifeguard!) to let us take our boats off the high (12'?) diving board. i landed upside down trying to do a "donkey flip" and got ejected on impact!

Yes, pool sessions can be quite amusing.... some of the guys in my paddling club do so many enders and tricks that the lifeguards end up deciding that we're determined to drown ourselves and give up and end up falling asleep on the benches beside the pool. The best time, though, was when one of the lifeguards was also a paddler and jumped in a boat and started throwing down himself!

We always have to hold "beginner days", though, where no one with a consistent roll is allowed in a boat. Non-paddlers tend to be intimidated by all the trick boating, and warm pools are the best places to help beginners with their rolls before cold (frosty?)spring paddling season begins!

Evelyn wrote:We always have to hold "beginner days", though, where no one with a consistent roll is allowed in a boat. Non-paddlers tend to be intimidated by all the trick boating, and warm pools are the best places to help beginners with their rolls before cold (frosty?)spring paddling season begins!

That there's a good idea! I'm assuming some of the tricksters hop in and help out the beginners?

I plan on paddling until the water freezes over; no exciting stuff nearby, but plenty of the flat stuff and convenient boats. Though I suppose it's easier to admire the snow-covered scenery when you're not worried about staying upright and dry.