Sea Kayaking Articles from P&H Staff, Team Paddlers, and Friends

Month: January 2010

Cold Front Rolls In

P&H Family

It keeps getting colder down here in, usually, sunny Florida. We left from the Isle of Capri today with dry suits on again. The air temperature reached a high of 43 degrees and the water was right around 55 degrees. I know you P&H Paddlers up North will laugh at us but it was actually fun getting suited up for “cold weather” for a change 🙂

In Swells

Small craft advisory was posted today and will last the next two days. Seas were predicted to be 3-5 but were more in the 2-4 range. Long intervals lead to some good runs down the 4 footers but 20knt winds kept blowing us out of the sweet spot.

Surfing

Did two rolls with my balaclava on and thank god for that because Chris was complaining about his head temperature most of the trip:) Spent 2 hours playing in the waves and decided to head in.

Stayed warm the entire trip until back at the beach where my hands started to freeze. Forecasted 25knt winds and 5-7 surf tomorrow. Hopefully it actually comes through for some more reports from the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Cold in Florida

Early Morning At Lake Avalon

Jay Rose

Decided to test out our new drysuits from NRS since even Southwest Florida is feeling a little frosty lately. Air near 48 and water at 55 made for a brisk morning for us Southern paddlers.

Two weeks of lousy weather was limiting our paddling so we manned up for some much needed practice at our local Lake named Lake Avalon. Chris Boland (Owner of Saltwater Sports) and I practiced high braces emphasizing on our weaker sides along with multiple types of rolls.

Chris Boland

I was pleased to see that even in a dry suit I was able to hand roll almost effortlessly in my Cetus LV. It is such a wonderful boat to roll, I am thrilled with it. After that we practiced some solo rescues and went for a brisk 1 mile sprint around the lake. Wonderful way to start a Florida morning. My Team Boat is being made as I type and I am stoked!

Amazing what a stable platform the Cetus line is….

Standing in the Cetus LV

Drysuit

Standing in the Cetus LV

Drysuit

Drysuit

Looking Back

As I load another log into the woodstove, and chip ice from the rain barrel for washing the dishes, I think fondly about some prime paddling memories of 2009, and wish I had some good winter shots to share, but alas– my winter paddling excursions aren’t always the most photogenic adventures. Like paddling across Rosario Strait to hang out with my friend Joe, on another island, or the time my friend Matt Ross and I paddled all night around San Juan island in February. Instead, some good shots from ’09, with the promise of more to come.

2010 holds a lot of promise for fun, adventure and good coaching opportunities…first, Golden Gate Symposium will be excellent and I’m looking forward to doing my bit to help make it a success, as well as Tom Pogson’s Alaska Kayak School symposium in May–a chance to paddle waters I love, coach with other good folks, and visit home where my parents still live.

Matt-Nelson

Matt-Nelson

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén