: I didn't get the impression that he glossed over the fact that they weren't
: dressed for immersion. They knew that they weren't dressed properly but
: took the risk. He simply didn't have much to say about the obvious mistake
: of not dressing for cold-water immersion. I think he just assumed that
: those who would hear his message would understand this point. I thought
: his interview was a very open and honest assessment of the situation. As
: he said, it was no one's mistake and everyone's.

: I am guilty of the same risky oversight on proper dress. I tend to use a dry
: top combined with heavy running tights (two layers), my neo booties and
: neo gloves. For cold weather paddling I add long-sleeved fleece-lined
: shirts, double-lined socks and a thick sheep-skin hat with ear flaps. I
: stay warm in the kayak and have even managed to demonstrate that I can
: stay warm in flowing water (old story about falling into the frozen river
: here in Feb.) That said, I don't worry about immersion because I am never
: more than 5 minutes away from warmth. On open water, I don't think that I
: would take that kind of risk during bad weather or in an area known for
: strong rip tides. I am looking at getting a drysuit but not hte neo kind,
: the heavy nylon kind. I like that kind of immersion protection because it
: is easier to move around in than neo yet still provides adequate
: protection for what I would use it for. On open ocean, I'd be looking at a
: full neo outfit for knarly weather paddling. No other way around it and
: this incident proves that point adequately.

: Robert N Pruden

For me, water temps under about 60 I'm wearing the wetsuit, below 50 and the dry suit comes out. Pain in the butt having to wear that thing, but it's alot better than the alternative. Around here if we get lucky we can paddle all winter, my only requirement is no ice in the water, and never paddle alone.

Bill H.