Layering

I have been supper happy to still be on the water at the end of November. It has been pretty cold the last few days in 30s and 40s and I have still been going down to the White Water Park and staying warm. The trick is layering and staying dry. I bought my gear in pieces and parts this summer. When I first started looking for winter kayaking gear I had a hard time trying to figure out what I needed. After some research on the internet I was able to figure out what most kayakers were using for cold weather and cold water. I ended up getting a Kokatat Gor-tex dry top, NRS dry pants, some Sweet Protection Fleece, NRS Toaster Mitts, NRS booties and two NRS skull caps. I stay dry and comfortable all day. If I stay out on the water for a few hours or go for a swim I will get a bet wet around the waste but I’m still staying warm. In hind sight I wish I would have just bought a dry suit. But I saved some money with the dry top and dry pants plus on the warmer days that are in the 70 I can were shorts with the dry top and I’m comfortable. 

I have around a thousand dollars into all this gear and been having a blast all year!

Author Day

Idaho River Sports is hosting Idaho Author Day. Jo Deurbrouck author of “Anything Worth Doing” is one of the many Idaho authors that is going to be at Idaho River Sports.  I had bought “Anything Worth Doing” for my smart phone about a week ago; it took me about 7 hours to read the whole book!  As I was watching the battery die on my phone reading the book I could not put it down. With just seconds left before the screen went blank I grabbed the charger and moved to the floor to finish the book. I don’t want to give any of the book away, so I will just say that after reading the book I really wanted to go float the Main Salmon, or any river for that matter.  Idaho Author Day is going to be held on the 1^st of December from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Go to Idaho River Sports Web Page for full information.

Five Hour Cartwheel.

The cartwheel has become a very hard trick for me to figure out.  I just don’t understand how to keep it going. I can cartwheel stern to bow but cannot for the life of me get the stern to plow under the water a second time. When I do the cartwheel I start off in the wave at about a 45 degree angle than plow the stern of the boat into the green water.  Once the stern goes under the water I have to turn my paddle parallel to the water take a backwards sweep stroke, rotate my shoulders  and twist my hips. This will cause the stern of the boat to come flying out of the water than the bow of the boat will plow under the water.  This is how to do a cartwheel.  What I don’t know how to do is keep it going and plow the stern under a second or third time.  Maybe I don’t have enough stomach muscles. I have seen others do the cartwheel and just keep going, even when they come out of the hole or wave they can cartwheel down the wave train. I am getting pretty good at the cartwheel and like anything else if I keep working at I will get it figured out. 

         

          I took over five hours of film on the Gopro to make this twenty five second video.