Here we are
Stuck by this river,
You and I
Underneath a sky that’s ever falling down, down, down
Ever falling down.
brian eno

Seeing the world from my Explorer I hadn’t had much occasion to think about “Flow”. Water flow is measured by CFS (cubic feet per second) or KCFS (thousands of cubic feet per second). This number gives you a good idea about how much water is flowing past a particular spot in a river as mesured by gauges managed by the USGS and other agencies here in the states. I wonder if anyone uses a gauge to measure the flow through a tidal race??

These days white water paddlers can just go online any time they wish and check the flow rate of most any river and know right off whether it’s worth the drive. That is, if they know the river.

My little river averages around 212 CFS. At this stage it’s normally just a bit of water running through rocks. A good time for rubber rafts. The last few years it’s been lower than average which has certainly hampered local outfitters who would like to make a “destination” out of it. One website review of the Baraboo River says most accurately, “While some minor surfing may be possible at certain water levels, more so this appears to be little more than (at most levels) exciting ‘splishy-splash’ for novice canoeists or kayakers.” To achieve that minor surfing the reviewer was talking about you’d have to get the river up around 700 CFS. The last couple days it’s been over 1300 which is actually a bit more than optimal. Now, it’s just a fast flowing river with few obstructions and very little in the way of “minor surf” spots.

Now here’s the thing about CFS. Unless you know the river, it does not really tell you much. A big wide river like the Mississippi may have a huge KCFS number, but it’s a huge rolling river as the song goes. You’re not so much looking at the flow rate to see if it would be a fun paddle so much as to see if it’s safely below flood stage. Whereas a river like the Wolf in northern Wisconsin would have a much lower number yet at 400cfs most sections are good time for white water enthusiasts. So to make use of the numbers you have to get to know your river which is something I’ve been spending some time at recently. One thing I’ve learned about the “mighty” Baraboo is that I’d much rather be closer to 700 than 1000. Big is not always better.

I’m also pleased that by learning just a bit about KCFS, I don’t have to keep driving down to the river to see what it looks like today. . . and when someone starts telling me about the flow at their favorite play spot, I won’t respond by saying, “No thank you, I’m not hungry.”.

In the US a good place to start learning more is at NOAA’s Advanced Hydrological Prediction Service website, here.

Over the next hill, they say there will be rainbows.
Oh, rainbows, rainbows, somewhere over rainbows.
Over the next hill, who knows where the time goes.
- Fairport Convention

Press Release
Date: Sep. 8, 2006
Contact: Petty Officer Bill Colclough (216) 902-6020
COAST GAURD RESCUE KAYAKER

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — U.S. Coast Guard Station Milwaukee rescued a man after his kayak overturned in Lake Michigan about 30 miles from the station today at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The man, a retired Coast Guard member, departed from Grand Haven, Mich. Thursday at approximately 5 p.m. and headed for Milwaukee on his kayak. He was scheduled to arrive in Milwaukee today at 8:30 a.m.

After he traveled 42 miles on his journey, he encountered a strong headwind and experienced some fatigue due to dehydration. He then activated his Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon one hour prior to station’s arrival.

When he spotted the 700-foot laker Joe Block, he signaled the vessel by waving his arms. However, he lost his balance and turned over in the kayak.

Now in the water, he stayed with his kayak, all the while wearing his lifejacket. As the laker approached within an audible distance of him, he signaled the vessel with his whistle.

The laker conatcted the Coast Gaurd, and Station Milwaukee responded by transporting him to awaiting Emergency Medical Services at the station.

The Coast Guard would like to remind people to file a Float Plan with a family or friend.

For further media inquiries, please contact the Ninth Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at (216) 902-6020.
———————————————————
And here’s a follow up report:

Joseph L. Block Rescues Kayaker in Mid-Lake Michigan

9/10 – Lake Michigan – Friday morning the 3rd Assistant Engineer Lloyd Cisewski on the Joseph L. Block spotted a kayaker off her port quarter almost mid-lake, 32.5 miles due East of Milwaukee.

The kayaker waved as in distress and immediately rolled over and was dumped in the lake. The Block called USCG Milwaukee and informed them of their intentions to rescue the kayaker. The fish tug Jolene called the Block and offered assistance.

Capt. Rick Olson maneuvered the Block to within 150 feet windward of the victim, where crew members deployed a ring buoy and lifeline that he could grasp. He was then pulled under the port supply hoist and hauled aboard in the grocery basket.

The rescued kayaker was taken to the rec room where he was given dry clothes and wrapped in blankets while the Block turned toward Milwaukee at full speed. She was met by USCGC 41433 which took the kayaker in.

The Block likely saved this kayakers life. Winds were picking up and were greater than 20 knots by the afternoon.
———————————————————

It is not un-common for paddlers to occasionally attempt the Michigan to Wisconsin crossing. And there was a lot of discussion about this rescue among the Milwaukee paddlers’ group. For myself, I certainly could ask a lot of questions but I’m not quite ready to just call him an “idiot” either. I don’t have all the details. In our “OJ Simpson” world we are pretty quick to be judge and jury with other’s lives. We’re good at having opinions without facts. It’s a good thing we have a judicial system or we’d all be getting whacked! Not everyone with the will has the luck, skill, knowledge or blessings of the gods when they take on great challenges. They can do everything correctly and still not reach their goal. I’m not sure this is failure. I certainly don’t think it’s all about “hubris” either. I think we had that discussion about Renata Chlumska some time back. (congratulations by the way). In the end it may be that this former coast guard paddler was un-prepared for the journey. But on the other hand he must get some credit for just getting off his couch. Judgments from those who don’t, seem to me to have very little value.

* thanks jb for the press release.
* the photo is from Milwaukee Harbor looking east

Rain, rain on my face
It hasn’t stopped raining for days
My world is a flood
Slowly I become one with the mud
- jars of clay

“I didn’t even know you had a bike.” she said. Not that anyone would. I’m a fish. I don’t ride the thing very often. It would take days of solid rain to make it safe enough for even the most tolerant fish to ride a bicycle without fear of drying out. That is, IF a fish had the legs to do it. But if this fish did have legs to ride a bicycle, then this was certainly the day. Everything had overflowed. There was a shot-gun blast to the celestial bucket. Water was everywhere. Even the trees were wearing kelp costumes. Nothing it seemed, would be dry again. So as the water dropped in torrents from the endlessly sodden clouds, I pulled my bike out of the back of the Jeep and took off down the trail.

Tomorrow I’ll know better. I’m going paddling. . .

We were talking about this once. . “Would’nt it be a rush to take your kayak down a waterslide?!!” Ah, it’s been done!

Have you noticed a few new “informational” kayak websites are now online. Have a look;

www.seakayakinstructor.com
www.KayakWiki.org
www.wikipaddle.org

Yep, that’s two “Wikis”. WikiPaddle focuses mainly on destinations whereas KayakWiki is much more geared toward builders and gear.

. . . and then there’s this from SeeKajakForum.de . . “How suitable and effective are 1-3 condoms as protection for your electronics?” Something I’m sure we’ve all wondered from time to time. . .Whaddya think?

Still raining today. . . wonder if the river’s up?

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you
- The Eurythmics

So it’s day three of constant rain. In the night I could hear a small river running down our tin metal roof and pouring down into the rain barrel just outside the bedroom window. As I got up this morning and fiddled around the house in the dark, trying not to trip on my balance board, I could hear rain drumming on a garbage can cover outside. Loud and rhythmic like jazz band Morse code.

I had something about kayaking to write today. But it’s Monday, it’s cold, dark and it’s raining. So here are some pictures from the weekend.

I heard he was up on the
Roof last night
Signaling with a flashlight
And what’s that tune he’s
Always whistling…
What’s he building in there?
What’s he building in there?

We have a right to know…
- tom waites

I was thinking about winter. It’s easy to do when it’s cold, cloudy and dismal outside. Winter means a couple evenings at the pool and the occasional venture out to find open water. But I want to keep fresh on my balancing work too. So I thought I’d build a balance board. I first saw one of these at the West Michigan Sea Kayak Symposium a couple years back, then again this year. It seemed pretty simple so I thought I’d give it a try.

I should probably add this is a dangerous toy and has potential to kill you. You should wear a helmet, knee, elbow & shin pads and have a safely rope and spotter at all times. Use at your own risk or is that “peril”!??

I could hide out under there
I just made you say ‘underwear’-bnl

So I read this article about hypothermia the other day. In it the author talked of paddling in around 40f degree water, 40f degree air and noted snow on the ground. Well, he chose to wear a wetsuit and ended up swimming which led to a discussion on hypothermia. Interesting, but not surprising. This is why we have drysuits. Each year around this time we begin to start hearing the arguments for and against the drysuit. There are always the old school guys who tell us a ratty $90 farmer john is all they ever used or needed. Fine. And I’m not going to argue with the guys who paddled around Great Britain in blue jeans and a nice wooly jumper either. But times have changed and there is no need any longer to take that sort of risk. The thing that gets me about the pro-wet suit guys is that they don’t often recognize that each paddlers skill level and paddling enviroment also needs to be taken into account before they go off on some bombastic tirade about how a wetsuit is all you need. Bull. In some conditions and some situations a wetsuit is perfect. Yes. However, in others a drysuit is not only appropriate but dare I say, obligatory.

Now I know everyone new to paddling does not feel good about spending $400 to $1000 on a drysuit. I’ve been there. But at least here where the water will soon be well below 40 (if in liquid form) and the air will be somewhere between damn cold and freaking cold, a wetsuit is not a smart option. Sure, it’s better than being naked. Nude winter paddling anyone?? But in a wetsuit you will still feel the shocking cold when you hit the water. You will shiver and shake. You will gasp. Yeah, you may live a little longer but the chance that you’ll have a clear head to save yourself is an open question.

My vote is to stay off any water you can’t swim for about an hour in comfortably until you can invest in a drysuit. Does that sound a bit over-the-top? Well, look at it like this; At some point this fall the water will hit that point where I can still swim comfortably for say a half hour or so before I start really getting chilly. At this temerature I can jump in the water with no real shock and with my hydroskins I can maybe extend my playtime to 45 minutes or an hour. But then I’m going to start feeling the first signs of hypothermia. I’ll get cold. Then a few more weeks will pass by and I won’t be able to just “jump in”. The water is just TOO cold. Even the hydroskins are not going to make it fun. So this is where you assume the wetsuit comes in. Thing is, at this point a wetsuit does not really extend the swim time. It’s still cold. You just may live a bit longer if you can’t self-rescue or get to shore. But you’re not really WARM either. You’re not having fun. If on the other hand you switch to a drysuit, you will again be comfortable in the water. And comfort, means more play time, a clear head, and better chance at survival. And frankly, in the winter I sometimes swim in my drysuit just for the fun of it all. I use this example because at what point we get “cold” varies from person to person. Sure there are basic guidelines out there. But if you follow the “stay off any water you can’t swim for about an hour in comfortably without a drysuit” rule you’ll most likely be a happy camper. And yes there are all sorts of provisos and grey areas, just remember it’s YOUR life.

These days my old wetsuit hangs in the “corpse closet” with all my other dead paddling gear. This is the stuff I thought was such a great idea at one time and got over or grew out of. I should probably have a kayak yard sale! The truth is, I was just never warm in my wetsuit and drysuits have become very affordable in the last couple years. Once I got a drysuit I began to wear it as soon as my hydroskins were no longer keeping me warm. Then of course you vary the layers underneath depending on the day. Drysuits keep you dry, they do NOT keep you warm. For my part I would recommend Icebreaker or Reed for all that stuff we wear under our drysuit. Hmmm, and maybe Victoria’s Secret but that’s another post entirely. . .

Stay Tuned. . .

Additional Reading:
Symptoms of Hypothermia – core temps/symptoms
Hypothermia Table – shows effects on immersed paddler