Long November
November 27th, 2007 | 
Author: 
November
It only believes
In a pile of dead leaves
And a moon
That’s the color of bone
- Tom Waits
Man, It’s been a long November. In late November, Wisconsin is often a brown and black, grey, dingy place. My local lake is still open, but it’s 16F and I’m not up to that today. Now this morning I had a very interesting new product to tell you about but I’m having issues uploading an image so I’ll wait. Maybe later today. I’m not sure what it is about this season that has me not wanting to paddle in the cold. Every other year I’ve been loving the idea of playing “ice breaker” with my kayak. Maybe it’s just the fact that there is no ice at the moment. Paddling round in a 3.5 mile flat water circle wrapped up in a drysuit, while staring at the same bloody rocks I’ve seen a million times is just not cutting it for me. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by dynamic water. The flat stuff recently has left me feeling well, “flat”. Sounds like I need to load up my kayak and go for a drive. We’ll see. For the moment though, I think it’s time to hit the pool again. Not that a pool is any more dynamic in itself, but at least I can sit and spin for awhile. One thing about winter at the pool is you have plenty of time to work on your traditional rolling skills. I know this much; even if I’m not real keen on the cold, I’m feeling the need to get back in the water.
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There is some dynamic water on Lake Superior today, just checking the latest is showing 8.5ft waves, down from 12ft. Problem is its 15F. I know how you feel, the pool is looking real good right now.
Cold weather paddling just doesn’t hold the same for me that it used to. Probably due to the precious little free time I have these days (self-inflicted with the EMT part-time job, which is 30 hours a week), and the fact that I’ve developed a real problem with painfully cold fingers.
First scheduled pool session of the season is this Saturday, even scheduled work around it. But just the thought of loading and unloading, and loading and unloading, the kayak and gear in the cold and dark makes that not as appealing as it used to either.
Am I starting to show my age? Don’t think so, others who are older (chronologically at least) that I will go, hell or high water!
I was just on my lake – cold, windy and sleety. Perfect conditions for Greenland adventure training! Out you go boys… Oh, and start planning that warm, winter paddling trip!
Its either family, job, or just ‘love of the land’ that’s holding you there.
Me, well I grew up in Cincinnati well away from any water (except a large river).
Discovered paddling when moving to Minnesota, after paddling around L Sup 4 times, took a paddling trip in Australia.
After OZ, resolved to have an ocean by my side always, relocated to Seattle.
Spent several years there learning ‘all types’ of water (winter surf (30′ swells), squirrelly Puget Sound currents, tides, etc) – but the water was always cold.
Now I’m in Jax, FL. Not so much surf, not so much tide, but it’s very comfortable. I know I’m acclimated when a ‘cold’ day is in the lower 50’s.