The Paddler ezine Issue 53 Late Spring 2020 | Page 152
ThePADDLER 152
Always make sure that you know what you are doing.
Your skills
play a key role in deciding the difficulty of the paddle
PREPARING FOR YOUR
PADDLING ADVENTURE
To dress up properly in the springtime, a drysuit is
your best friend to stay dry. Dress normally under the
drysuit, just like you would dress for the temperature.
The drysuit is only used to keep you dry. Use the
multilayer principle by using wool on the inside and
normal clothing on top of that.
Could be soft clothing material for better movement
or just hiking trousers and a fleece. Even wool socks
are recommended, since the neoprene shoes doesn’t
provide much warmth. After putting on the drysuit, it
is good to put on a warm hood and a buff.
OTHER ESSENTIALS:
• Life jacket
• Water pump
• Throw rope
• A suitable paddle
• Extra dry dress
• A bottle of warm drink and snacks
IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Always make sure that you know what you are doing.
Your skills play a key role in deciding the difficulty of the
paddle – distance, weather and environment. You don’t
have to paddle a long distance in difficult surroundings
to find the best and finest spot for camping.
HOW TO CAMP OVERNIGHT –
ESSENTIAL GEAR
Tent: freestanding tents will often give you better
opportunities for camp spots, compared to a tent that
would need lines and attachments. Tenting on a bare cliff
in the middle of nowhere, is a heavy experience. This will
of course only function in little or no wind at all. Often
you can find something close to the main spot, that
provides with some shelter. In my case, it was behind a
small island.
Sleeping; an inflatable sleeping mat with insulation
inside is recommended for easy packing in the kayak.
Always keep in mind that most of the cold will come
from the ground up. You can bring extra insulation, like
a blanket, to use under the sleeping mat.