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.