New years day paddle

Hello everyone. I will be organizing a New Years day paddle up to Coronation park in Oakville to catch the annual polar bear dip. We will meet up at Bronte harbour at noon and head up to Coronation park to watch the live entertainment, the judging of the costume contest and the countdown to the brave people running into the lake. This event raises funds for water treatment programs in Africa and has become a well attented event. Last year over 400 people went into the lake in two groups and watching from a kayak the view was amazing.If you may be interested in coming out please drop me a note on this forum or e mail me at croneygerald@hotmail.com Please note that this paddle will only take place if conditions are safe.

Re: New years day paddle

Looking forward to it. I have had it on the Halton Outdoor Club schedule for a while as well.
Be neat to see the Polar Bears from the water, instead of being one in the water as I was 6 years ago.

Re: New years day paddle

I'm in! Although I blew my neck gasket on my drysuit yesterday, if it's not back from Kokatat I think The Complete Paddler has some for rent We'll have to go somewhere for a warm-up drink afterwards! MMMMMM Irish Coffees.....

I am game

I look forward to this paddle.

Al

New Years Day Paddle

Count me in! Hopefully everyone will be getting WoolPower for Christmas!

Ralph

I'm Probably there..

Hey Hassabo.. you are looking forward to it as in you are going to come and paddle.. or you are looking forward to laughing at those who do? haha Just joking, I know you a crazy man.

Ralph, santa has been notified.. woolpower woolpower.....!!

Maybe we could all line up with the crazies and do the polar bear dip.... in drysuits! Oh sorry Dympna looks like you have to go skin to the wind!!

Re: New years day paddle

Oh yeah, drysuit on its way back from Colorado, apparently good as new, or so they tell me. I will definitely be there.

Hey Hey! I'm watching this too!

Hi

If the weather is good i'm in. Will have to visit CPaddler with Dympna to rent a dry suit too!

V

New Years Day Paddle

If anyone has a dry suit (petite size) I can borrow and some booties, I'd be game for it!
Carol

no dry suits at CPaddler . . . .

so if any one can loan me a womens medium dry suit I'm good. What are thoughts about a wet suit this time of year? Any other suggestions on where to rent a dry suit? My friend is also looking, men's med or lg.

Thanks! Hope to be there!

Virginia

Wet suit

My sense is that you would be okay in a wet suit if 1) you wear insulating underwear underneath, 2) a fleece or something on your chest and 3) a dry jacket on top of that. That's what people wear on the worst days on Lake Superior in the summer and that water is very cold.

I will have a women's medium dry jacket and a women's large touring jacket on hand. The wetsuit will keep you alive if you go into the water. Judging from last year's experience, staying warm in the boat will be the bigger issue.

Dympna and James - please correct this if you disagree with my advice!

Tommorrows paddle

Hello everyone. Our paddle is still a go for tomorrow and we'll meet up at noon and head up to the park to take in the polar bear dip. The winds are predicted to be 25k from the west so if we hug the shoreline we should avoid and wind chop and be well protected by the shoreline. Looks like sunny skies and somewhat mind temps. See you tomorrow.

Re: New years day paddle

Lise and Virginia, Dympna and James are somewhat incommunicado as they are up on James' land in Haliburton with somewhat sketchy cellular service They are planning on coming back to town tomorrow moring though, or at least that is the last I heard. Personally, not having a bombproof roll, I would not feel safe going out without a full drysuit at this time of year. However the layering you suggest is likely the next best thing, as long as their is no wet exit involved.

See you all tomorrow

We're Stuck!!!

Hi All,
we are sitting in the driveway on the land. Been up since 6:00 am. Can't get up the hill to get out Grrr.... Will have to wait for plow. James may try again...I'm not holding out hope! We will jeep you posted.

Back in the Airstream

Well, we're back in the airstream with the woodstove going, melting snow for water since we're all out. We've checked the weather and it's looking pretty nasty based on the weather network reports. We are very concerned about our friends heading out on the water with 25km nwesterlies and some of you don't have drysuits! Please reconsider if this is the case. Put the kettle on, pop a DVD in and stay warm inside. Sometimes mother nature makes us wait for a reason...at least that's what I'm going with to keep my frustration at bay.
Happy New Years my friends!