Photo from "Educating and Legislating For Safer Paddling"
As cooler weather approaches, in the back of every experienced paddler's mind is the preparation for submersion in cold water. Appropriate clothing is simple enough to find once the paddler is aware of the protocol in their paddling areas, but novice paddlers can get into trouble with inadequate preparation. Below is an excerpt of an article by Richard Shrubb on this issue.
Richard Stefanski, a marine inspector at the New York State Marine Sercices Bureau, says that despite present USCG regulations and state and local laws governing life jackets, "the biggest problem is paddlecraft users not wearing their life jackets and ending up in the water."
Drowning mat be the result of cold water. "A lot of the paddlecraft fatalities are in the winter months when you wouldn't expect people to be out, when the water is very cold," adds Stefanski.
To read the full article please follow this link: boatingtimesli.com/NY/saferpaddling
To find and register for an ACA Skills Course please follow this link: www.americancanoe,org/FindCourses