Getting Icy: The Last Winter Kayak of the Year

Got out for the last paddle of 2013 the other day. It has been a cold winter so far in the northwoods, and in the winter I prefer to paddle on warmer days, but with December coming to an end my streak of paddling once a month every month on Lake Superior for the last 5+ years looked threatened, so I just needed to get on the water. I met up with Dave Schorn, a guide who works for another sea kayaking company in the area, to get a last-minute December paddle in. The air temp was in the upper teens, water in the mid-30s and the waves and wind were from the northeast at 10 to 15 knots and up to 2 feet, respectively. We got icy!

Over the years, I’ve written about winter kayak. Here’s a look back:

• Winter Kayaking
• The Risks of Winter Kayaking
• Wetsuit vs. Drysuit for Paddling
• The Best Winter Kayaking Gloves
• Winter Kayaking Checklist
• Sea Ice Definitions
• The Tuilik: a Perfect Bit of Kit for Winter Kayaking