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Whether you are a professional or an amateur, if you don’t know your water well then your life can be at a risk. The most common risk is of being drowned while the other hypothermia. You may be susceptible to hypothermia if you love cold water kayaking.
Let us understand hypothermia and learn ways to avoid it. Hypothermia can occur if your body burns heat faster than it can replace. Your brain and other vital organs function properly at a specific temperature and this temperature needs to be maintained. The normal body temperature is 98.60 F. Hypothermia in medical terms is defined as a condition where the body temperature drops to below 950 F. Too long an exposure to cold and subsequently body temperature dropping below 900 F leads to severe hypothermia. Hypothermia normally occurs to mountaineers and people who travel to places deep inside Alaska, Antarctica, Siberia, or the Artic where the temperatures can be -400 C. If you are kayaking at sub zero water temperature and your kayak turns upside down and if you stay in that position for 10 minutes or more then you may be exposed to hypothermia.
Hypothermia triggers certain automatic functions. The most important fluid in our body is blood and this condition restricts the blood flow to the vital organs including the brain. As a result, the hands, feet, and legs become cold and numb. Sometimes it can cause pain too. The first sign of hypothermia is excessive shivering, followed by symptoms like slurred speech, loss of dexterity, making it extremely difficult for you to paddle the inflatable kayak. You may end up confused and unaware of your actions. This is more than dangerous because if you are not able to make a decision then in all probability, you will lose direction. This happens because the brain is unable to work at such low temperature. These signs mean that you need to get to warm waters or on land as soon as possible.
Kayaking is a great adventure sport and recreational activity and the experience can be enriching. To make your kayaking experience better and safer, you can use Coleman inflatable kayaks, which are sturdy and reliable. These kayaks have been specially designed to increase safety. The Ranger kayak by Coleman is a 10' Sit-on kayak with a maximum weight capacity of 275 lbs/125 kg. It has a self-draining feature that allows water to drain out completely. Another smart feature of Coleman kayaks is their exclusive safety flotation. If you are planning to go for cold water kayaking, you need to have the best kayak with you like the Ranger Kayak and you need to wear protective clothing, which will keep your body warm at all times. You should wear water resistant clothing because if your clothes get wet and you are in the middle of the lake then it will take you at least 20 minutes to get back to dry land. This time is enough for hypothermia to creep in.
Enjoy the sport but always be prepared and be safe! |
