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Seeking advice - Kayaking in the heat - cancel the trip?

Great discussion, thoroughly enjoying this.

I do agree that the temperature 'rules' are not hard and fast, I believe that they are more of a guide, but it is something to consider. It is also true that ones body can be acclimatised to cold water and the gasp reflex. But the statics are based on real numbers. Each individual has to decide the risks that they are willing to take; their risk tolerance. I'm willing to take less risks now compared to a couple decades ago. My rolling skills ain't what they used to be.

It is a balancing act between dressing for the water or the air temperatures (or trip), I know I do it myself.

To the original poster, there is no way I'd be wearing a drysuit in 103F weather. If I was as concerned about not wearing one as you, I too would cancel the trip. I'd be worried about heat exhaustion (or worse) in a drysuit (not dry on the inside) in that heat.
 
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Just thinking out loud here,

In the heat we have the risk of heat stroke which can be equally dangerous to us.
It's unforgiving if we faint in some tough conditions.

So we of course want a sun hat to protect our heads.
Take it from me, a Black, Leather Australian cowboy hat is not a good choice but a cheap light coloured straw hat is.

Plus we should also be wearing something lightweight and fast drying to protect our upper body.
A lesson from the Arabs.
Personally I think a full sleaved whitish silk shirt would be a good choice, if you could find one.
Light, strong, and pretty much dries instantly.

At least my kayak gets toasty inside, but still protects my lower body.
So I will stick with shorts.

At least double the water you think you will need.
I like the camel pack for this.
Some home brew iced tea with some honey will also give us some extra energy when needed.
 
There are a lot of guidelines about immersion wear, the graph posted earlier, the "120 rule" (combined air plus water temp in Fahrenheit). In the end, everybody is different and only experience will tell you.

So, don't cancel your trip, but find a safe place to practice some rescues! If after that you feel confident you can execute your rescues in adverse condition in that water temperature, then go for it! Oh, and bring some easy to put on insulation items: neoprene hood, gloves, windbreaker/cag, etc just in case...
 
Personally I think a full sleeved whitish silk shirt would be a good choice, if you could find one.
Light, strong, and pretty much dries instantly.

A friend who has paddled much, http://conradedwards.net/pmwiki.php/Public/KayakTrips in places both very hot and very cold, uses a man's white business shirt when paddling in warm environments.

He buys them for a few dollars from flea markets/op shops/Salvation Army shops, and combines them with a shaded cap, https://sunprotectionaustralia.com/adapt-a-cap/

He also uses an inflatable buoyancy vest in these circumstances.

Another friend, with huge experience in paddling in Australia's Northern Queensland - and wrestling crocodiles https://nswskc.wordpress.com/1999/10/24/dead-man-walking-40/ - doesn't like these wrap-around caps as he finds they trap too much heat so wears a cowboy-style hat with a neck flap.

Both of these individuals have skin that doesn't like UV exposure, so sun block is applied religiously and often.

FYI
 
It's looking like you were smart.

Canada had smashed several heat records today.

I am getting out a couple hours most mornings, but it warming up quicker than normal and not cooling down much in the evenings.
I just met a cyclist who had to bail half way along her trip because of the heat.
And she is in her late 20's plus in good shape.
 
I don’t dress for the water temp, I dress for the immersion exposure. Once I was on a trip from Anacortes to Doe Island with the Washington Kayak Club. I didn’t have my dry suit so I had on several layers of neoprene. I could hardly breath. One of the more experienced members pointed out that in the group there were about 5 certified instructors and the rest had about 15 - 20 years of paddling experience. He said, “These guys live for rescues. You’d be lucky to be in the water more then two minutes.” On the way back, I just wore a light layer.

That said, I bought a drysuit after talking to a paddler who said he also initially only wore neoprene. But once he started paddling with his family, he got a drysuit. It wasn’t that if he needed to jump in the water quickly he’d hesitate because it was cold - it was an understanding of the initial debilitating effect of the cold-shock. If a situation happened with a family member, he wanted to be right there, right now, and functioning.

I just returned from three days on Hope Island. On the way back I just wore a swimsuit and white shirt and carried my neoprene on the back deck (oh, the horror). That’s because I was with two other people, with lake flat seas and knew, if I went over, they’d be right there. immersion time would be less than 5 minutes.

What I don’t get is people who wear a drysuit but keep it unzipped while they are paddling. Do they have some pre-knowledge of when they will tip over (or when they have to get in the water to assist someone else). And the zipper on my drysuit needs a very aggressive tug to properly seal at the end of it’s run. Not something I could easily do while sitting in the boat. If I’m going to wear a drysuit, I’m wearing it - zipped up.

Of course water temps enter into it. But mostly I consider the number of skill people and the length of any crossings (how far to land) on the adventure. I also have a white long sleeved shirt and wear a hat and paddling gloves. The gloves are more for sunblock rather than hand protection.

The water temps around Hope were so warm you could easily swim in it. The water quality and jelly fish are another matter. That would be another reason to wear long pants rather than just swim trunks. So location enters into it too.
 
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