Shelf Life

Shelf life. It refers to how long a product can sit on the shelf before it is considered outdated, useless and/or spoiled. We see it on foods as a label reading best if used by..... So, we know that after such and such a date that we best replace that bottle of milk in the fridge. Same with medications that bear labels instructing us to discard after a certain date. In all these cases the food or medication has become useless or ineffective, possibly even dangerous. Same with paddling.

Our skills have a shelf life. We don't have labels to help with this, however we do know that awkward feeling we get when we go out into rough conditions after having been "on the shelf" for a while. Around here that is a problem each winter.

Many folks here put their kayaks on the shelf for the duration of the cold weather. Unfortunately, their skills go right along side the boat up there on the shelf where they slowly lose their freshness, become ineffective and, eventually, dangerous. Pool sessions help a little, but they cannot reproduce the conditions we need to be able to cope with out on the open water. The real solution?

Find a way to get out there this winter. Yes, dry suits are expensive, but think of the total amount of hard earned cash you already spend on other stuff. I see people who a second boat and then say that a dry suit is too expensive. These folks then have 2 boats (and their skills) on the shelf each winter. Often a short road trip can get us to waters warm enough to paddle in the gear we already have. Another option, not available to all, is warm water around a nuclear power plant. These areas are generally shrouded in fog. One such area near Madison draws several groups to an annual new year's day paddle.

Speaking of groups, find one to paddle with in the cold weather. Here, in Milwaukee, we are generally on the water every Sunday morning, year round, weather permitting. It makes things safer, is an incentive to get out there and generally leads to coffee and good fellowship afterwards.

How ever you do it, use those skills during this time of hibernation. Don't let what you worked so hard to obtain dwindle away past its expiration date.

Paddle safe...

DS