It was hard to coordinate for a week day, so we will postpone the BBQ/corn roast until September.  If water temps are still warm enough, we will have a rescue/roll session first.  Stay tuned.  And sign up for our listserv for more info.

If you keep your boat at Gillson beach and want to be on our listserv, sent an email to wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com.

It’s been a great summer!

We have a group paddle Sunday, August 14 at 9 AM.  Meet us at Gillson Sailing Beach.

We are also having a BBQ on Tuesday, August 16 at 5:30.  We’ll roast some corn and hot dogs.  Bring a dish to share.  Families are welcome!   If the weather is nice, we will head out for an evening paddle.  If you don’t have a light for your boat, bring a head lamp and something to put on your PFD.

See you on the water!

 

 

The weather has warmed up!  The Lake Michigan water temperatures have hit the high 60’s/low 70’s!

It’s time to get out on the water!

If you have not done so yet, remember to bring your boat down to Gillson Beach and register at the boat house before July 1, in order to keep your kayak spot for next year.

If you have not already joined our listserv, please do so by emailing wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com.

By joining the listserv, you will hear about group outings and hear from people looking to go out on the lake.

Remember to check the weather before heading out.  It can change quickly.  And always safer to paddle with someone!

Happy paddling!!

It is hard to believe, with temperatures currently in the 40s, that the sailing beach is opening in less than 2 weeks.

Let’s hope we have a great kayaking season this year!

A few things to remember.

1) If you have a spot at the beach, you must bring your boat down to the beach and register at the boat house by July 1, or you will lose your spot for next year.  This year there was no lottery for new owners, so if you lose your spot, it will be hard to get it back…

2) Also, until the lake warms up, please be aware of cold water temperatures.

A few things I found:

“WATER TEMPERATURE: 60°F and up HYPOTHERMIA RISK: low APPROPRIATE CLOTHING: clothing for the weather
WATER TEMPERATURE: 55-59°F HYPOTHERMIA RISK: moderate APPROPRIATE CLOTHING: wetsuit or drysuit
WATER TEMPERATURE: 45-54°F HYPOTHERMIA RISK: high APPROPRIATE CLOTHING: drysuit recommended
WATER TEMPERATURE: below 45°F
HYPOTHERMIA RISK: extreme APPROPRIATE CLOTHING: drysuit strongly recommended”

Here is some info on a site called Eastern slopes.  The link will take you to the site.

It talk about the 50-50 rules:

“One of the 50-50 rules states that without protective clothing and a PFD, you only have a 50-50 chance of being able to swim 50 yards in 50-degree water. It depends a lot on the swimmer’s body composition, physical condition and age, but it certainly helps explain why people often drown very close to shore in cold water.

The other 50-50 rule is that a 50-year-old person has a 50-50 chance of surviving 50 minutes in 50 degree water.”

 

“The Cold, Hard Facts of Cold Water Paddling

The best information we’ve found on the web about hypothermia from cold water immersion is a Canadian website called Cold Water Boot Camp. According to that site, in 2004, 130 boaters drowned in Canada, 60 percent in water under 50 degrees F.

What’s scary is, of those drowning victims:

Only 12 percent were properly wearing a PFD,

43 percent were less than seven feet from safety

66 percent were less than 50 feet from safety.”

Be smart!  Have fun!

When the weather warms up, we will plan some group outings, and we can plan to do a practice session (wet exits, T-rescues, and practice rolling).

Encourage people you know and that you see at the beach to sign up for our listserv (by emailing wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com).  You can also sign up to get updates from the website (www.wilmettekayakclub.com) by signing up for updates through the site.

Here’s to a great season!

It has been a busy summer.

I am sure many of us have not made it out on the water as often as we have wanted to.

There is still one more month of kayaking.  Water temperatures are back in the 60s.  (It was 53 degrees for the North Shore Triathlon).

Don’t forget to use the listserv to let people know when you can go out.  We will try to get at least one more group paddle in before the season ends.

If you have not joined the listserv yet, please send an email to wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com.

Remember that kayaks must either have a storage contract or be removed from the beach by October 11, 2015.

Did you know that hypothermia can occur even on a warm day?

Water temperatures are still pretty cold this time of year.  Recent water temperatures were in the low 50s.

A good rule of thumb– if the air temperature plus the water temperature is less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, you should wear a wet suit.

I have included a link to Lake Michigan water temperatures on the R hand side of the page, along with weather links and the Gillson Beach weather conditions.

Please be sure to check the weather before paddling!

When the water temperatures warm up, we will start some of our regular paddles!

If you keep your boat at/launch from Gillson Sailing beach and have not joined our listserv, please send an email to wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com.

The Sailing Beach is open for the season! Let’s hope for some better weather soon!

Just a reminder from the Wilmette Park District:

“New for 2015: Due to high demand for boat spaces, and our desire to keep the sailing beach an active boating community, we require all members to check in their boats. If you do not check in your boat by July 10, you will not have the option to renew your space in 2016.”

When the weather warms up, we will start some regular outings, like sunrise paddles and Saturday or Sunday afternoon paddles.

If you keep your boat at the Gillson Sailing Beach, and are not on our listserv yet, send a request to wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com

Once you are on our listserv, you will get emails about regular outings and emails from other kayakers who are going out for a paddle.

Hope to see you on the water soon!

The Sailing beach opens Saturday, May 9, 2015!!!

Once the season gets going and the weather warms up, we will start up our Saturday Paddles!

Tuesday Sunrise Paddles will also start when the weather warms up!

In order to find out about these events and other paddles, sign up for our listserv.

When you join our google groups listserv, you will be able to email the group any time you are available to paddle, and you will get emails when others are going out.

We will also send reminders about the regular paddles and information on skills sessions.

Be a part of the group!!

Send a request to join to wilmettekayakclub@gmail.com