Winter kayaking tips. Seriously.

I love to madden shivering friends by telling them I adore cold weather—but if I’m honest, what I adore about it is the warmth. Roaring fires. Hot spiced wine. Cashmere.

Lisa Hautly, on the other hand…

Remember New Year’s Day, when you were snuggled under a fleece throw on the couch, cozy and only slightly hungover, watching a movie? Hautly and her husband were out on the water. Kayaking.  

It’s been their tradition since the late 90’s, and I’d find their faithfulness charming if the mercury hadn’t dropped four degrees below zero that day. Clearly, these are the sort of people who say things like, “There’s no such thing as bad weather if you’re dressed for it.”

For those of us who stayed in our robes, Hautly offered some winter kayaking inspiration:

Advantages:

• Nature’s ice sculptures
• Eagles and other bird watching
• Few people, serene quiet
• No bugs, no snakes, no sweat, no sunburn
• You’ll see familiar routes in a new way: bare tree art, a rocky shore, snow drifts.
• An insulated (lined) kayak stays fairly warm, especially when you get a paddle groove going, so it’s a great aerobic activity.

Orientation:

• Several clubs host organized outings and offer kayaking demos in the spring.
• The Meramec has more pristine winter scenery closer to Meramec State Park, but spots along Castlewood State Park, Valley Park, and closer to the Mississippi convergence in Oakville offer some great treelines, shorelines, and bird watching. Each of these spots has boat ramps for easy launching and trailer parking.
• Simpson Lake and Creve Coeur Lake are also scenic in the winter time and, depending on the weather, can offer a smooth paddle or a whitecap mini adventure. There’s lots of eagle spotting at Simpson, and the wetlands section of Creve Coeur Lake offers some beautiful serene paddle time. Both have easy access launch areas.

Practical pointers:

• Insulate the bottom of your kayak with yoga mats.
• Put your drinking water in a thermos so it won’t freeze.
• For a long trip, take snack bars, fruit, or nuts. Something that won’t freeze or require finger dexterity. If you’re stopping along the way, anything that fits in the kayak: a Thermos of soup, veggies and dip, wraps, hot chocolate.
• I wear a liner (ski skin or yoga pants) under my outer layer, and keep my head and neck covered with a balaclava or ski mask to keep my nose from freezing off.
• Use hand and toe warmers on really cold days, goggles if the wind is strong.
• A life jacket is your last layer, with the camera safely attached, since your hands will get cold ungloving. (Use a carabiner to hold a dry bag in place if the water’s choppy.)

Cautions:

• When temps have plunged below freezing and stayed there a while, it’s tricky just to find a safe launching spot on the icy shoreline. “We would have been better off staying further south,” Hautly wrote in her triumphant New Year’s blog post, “where the big lakes flow year round.”
• Winter kayaking on the bigger rivers, such as the Mississippi and the Missouri, is beautiful, but they’re not for beginners.
• Wherever you kayak, make sure you know the body of water well, you’re not alone, you’re wearing a life jacket, and you’re dressed to withstand the elements (see above).