Stripped of all our anatomical embellishments, we humans aren’t much more than upholstered tubes. Whatever goes in at one end sooner or later comes out at the other. This can be a problem for any paddler wearing a wetsuit or drysuit. We have to eat, and we need to drink. But what then? What does the rubber-suited canoeist or kayaker do when nature calls? It’s an important question, and one that engenders a fair amount of apprehension. That’s entirely understandable. There are no easy answers where the rubber meets the rude. If biting flies are launching mass attacks, if there’s no cover to be had for miles and your companions are all snide and inquisitive strangers, or if you mistake poison ivy for toilet paper, even a day’s outing can easily become a trip of a lifetime, something to be remembered long after happier treks have been forgotten. Having to peel off a wetsuit or drysuit to meet nature’s call only adds to the fun. Read more…

 
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Imagine yourself adrift in a sinking boat, miles offshore, with no life vest and no way of calling for help. You’re already tired from hours of paddling, you’re scared, and night is falling. It’s almost the worst worst-case scenario possible. You need help, and for that you need a way to get attention. Shouts often fall on deaf ears. A whistle is cheap and light, and it’s much more likely to be heard. Or are you counting on being seen? Don’t. A swimmer’s head bobbing in the waves is almost invisible, even during the day. And after dark? Forget it! Flares and strobes, on the other hand, are hard to ignore. Of course, an EPIRB or Personal Locator Beacon is even better at getting attention. They’re not cheap—the cheapest ones cost about as much as a recreational kayak—but in a hard chance…. Is your life worth as much as your boat? It’s a question you might want to ask yourself.

If you’re a sea kayaker or a coastal sailor, you might already have an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). If so, you should realize that as of February 1, 2009, the United States Coast Guard and other SAR personnel will be going digital and will no longer monitor analog signals transmitting on 121.5 or 243.0 MHz. From that day forward, the USCG will only receive distress alerts from digital 406 Mhz EPIRBs. So check that your equipment is up to date! Read more about this here.

 
For more on signals for paddlers, read “Sound Off and Light Up!” If you think I was making up the worst-case scenario described above, think again. In the summer of 2007, kayaker Clyde Bolter found himself adrift at sea after his boat sank beneath him. Read about how he survived in “Sink or Swim? Lessons Learned From a Near Tragedy.” And to be ready in case the worst happens to you, read “Meeting the Challenge of Backcountry Medical Emergencies.”

 
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Bicycles transform, liberate, and ennoble people the world over. All of us who ride for work, health, or pleasure (or for all of these reasons) can understand what it is that makes other cyclists get onto the saddle. That’s why it’s so interesting to hear what other cyclists have to say about their bikes and the way they use them. It’s surely why I’ve been enjoying a short radio series called the “Bicycle Diaries” from the BBC. It’s a fascinating look at how the bicycle is used in the present day. In the words of the BBC…

 
Using a lot of leg power, the Bicycle Diaries journeys into three different places around the world to discover the communities and people for whom two wheels are better than four.

 
It’s a fascinating series. If you’d like to listen to the past two episodes, visit “The Bicycle Diaries” page at the BBC. The concluding part airs this Friday, the 30th of January—check the BBC’s programme guide to find out when you can listen in live, or simply visit the linked webpage.

 
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