Winter Paddling!

Typically, a February day in New England with a beautiful clear blue sky would be known as a “bluebird day” and make for a great day of skiing. But what if there’s no snow?  You go kayaking of course!  Wait, what?? Kayaking in the middle of winter doesn’t exactly compute. But the folks at Coast to Coast Paddle in Beverly, MA, are so enthusiastic about their winter paddles I thought why not give it a try.

I opted for a kayak instead of a stand-up paddle board (SUP) since I figured I’d have less of a chance of falling into the chilly, 40 degrees Atlantic. Having never paddled in such cold water I had no idea what to expect in terms of how warm or cold I’d be so I packed a bag with four jacket options to wear over my wetsuit, a winter hat and the obligatory water bottle and headed out the door.

Aaron and Ashley greeted me at the back door to their shop in downtown Beverly and quickly got me outfitted in a  wetsuit, booties and neoprene mittens. They suggested a light weight jacket for wind protection and reassured me I would be warm. Ashley and Aaron were so enthusiastic about the paddle my fears quickly subsided. We hopped in their truck to drive to the put-in spot on the Danvers River where we met the other paddlers who all owned their own wetsuits. Winter paddling is apparently more popular than I knew!

We couldn’t have asked for a better day- bright sunshine and little to no wind. As we started off down the river I quickly realized the best part about winter paddling- NO BOATS!  No need to worry about drifting into the boating lane or about waves created from wakes. I hadn’t realized how much attention is paid to boats when paddling during the busy summer season. It’s so freeing to to focus only on your thoughts as you settle into a rhythmic paddle stroke and let the calmness of the water bring calm to your mind.

The group casually made its way down the Danvers River, merging into the Bass River to head into Beverly, and conveniently enough we found a Starbucks. They really are everywhere! It was at that point I realized not only was I not cold, but I was sweating. Our group walked into Starbucks and more than one person had a look of confusion on their faces. And I can’t blame them, since when was the last time you came across a group of people in wetsuits ordering a cup of coffee?

Enjoying a cup of coffee while floating in a kayak beats the harried pace of the drive through any day, plus it gave me a chance to chat with my fellow paddlers.  Of course since it was only 32 degrees outside we couldn’t stop for too long and stiffen up, so after a brief break we headed back to the put-in spot.

My toes were getting chilly as we neared the end of the paddle but I was too focused on how grateful I was to have been introduced to winter paddling to let it bother me.  Many people complain about winter and can’t wait for warm summer days, but that attitude only serves as a blinder to all the winter season has to offer. Whether it’s skiing, ice skating or pond hockey there is a winter activity each of us can enjoy. I’m thrilled to add winter paddling to my list of activities!