Blink Quickly Otherwise Your Eyelids Will Freeze Shut

[grahamfitter]

Todays weather forecast for the annual new years day paddle on the Winnipesaukee River in Franklin, NH: "Sunny and brisk. Highs around 16. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 40 mph. Wind chill values as low as 20 below."

The things we do for publicity...



Cheers,
Graham

[kellymoe]

Graham your nuckin futs.

[Haggis]

Hey, we had that weather yesterday! Wind chill in the negative 20s plus a driving snow that was flying parallel with the ground. It's obvious that we're not as crazy as you Graham, there's no way you'd catch us paddling in that type of weather. Instead we we're doing some late season goose hunting along Pymatuning Lake...

That's my step brother Tom and his boy Matt retreiving a downed goose. They forgot to put their gloves back on after the shooting and about froze their fingers off by the time they got back to the blind. Looking into the wind felt like someone was blasting glass particles into your eyes. My face is still hurting from being out in it all day. Heres the crew trying to stamp themselves warm just outside the blind.

Didn't help much, but there were so many geese flying we didn't have time to think about the cold. All in all it was great day! I love to be out in days that most sane people would rather stay indoors for!

[Baja Trekker]

According the the Beaufort Wind Scale for winds between 41 and 47 knots:

"Slight damage occurs to buildings, shingles are blown off of roofs.
High waves (6 meters), rolling seas, dense foam, Blowing spray reduces visibility."

But I guess since the water must be frozen you do not need to worry about waves ....

Todays weather forecast for the annual new years day paddle on the Winnipesaukee River in Franklin, NH: "Sunny and brisk. Highs around 16. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 40 mph. Wind chill values as low as 20 below."

The things we do for publicity...



Cheers,
Graham

[grahamfitter]

Biting winds, driving snow, frigid temperatures: Winter at its best! By the looks of things hunters are just as loopy as whitewater paddlers and ice climbers.

Fortunately most folks who normally paddle at our new year event demonstrated today that discretion is the better part of valor.

Cheers,
Graham