Tinkerntom wrote:

Brian, I live here in Denver, the High Plains, and called the
lightening capitol. I have heard about squatting on your mat for
insulation, and personally I think that rates up there with "duck and
cover". You are in the correct position to bend over and Kiss your Ass
goodbye! Lightening after it has traveled through 20 - 50 miles of
atmosphere does and goes where lightening wants, and a half inch of
foam padding is not going to make much difference, unless it makes you
feel more comfortable.

I guess the premise is to increase resistance between you and the
ground. If you get struck directly, it's not likely to help much but it
may provide some protection from a lightning strike that runs along the
ground. I honestly don't know and I'm just repeating what I was told
recently in a Wilderness First Aid course.

I suspect that staying on the water is as good as anyplace to be. The
lightening is a function of the ionosphere, and from an ionic
viewpoint, if you stay low in your kayak, with no mast, expecially
aluminum, then you would just be another wave top on the water as far
as the lightening is concerned. Then it is just a matter of chance of
you or a million other wave tops being discharged to. Not terrible
odds, since the water is in motion, and constantly discharging the
ionic buildup. It might be a good time to try your greenland paddle as
well, instead of that aluminum shafted model.

That's pretty much what I've been told.

If you try to get ashore, and moving around on land which is static and
building up a charge, your intrusion probably is going to cause a
discharge. Not good, since you are at the point of discharge. If you
could get into low brush or trees that is best, but then sit still. The
clowns that keep running around looking for a better spot are going to
just be creating additional discharge interruptions. Again good thing
is don't be carrying that aluminum shafted paddle with you. and worse
yet get under the bigger trees.

However the worse place is a high exposed ridge or mountain top. Every
year we have folks get hit here while hiking in the mountains. Also
playing golf or running around in a baseball field. The best thing is
make yourself as low and blended into the surrounding ionic background.
Then know that it is still a game of chance. I have seen lightening hit
a bush in the bottom of a canyon surrounded by high ridges with lots of
tall trees around. Just about the time you think you have it figured
out, you will get a surprise. TnT

That's good info. I'd never heard it explained in those terms. Thanks.