Lightning
 

Four of us were paddling one of the spring creeks in Florida's Ocala
National Forest when a thunder storm blew up rather suddenly. The
temperature dropped quickly and the rain was cold. The lightning was
following the thunder by only a second or two. Much too close for comfort.

We were in a swampy area with cypress knees and brush on each side - we
could not see solid land. The first solid land in sight was about 15-20
minutes down river.

One of the paddlers in a tee shirt and shorts paddling a sit on top kayak
was complaining about being cold. It was raining hard and we didn't have
extra rain gear for her.

What should we have done?

skip

In this neck of the woods, which is a fair bit further north than you are, a
lot of paddlers consider it a good idea to carry a 'dry bag' whenever you're
out on the water. Contains a complete change of well-protected clothes, a
space blanket or two, fire making materials, a sheet of plastic for wind
shelter, , etc., etc., etc.
Even on the warmest of days, a good stiff breeze on wet clothing can
very quickly chill the body. I learned that lesson the hard way, years ago -
getting out of the water after dumping a Snipe in a large lake was only the
start of my troubles that warm but windy day. Dry clothes would have saved
me a very nasty go-round with hypothermia. My dry bag now is down in the
foot of the kayak's cockpit, or lashed to the canoe's carrying yoke, every
time I leave the shore. The least it'll do is restore comfort after a
dumping; the most is save my or someone else's life.
"skip" wrote in message
...

On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 20:43:23 -0600, "skip" wrote:

Four of us were paddling one of the spring creeks in Florida's Ocala
National Forest when a thunder storm blew up rather suddenly. The
temperature dropped quickly and the rain was cold. The lightning was
following the thunder by only a second or two. Much too close for comfort.

We were in a swampy area with cypress knees and brush on each side - we
could not see solid land. The first solid land in sight was about 15-20
minutes down river.

One of the paddlers in a tee shirt and shorts paddling a sit on top kayak
was complaining about being cold. It was raining hard and we didn't have
extra rain gear for her.

What should we have done?

I have been in exactly that place during those exact conditions. I used to
live just west of Ocala and have been kayaking in the national forest there
several many times. I go ahead and paddle to a place where I can take
shelter, although getting out of the boat or even off the water is not a
high priority for me. I want to get out of the rain/wind if I can,
although I'm not going to head for a lone tree or even a high bush. I
don't particularly worry about a paddle being metal or a conductor or
anything, I think the mass of the object is much too small to make much
difference of where lightning strikes. No doubt some folks will advise
other tactics of lightning avoidance. Cowering in fear and terror has
always worked for me, I used to live on a sailboat where getting off the
water or the boat was not an option, and with my mast I was often the
tallest thing in the water for miles around. Try to stay as warm and dry
as you can (paddling in a panic situation *does* tend to warm you up) and
hope the storm passes quickly.

Galen Hekhuis NpD, JFR, GWA
Illiterate? Write for FREE help

skip wrote:
Four of us were paddling one of the spring creeks in Florida's Ocala
National Forest when a thunder storm blew up rather suddenly. The
temperature dropped quickly and the rain was cold. The lightning was
following the thunder by only a second or two. Much too close for comfort.

We were in a swampy area with cypress knees and brush on each side - we
could not see solid land. The first solid land in sight was about 15-20
minutes down river.

One of the paddlers in a tee shirt and shorts paddling a sit on top kayak
was complaining about being cold. It was raining hard and we didn't have
extra rain gear for her.

What should we have done?

Statistically, the most dangerous place for a paddler to be in such a
situation is where the water meets the land, which means that heading to
shore is somewhat risky. You're actually safer - from lightning, that is
- on open water. However, if wind and water conditions or other factors
create a greater risk, heading to shore may be the safest bet. Avoid
tall trees, but my understanding is that sheltering in low brush or a
grove/forest of short trees is no problem, so if it provides enough
shelter to alleviate exposure problems, that's a good place to be. The
safest place to be in the outdoors is in a shallow depression, well away
from shore, squatting down on something that will insulate you from the
ground, with both feet on the ground and not touching the ground with
your hands.

What you REALLY need to do is learn from this experience. ALWAYS carry
extra clothing, food, water and emergency gear, including a reliable
means of emergency communication (on the water, a marine VHF radio is
the best bet). Check the weather before leaving and watch it carefully
throughout the day. As your experience shows, a seemingly benign day can
turn ugly in a hurry. BE PREPARED! Lack of preparedness is a major cause
of outdoor injuries and fatalities.

I'll reinforce the paddle-harder-to-get-warm suggestions. In a small,
mastless boat, you're often safer on the water than on shore. Pick a
brushy, sheltered point in the near distance and head for it, working up
warmth with a goal and exercise.

The drybag suggestion is also a valuable one; I wouldn't go on the water
without extra dry gear protected in a dry bag, for myself and some to share.

"skip" wrote in message
...
Four of us were paddling one of the spring creeks in Florida's Ocala
National Forest when a thunder storm blew up rather suddenly. The
temperature dropped quickly and the rain was cold. The lightning was
following the thunder by only a second or two. Much too close for
comfort.

We were in a swampy area with cypress knees and brush on each side - we
could not see solid land. The first solid land in sight was about 15-20
minutes down river.

One of the paddlers in a tee shirt and shorts paddling a sit on top kayak
was complaining about being cold. It was raining hard and we didn't have
extra rain gear for her.

What should we have done?

skip

Brian Nystrom wrote:
skip wrote:
Four of us were paddling one of the spring creeks in Florida's
Ocala
National Forest when a thunder storm blew up rather suddenly. The
temperature dropped quickly and the rain was cold. The lightning
was
following the thunder by only a second or two. Much too close for
comfort.

We were in a swampy area with cypress knees and brush on each side
- we
could not see solid land. The first solid land in sight was about
15-20
minutes down river.

One of the paddlers in a tee shirt and shorts paddling a sit on top
kayak
was complaining about being cold. It was raining hard and we
didn't have
extra rain gear for her.

What should we have done?

Statistically, the most dangerous place for a paddler to be in such a

situation is where the water meets the land, which means that heading
to
shore is somewhat risky. You're actually safer - from lightning, that
is
- on open water. However, if wind and water conditions or other
factors
create a greater risk, heading to shore may be the safest bet. Avoid
tall trees, but my understanding is that sheltering in low brush or a

grove/forest of short trees is no problem, so if it provides enough
shelter to alleviate exposure problems, that's a good place to be.
The
safest place to be in the outdoors is in a shallow depression, well
away
from shore, squatting down on something that will insulate you from
the
ground, with both feet on the ground and not touching the ground with

your hands.

What you REALLY need to do is learn from this experience. ALWAYS
carry
extra clothing, food, water and emergency gear, including a reliable
means of emergency communication (on the water, a marine VHF radio is

the best bet). Check the weather before leaving and watch it
carefully
throughout the day. As your experience shows, a seemingly benign day
can
turn ugly in a hurry. BE PREPARED! Lack of preparedness is a major
cause
of outdoor injuries and fatalities.


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 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.

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

Easy and cheap, fits in any pocket, minimal yes, but works great.......space
blanket, Walmart for like a couple of bucks. Best to stay in the boat.
"Padeen" wrote in message
...
I'll reinforce the paddle-harder-to-get-warm suggestions. In a small,
mastless boat, you're often safer on the water than on shore. Pick a
brushy, sheltered point in the near distance and head for it, working up
warmth with a goal and exercise.

The drybag suggestion is also a valuable one; I wouldn't go on the water
without extra dry gear protected in a dry bag, for myself and some to
share.

"skip" wrote in message
...
Four of us were paddling one of the spring creeks in Florida's Ocala
National Forest when a thunder storm blew up rather suddenly. The
temperature dropped quickly and the rain was cold. The lightning was
following the thunder by only a second or two. Much too close for
comfort.

We were in a swampy area with cypress knees and brush on each side - we
could not see solid land. The first solid land in sight was about 15-20
minutes down river.

One of the paddlers in a tee shirt and shorts paddling a sit on top
kayak
was complaining about being cold. It was raining hard and we didn't
have
extra rain gear for her.

What should we have done?

skip

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

What we actually did was to spread out and paddle like hell for 15 minutes
to a point where there was land. This did in fact warm up the sit on top
paddler who was without rain grear. When we reached land there was a couple
there who had started a small fire under a Plametto tree. We huddled there
in fear and trembling until the thunder and lightning passed and then
paddled on to the take out in the rain (pleasant for me with my spray skirt,
paddling jacket, and Gore Tex hat).

We all had dry clothes, but they were useless in the downpour. No one
brought extra rain gear. I have a space blanket, but it was underneath my
sleeping pad in the tent. Before I go out again I'm going to pick one up
for the boat.

Thanks again. I found your comments interesting and informative.

skip

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.

skip wrote:
Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

What we actually did was to spread out and paddle like hell for 15 minutes
to a point where there was land. This did in fact warm up the sit on top
paddler who was without rain grear. When we reached land there was a couple
there who had started a small fire under a Plametto tree. We huddled there
in fear and trembling until the thunder and lightning passed and then
paddled on to the take out in the rain (pleasant for me with my spray skirt,
paddling jacket, and Gore Tex hat).

Huddling together was a bad idea. Once on shore, you should spread out.
That minimizes the likelihood of more than one of you being struck.

We all had dry clothes, but they were useless in the downpour. No one
brought extra rain gear. I have a space blanket, but it was underneath my
sleeping pad in the tent. Before I go out again I'm going to pick one up
for the boat.

While space blankets are certainly useful items in their own right, you
might want to re-think the logic of wrapping yourself in aluminized
Mylar during a thunderstorm.