Subject: Re: [baidarka] Ice
From: Greg Stamer (gstamer@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Jan 04 2002 - 09:49:11 EST
>It was not very long ago that none of the modern wet or dry suits,
>materials, etc. were available. Summer or winter, in those northern
>climes,
>a wet exit from a kayak for a native kayaker meant almost certain death.
>This is why they were such skilled kayakers, the careless or inexperienced
>got weeded out of the gene pool.
Peter,
Although I don't disagree with your conclusions, the Greenlanders did
develop a drysuit with integrated hood, mitts, and boots. You entered the
suit through a circular opening at the waist (a short description and photo
is found in H.C. Petersen's "Skinboats of Greenland"). As far as I know,
these suits were only used for whale hunting in Umiaks, not in kayaks, and
allowed the hunter to jump on a whale to deliver a killing thrust or survive
a swim in icy water. These garments were much sought after by the European
whalers.
I can only speculate why they weren't used in kayaks. Very few Greenland
kayakers choose to use a modern drysuit today, perhaps partly due to
economics and reasons of tradition, although the neoprene Brook's tuiliq
(half jacket) is quite common there.
I was witness to several capsizes, during races held in Greenland, where a
few young kayakers could not roll. In each case it appears that a wet-exit
never crossed their minds. They stayed in the kayak until help arrived,
several minutes in one case. They were too distant to see clearly, but I
assume that they sculled upward to get air, or bent their torso upward to
reach air from the capsized kayak ("Petrussen" maneuver).
Greg Stamer
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