The last two days I've shared what I keep in my medical kits at home and in the truck, and I shared a few things from my personal medical bag that I thought might be useful to the general populace. Today, I am going to share what my kids and I keep in our dry boxes that are attached to our kayaks.
All of us have:
Rope
Protective lip balm
suntan lotion--I pick up the sticks or the small $1-$2 tubes
bandannas
2-way radio--they go in before the kayaks get in the water and come out when we get home so they stay charged
multipurpose tool
snack bar or protein source
whistle--we have specific "water" whistles that still work even if they get wet
Sting-ease
white washcloth
mirror
light stick
small flashlight
waterproof watch
compass--if we get lost in anyway either by our own actions or environmental, if we can contact help, we can give landmarks and direction to help them find us
And we ALWAYS have:
Hats
Bottles of water
Even guests get their own dry box and "always have" gear.
In my box, I also carry:
--basic medical supplies such as bandaids, gauze pads and rolls, and anti-bacterial cream. Never know when you are going to want to jump out of the kayak and explore. Accidents happen, so I try to be prepared.
--a reflective blanket. If someone overheats, I can use it as a shade to protect them. I can use it to control hypothermia or help treat shock as well.
I have not found a definitive "dry box medical list for kayaking", but I created our list based on where we kayak, what problems we've encountered (experiential learning is not always lovely), and what I know could happen. I've tried to control for getting lost, getting back to shore in the dark, overheating, and bad weather (winds came in while we were on the lake one day. Robert was a lot younger, not nearly as strong. If I had not roped him to my kayak, I would have followed him wherever the wind blew him. Or if someone gets hurt or gets sick, they may need assistance.) I've offered a beginning list. There may be things you need to add to it. If someone is allergic to bugs, stick Benadryl in there because you won't get back to shore before serious problems arise. If someone is diabetic, toss in candy bar or packs of sugar. Think about your needs and cover them.
A few other thoughts:
Drinks:
Alcohol and kayaking don't mix. A kayak is a boat. A drunk boater can be a dead boater. Use sense.
Sodas may feel like fluid, but they have no rehydrating value, and in fact, they can create problems because they need so much water to get rid of the sugar. If you are going to do sodas on the lake (which we do), add some bottled water in there, too.
Medicines: I didn't think much about medications and kayaking until a few weeks ago. I was outside working in 85-88 degree weather, not really bad, drinking plenty of water, doing all the right things, and suddenly realized I was in 89 degree heat, no longer sweating, cold, had a ferocious headache, and was no longer sweating! Those are symptoms of heat exhaustion moving into heat stroke. The culprit? An antacid my doctor wanted me to try messed up my electrolytes and ability to stay hydrated. I had no idea. Now, I'm not saying stop taking your medication. However, know what medications might not handle your being in warm temps well.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS
WEAR A LIFE JACKET
As every responder I've spoken with says:
"I've never pulled a drowning victim who was wearing a lifejacket."
'Nough said.
If you have other questions about water safety, shoot them my way. I'll answer what I can or point you in the direction of who can answer them. Be safe on the water and have fun. If you see me out there, wave and say hi!
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