Nine Reasons Winter Paddling Is Amazing

For many paddlers, the transition from fall to winter signals the end of paddling season. Once temperatures dip below freezing, many believe this water sport becomes too cold to enjoy. While there is some truth to the idea that paddling when you're freezing isn’t all that great, it doesn’t have to be a cold and dismal experience. In fact, paddling in the winter can be pretty amazing.

Some of the top reasons to paddle in winter include fewer crowds, improved visibility, and unique wildlife-viewing opportunities. Winter paddling can be great for your mental health and physical fitness, and it can give you a new perspective on familiar paddling locations. Cold weather paddling has the added benefits of no insects and less harmful direct sunlight.

Sure, venturing into the water in your paddling vessel in the winter has its added dangers and hassles. Heading out in a wetsuit and a jacket isn’t as fun as paddling in a bathing suit, and getting splashed by frigid water can be a genuine shock to the system. Still, there are a ton of reasons to suit up and paddle into the water in the off-season. Below is a list of reasons why winter paddling can be truly amazing.

Nine Reasons Why Winter Paddling Is Worth Trying

1. No Crowds

One of the top reasons winter kayaking is excellent is that so few people do it. Therefore, all the popular summer paddling locations that are usually packed with inexperienced people are empty after the first frost.

Sure, you will need to wear some extra gear in the winter and take additional precautions, but for many, that is a small price to pay to have a tranquil bay or placid lake all to themselves. If there are popular paddling locations near you, consider checking them out in the winter for a much quieter, albeit colder, experience.

2. Different Wildlife Viewing Opportunities

The winter sends some animals packing, but it also ushers in new species. When you paddle in the winter, you can see many new animal species. There are new birds, mammals, and sometimes even whales and other marine life that you can only witness when the air and water are cold.

Furthermore, with fewer vessels on the water, you often have a better chance of viewing animals that typically hide from crowds in the summer. Best of all, once the waterfront trees shed their leaves, most animals are easier to spot.

3. Crisp And Refreshing Air

There is something different about the winter air on the water. It’s crisp, clean, and incredibly refreshing. While this might be partly mental, there is no question that the air in nature is more invigorating than the recycled air in your temperature-controlled home.

Just as taking a brisk walk in nature feels great for your lungs and body, so can a paddle on cold waters.

4. Often Better Visibility

In many regions, winter means fewer leaves, less algae, and dry air. All these elements add up to all-around improved visibility. You can often see deeper in the water, further out into the sea, and deeper into the forest.

With this improved visibility, paddling becomes a feast for the eyes. Winter paddling allows you to savor these leisurely paddles, soaking in all the sights around you.

5. Potentially Great For Mental Health

Paddling can offer numerous potential mental health benefits. The endorphins, meditative nature of paddling, and exposure to beautiful nature are just a few ways that paddling can benefit mental health.

Winter paddling is particularly great for improving mental health. For one, it helps combat seasonal depression and lethargy. It is also generally much quieter and calmer in the winter. This silence and calm facilitate meditation and mental relaxation.

6. View Familiar Paddling Locations With A New Perspective

Another fantastic benefit of winter paddling is that it allows you to see places you paddle regularly in an entirely new light. Winter can transform waterways and shorelines. Areas you thought you knew intimately can look brand new, and even foreign.

This seasonal transformation is a great way to gain valuable perspective on your favorite paddling locations, and even about the world in general, and its constant evolution.

7. A Fantastic Way To Stay In Shape

Winter can be a tough time for paddlers and their physical fitness. When you stop paddling and don’t replace it with another workout routine in the winter months, it’s easy to lose your great paddling shape.

When you continue to paddle throughout the colder months of the year, however, you can stay in excellent physical condition. Not only is paddling in the winter a great way to lose weight (especially that inevitable holiday weight), but it’s also a great way to maintain your endurance.

Paddling in the winter makes it much easier to get right back in the swing of things come spring.

8. No Bugs

One of the unquestionable best parts of cold-weather paddling is the lack of insects. Once temperatures dip below freezing, you are highly unlikely to get stung by mosquitoes, bitten by ticks and fleas, swallow flies, or have to fish gnats out of your eye.

Paddling in the summer, especially around sunset, often involves fighting off an insect feeding frenzy. In the winter, you don’t have to worry about bugs at all. This means you can leave your insect repellent and all those bug-related worries at home.

9. The Sun Isn’t As Strong

Many people miss the heat and the warmth of direct sunlight in the dark winter months. While it’s true that the sun feels good when you’re cold, it is also harmful for your skin. Luckily, in winter, the sun is usually far less intense.

While you should always wear sunscreen and sun-protective clothing, even in the dead of winter, you don’t have to worry as fervently about heat stroke and other sun exposure ilnesses. Furthermore, you are usually covered from head to toe in the winter, so you only need to apply sunscreen to a limited area of your body.

Remember, Safety Is Paramount When Paddling In Winter

While there are many reasons to try paddling in winter, it’s essential that you know it can also be quite dangerous. Never paddle alone in the winter, especially if you aren’t an experienced paddler.

Before venturing out on a paddling vessel in cold weather, you should confirm that you are wearing the proper gear and have all the safety essentials for cold-water paddling. Remember that kayaking in the winter can be a dream, but when you don’t properly prepare for the added dangers, it can also be a nightmare.