Interesting situation on my return to the launch on Saturday. The game wardens were there, checking primarily for life jackets. The weather wasn't particularly cold, but there was thin ice in the saltwater marsh. It was flat calm so there was a kayak or two paddling about as is typical. While I was talking with the wardens, we spot a couple of stand up paddleboards come around the corner of a creek. While hunting I had seen them quite far from shore, possibly 1/2 mile out. I don't think either person had a pfd of any kind aboard, they were in the very thin wetsuits popular among kayakers and paddleboarders. A lot of eye rolling between those of us on shore. I believe they got written warnings.
It did remind though, of my early years when we scuba dived year round. Quite a few expeditions under the ice, it's very interesting, kind of surreal, and not too scary for a kid. No way for me now. What got me thinking about it, was whether I would prefer a brand new pfd or a 7mm wetsuit (not the lighweight variety), should I find myself in the ice cold water that day. Or just standing on a paddleboard. I'm taking the wetsuit hands down. Not excusing what the paddleboarders did, just sayin'.
