Life after Nemo

Winter storm Nemo brings 2' of snow, a driving ban that I break driving home from work Friday night, and a question about whether I can get some kiting in this weekend. Sunday morning- I roll out of bed just before sunrise. It's 10 degrees F. outside. Downy snow glistens in the predawn twilight through the window. Common sense would say go back to bed. Fortunately, I don't have much of that. I have horse sense. Horse sense says go to Chapin and kite with Igor. Igor has horse sense too. The road to Chapin is closed. The road to Mayflower is unplowed. Bayview is open! It has some power lines down across the path and the dunes have erosion but it's accessible, and windy! It's warmed up. Maybe to low to mid 20's? Igor and I lie to each other, saying that we're perfectly warm and comfy in our drysuits. Igor may be telling the truth. He has a secret weapon. Igor's new drysuit has hand warming tubes allowing him to breath warm air into his 2mm Glacier Gloves. He does looks perfectly warm and comfy. Especially his hands. My secret weapon is 6mm neoprene mitts. They're very tight and restrictive. My hands are warm enough but after a couple of hours my forearms are useless. The muscles have completely failed, leaving 2 limp rags where my arms used to be. Igor's secret weapon beats my secret weapon. How low to go?- Kiting in under 27 F. means saltwater will freeze. You won't be able to scrape up any sand to anchor your kite because the beach is concrete. You'll slip on wet ice getting into the slushwater before you can waterstart.  Spray will freeze and coat the floats and ends of your lines. Your depower rope will keep slipping in it's cleat. And your hands will fail from wearing 6mm mitts. It's fun! I recommend it to anyone who is strong of heart and hand. Bayview, Kitesurfed, NNW, 14-25, 14M Rally/ Mako150, with Igor. Ianovated drysuits