Hey,

Thanks for the replies and advice. Anybody else out there ... please chime in. I really do want to hear what y'all have to say.

Point taken on the PFDs. And tho I always carry fire-starters (lighters AND magnesium), survival blanket, knife etc. on my person, solotripper, I didn't think of the heat packets. Thanks for that tip.

Sounds like y'all are saying unequivocally that a water-filled canoe is just too unwieldy to mess with and to get our soggy butts into shore and worry about the canoe later.

But a question for all the cold-water survivalists out there, if it's a long way to shore and help (as in another canoe) isn't available for some reason for a "tow", is it better to curl up in a ball to retain heat and just float in, or swim a bit? Time vs. lost energy/body heat. Hmmm. Anybody? (Of course I recognize that sometimes  the waves are taking you to the far far shore, and it's better to get to the closest shore even if it takes a bit of effort).

Also, if it is indeed a long long way in, and help not there, is it worthwhile to try to climb up on the canoe to get out of the cold water (is that possible?), or is any body heat saved offset by the extra time it'll take for the canoe to float in with you on top?

Anyway, sorry for all the chatter, I guess I just got spooked a bit by the dunking.

Again, thanks.

-kypaddler (counting down: 3 weeks and 5 hours)