Great story DD.
I'm glad your alright.
I admire your honesty about some of your mis-haps.
Just shows that even seasoned paddlers can find themselves in trouble when they don't keep their head in the game.

You were lucky the weather was co-operative with your clothes all being wet. It could of been much worse.

I worry about that too, so I pack all my gear in those Coleman roll type space saver bags. Sort of like a zip-lock bag on steroids. Much tougher and durable. There a laminated/rip stop type material, Water and bug proof. Cheap for what they do, and weigh only oz.