There have been a couple of recent posts on dehydration / heat exhaustion in the Gear section, pfd topic. I thought it would be worth posting a reminder here just in case others might have missed it.

One poster suggested that overheating is "worse than a bad cold". It's more than that: dehydration and heat stroke can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Two of the main things to look out for when canoeing (or doing any other kind of exercise) in hot weather include lack of perspiration and yellow or gold urine (as opposed to nearly clear). If you're not urinating at all despite drinking a lot of water, you're not drinking enough.

A lot gets mentioned about electrolytes and the need to replenish. This is not as big a deal as it's made out to be: we all get enough salt in our diet as it is. Electrolytes do make it easier to drink more water and for the water to get absorbed into your bloodstream, but if you didn't bring Gatorade, Tang, or whatever, just keep forcing the water down, whether you feel thirsty or not.

fwiw, a couple of weeks ago on a 36 C day (not very strenuous canoeing or portaging), I put down over 10 litres of water. So don't underestimate what's required.

To add to marlin’s Question.  Why do I start getting cramps a day or 2 after my trip is over? It may take a couple of months before all of my cramping stops.  Most of my cramps are lower leg and hand if that makes a difference.
MagicPaddler

Posted this in the pfd thread, but it probably applies more here. 

I found that heat stress "wall" 2 weeks ago during the Death March out of Delahey.  It was 90, sunny, humid, with no wind.  I drank 2 liters of water before starting and had 2 liters with me.  Not enough.  I literally fell over with the canoe on the second leg as I reached the little pond midway on the 1.5 mile leg.  The canoe hit a 2-in birch sapling left of the trail dead on.  It must have bent away and then snapped back, sending me and the canoe to the ground.  Can't recall the last time that ever happened.  Just before the pond, I reach several rock boulders/faces that needed to be climbed up and over.  But when I tried to take the canoe off to rest, the yoke pad caught my head and next thing I knew the canoe was banging off the rocks and I was sprawled on my back to the left of the trail.  Thankfully, nothing was busted or sprained.  When I reached the pond, I sat in the shade for a good twenty min and even after the rest, my heart rate was still 120 beats per minute and I was sweating like a pig.  Ate a little trail mix, drank some more water, and triple portaged the rest of the Death March.  I recall paddling towards the last portage into Conmee and I could barely move my arms to move the yak paddle...really weird feeling.

It took me 8 hours to reach Suzanette, 6.5 hours was on the portage trail.  At the campsite, I unloaded the gear, sat in the water for a bit, then sat in my camp chair in the shade for about 75 minutes, just staring and soaking in the scenery.  Never felt dizzy or nauseous, just hot, very tired, and relieved the day was almost over.  Finally ate a PBJ sandwich with some gatorade and felt a little better.  Just before heading into the tent for the night, I recorded on my digital voice recorder I bring on solo trips: "Today was a bitch.  Hardest damn day I've ever had canoeing.  I'm 2/3 thirds of the way done with this tough physical trip...not sure I'm enjoying it that much.  I'm very achy, shoulders and back.  Not sure I'll ever do that Death March again without the boys or a partner."

While I never felt cramping, dizzyness, headaches, or nausea during the entire day, I did feel hot and my heart rate seemed elevated after the first 1/4 mile portage.  my clothes were soaked head to toe.  I tried to eat trail mix, peanut M&Ms, a few tootsie rolls, and drink water during the ordeal.  I wasn't hungry at all when I first got to camp...all I wanted to do was just sit there.  FInally ate the PBJ, but had to almost force myself to eat.  Didn't sleep well that night, but thankfully the next day was a layover day.  Good thing I was trolling the shoreline and not casting a spinnerbait to shore or I might have snagged this large black bass...

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On warm weather trips I'll bit the bullet and take a big ol' bag of powdered Gatoraid. It's BIG and HEAVY but it seems to be worth the extra effort for the really sweaty days. I do feel better and have experimented a bit 'cause it's WAY BIGGER and HEAVIER that good ol' pre sweetened Kool-Aid.

When my calves do to try to cramp up is usually in my bag in the early mornings following somewhat dehydration prone days. If I stretch 'em out as soon as I feel it starting they pass quickly. Since I'm then wide awake, I'll want coffee. I don't buy into the coffee, soda, alcohol makes things worse mantra. If that were actual reality, I'd of dried up and blown away years ago. My kid already has more freaken water bottles than I've ever had in my whole life. "Gotta stay hydrated dad!" Well yeah OK fine but when did the word 'hydrated' enter our vocabularies anyway? Marketing creates another need for impressionable minds?


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That sucks. Would you do it again?

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Now you totally lost me. Misery loves company? I can understand wonder, necessity, challenges and pride. Known misery? I try to avoid misery whenever possible and would never wish to share it unless begged and dragged to do so by the fully warned. And I would hope the conditions were far better the second time.

Ain't nothing wrong with getting to a camp early in the day (or late in the day) and just sitting there for a while. That's what I often do. Take time to look around, take stock and think - re-hydrate if you want to call it that or try just to remember what day it is. You may even look at a map and the sky and decide you want to press on and do it all over again later!

Joe_S
There is 2 times I am likely to get cramps. When I have been working may be over heated and I set down to rest as I cool off if a cool breeze hits me. The other is may be weeks after a trip during the night I will get cramps. It does seem if I stretch before bed I get fewer cramps.
MagicPaddler