🚣 Kayaking/SUP and cold water: evening trips with caution ❄️
Equipment / life jacket / lights
A life jacket is mandatory. In Norway, on vessels up to 8 m (including kayaks/canoes/SUPs), it is required to wear appropriate life-saving equipment. Paddle life jackets (CE) are preferable to inflatable "belts"; they are easier to keep on and use in the water.
Clothing — according to water temperature. Official guidelines recommend dressing for the water, not the air: warm hat/gloves, neoprene boots, spare dry clothes in a dry bag. A warm wetsuit — when the water is warmer, a dry suit seriously increases safety in cold water.
Why this is critical: at ~10°C, your hands quickly lose strength — even simple rescue operations become difficult.
Light and visibility. At dusk/at night, a kayak is considered a "small vessel": a circular white light (or a bright flashlight that can be shown in time) is sufficient, but it is better to attach a 360° lamp + headlamp + reflectors to your life jacket/paddle — you will be seen sooner. Remember: a single white light is harder to see, so stay away from shipping lanes and intersections.
How to read the wind/waves (and where the "ceiling" is for the evening)
Step 1. Check the forecasts:
● Wind/waves along the coast — text-based marine reports from met.no (wind in m/s + approximate wave height).
● Wave/period/direction map — BarentsWatch/Kystverket ("Bølgevarsel") service, updated several times a day.
Step 2. Land on the "rule of thumb":
● For beginners and "after work" in the city — wind ≤ 6 m/s and waves ≤ 0.5 m (level "easy/Beaufort 3–"). Higher — only with experience and in well-protected waters.
â—Ź Assess the wind direction and fetch: offshore (from the shore to the sea), it will be more difficult to return; near walls/rocks, return waves are dangerous.
Step 3. Red flags for cancellation: white caps in gusty winds, a noticeable increase in wave frequency and height, a forecast of a sharp change in wind direction towards darkness — postpone the trip, don't be a hero.
Plan B: inner bays and canals (urban alternatives)
If the forecast is unfavourable, change the format, but do not abandon the trip:
â—Ź Calm waters within the city.
Oslo: calm Bogstadvannet (lake, no boat traffic) — a typical option for the evening. Bergen: Store Lungegårdsvannet (city lagoon; clubs/courses are based here) — sheltered water without open sea waves.
Stavanger: Gandsfjorden in the inner areas — a frequent training area for courses.
â—Ź Lagoons/narrow inlets with short waves and low traffic. Stay on the leeward side, avoid shipping lanes (skipsleia) and crossings. The advice to "stay close to the shore/cross quickly at a right angle" is also included in the official memo.
"Hot spot" and thermos
Keep a dry set of clothes (thermal underwear/socks/hat) in a waterproof bag and a thermos with a hot drink. This will help you warm up faster after swimming/wind chill. The Norwegian memo explicitly advises taking a spare set of warm clothes in a dry bag.
Communication: phone in a dry case, AML, VHF
● Keep your phone in a waterproof case on your person (not in the kayak's storage compartment). Modern smartphones support AML — when you call 110/112/113, they transmit your coordinates. On the water, you can also call 120 (the nearest Kystradio).
● Additional equipment: handheld VHF with DSC or personal beacon — useful in case of poor reception. Hjelp 113 from Norsk Luftambulanse helps to quickly send your coordinates.
â—Ź The Maritime Administration reminds you that mobile communications are significantly affected by rocking and spray, and VHF is more reliable at sea.
Safe behaviour in cold water (minimum)
If you do end up in the water: first, stay afloat (lie on your back/hold your breath), then call for help — this is what Kaldtvannsvett (Cold Water Safety) from the Norwegian Sea Rescue Society teaches. The shock from the cold water passes in about a minute — wait it out and control your breathing.
This overview does not replace instruction/legal/medical advice. Check local rules and warnings before setting out.
Found an inaccuracy or want to add a calm water area? Write to us and we will update the material.
FAQ
A paddle vest (mandatory), dry or "warm" neoprene, a warm hat/gloves, a light (360° lamp/flashlight + headlamp), a dry bag with a dry set, a thermos, phone in a waterproof case, fastenings/straps (for SUP — safety leash)
A guideline for beginners: up to 6 m/s and waves up to 0.5 m in sheltered waters. If it's stronger, move or go to "calm waters" (lake/lagoon). This is in line with the Beaufort scale for paddling.
See met.no (text along the coast), BarentsWatch/Kystverket (wave/period/direction map). In the "Digital Kit," we also have Hjelp 113 and UT.no for offline coastline maps.
For small vessels, including kayaks, a white all-round light (or a lantern that can be shown in time) is sufficient. However, as a single white light is difficult to see, use additional headlamps/reflectors and stay away from busy fairways.
Examples of protected water areas: Bogstadvannet (Oslo, lake), Store LungegĂĄrdsvannet (Bergen, city lagoon), inner Gandsfjorden (Stavanger). Always keep your distance from shipping lanes and practise near the shore.
