Every city seems to claim the saying, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute.” Here in Chicago, we can say, “If you like the water temperature, enjoy it while you can!”Two weeks ago, at the start of the Foundation Safety and Rescue Training class at Geneva Kayak Center Lakefront, the water temperature was a balmy 70 (or thereabouts). This week, it was in the mid-50s. Kaitlyn looking forward to repeat immersion in 55-degree water. We’ve had westerly winds for the past few weeks, and they blew all our warm surface water over to Michigan. To all our friends in the West Michigan Coastal Kayakers Association: We don’t like the water temperature! Send the warm stuff...

During Thursday’s FSRT, Alec waits to catch a throw line and be towed into shore. On Thursday, we assisted as Scott Fairty of Geneva Kayak taught Foundation Safety and Rescue Training, a prerequisite course for the BCU coaching track.This is a fabulous course for anyone who intends to paddle a kayak or canoe on anything other than small, flat bodies of water. It covers all manner of rescues for all kinds of people and crafts as well as towing techniques. But beyond the mechanics of getting people back into dry boats, it covers incident prevention and management. If a license were required for paddling, this could be one of the key required courses to prepare you to earn...