Sun Protection

Summer is here!!!  The UV seems to be stronger each year.  Many days on the water, I feel fried.  Most chemical sunscreens are not good for your body or the environment.  Mineral sunscreens like zinc work for some but not for others. 

I have found the best sun protection is to be covered up.  Here is my favorite combo at the moment -

For whitewater - river or ocean, I like the Shred Ready Zeta Helmet.  The small is a great fit for my small head and the brim gives lots of sun protection.  For flat water days, I wear a floppy sun hat.  If it is windy, then a ball cap.  Lately I have been digging the fit and sun protection from my new Immersion Research Women's Trucker Hat.  Usually trucker hats are way too big for me but this one fits my pea sized head and gives great sun protection.

As you can see in the photo, I am pretty covered up.  Cold water paddling necessitates a drytop or wetsuit which suffices for sun protection too.  On flat water paddles days, I try to protect my skin from the sun with a lightweight hoodie.  I like the hoodie because it protects my neck and helps to shade more of my face than a regular sun shirt.  I practically live in my Immersion Research Highwater Hoody.

Hoodies are great on and off the water and give extra protection for the neck and face.

To further protect my face, I will wear a sun mask.  These can be a bit of a pain with sun glasses.  Sometimes they interfere with ventilation under the glasses and cause fogging up.  I deal with it or readjust as necessary.

Game face - fish-on!

Of course protecting the eyes from the sun and the glare off the water is super important.  I am hooked on polarized lenses especially those from Maui Jim.  Maui Jim's are a bit pricey but so worth it.  Everything looks crisper with them and their warranty repair service is top notch.

Do you have any suggestions for sun protection?  If so, please share.

I Don't Care Why -

“I don’t care why they invited me. So many times in my life people said no to me because I was a girl.”  Manon Rheaume

Manon Rheaume was the first (and only woman to date) to play in an NHL game.  Check out this video interview with Manon Rheaume.

Being a woman in sport is a double edged sword.  Sometimes, you are discriminated against for being a woman.  Other times, you are include because you are a woman (these "token chic" experiences often lead to further discrimination).

Last year, I stopped posting on my blog and Woman on Water Facebook Page.  I changed my Woman on Water Instagram name to Cate Hawthorne because I was questioning what it meant to be a woman in a professional sports.  

I don't want to be identified by my gender but by who I am.  However, the reality is that my gender does contribute to who I am.  The world is more black and white and male and female than many of us believe or want.  Despite our best intentions, we are not blind to color/race/gender/sexual preference.

I am uncertain if I should be flying the flag as Woman on Water but feel that my contributions have a place.  I am inspired by women like Manon Rheaume.  I hope to inspire others to be the best that they can be and to get out and enjoy life - on an off the water.