Forget the rapids, sunsets and sandy beaches. No matter what craft you’re in, it’s the wildlife you encounter while paddling that’s often the most memorable. But you’re not going to find much of it touring the Mississippi through Minneapolis or joining the throngs on the Gauley. To get where the wild things are you have to go a little farther off the beaten path. Following are a few of our favorite hotspots, where you can catch everything from whale flukes to caribou from the seat of your cockpit. American Alligator 1. Everglades National Park, Florida The best alligator viewing in…
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The foreword sweep is the building block of all kayaking strokes. There are three sweep variations an intermediate/advanced paddler should know and practice: the stern draw (last half of full sweep), the full sweep and the aggressive sweep. Let’s look at each and study where and when each is most effective. 1. Stern draw Sweeps to control the stern of your boat are most important when you are learning to go straight, ferry and surf. For these moves, you’ll want sweeps that finish with a stern draw. Follow the blade with your torso and eyes. This will give you good…
Do you see some of the best paddlers taking half the number of strokes to do the same move you struggle through? Perhaps these paddlers have learned to maximize their stroke. If done efficiently, “less equals more” when counting whitewater strokes. The catch is the most critical phase of your forward stroke. Pause at the beginning of each stroke and focus on putting the blade cleanly in the water. Practicing this pause is a great way to focus on and improve your catch. You’ll get the most distance from each stroke if the tip of the blade grabs water near…
Whether you’re in a canoe, kayak or inflatable, getting to shore with gear is not easy, even in mild current. So nearly every paddler welcomes an assist when they swim. But it is not always obvious how to help. Understanding your options will help you make the correct choice. The first paddler on the scene should approach the swimmer. In the midst of a rapid, the best way to assist is with encouragement or giving directions for an aggressive self-rescue. In the midst of rapids or close to shore clear directions are the best way to help: “Swim this way,…
It wasn’t long ago that whitewater kayaks were designed to cruise down the river. They were fast, sleek, and took some real effort to turn. These days, whitewater kayaks are designed to turn as efficiently as possible; it’s accepted that you’re better off being more maneuverable than being able to go in a straight line. This is why your kayak spins out as soon as you stop paddling. It’s because your kayak always has some amount of spin momentum when moving. Learning to control this spin momentum is key to paddling. Playboats are designed to turn two different ways. Wide,…
Whether you want to improve your canoeing, sea kayaking or whitewater skills, the facts are hard to ignore—taking a lesson will help you paddle better, have more fun, and reduce the chance of a bad experience. 1. Have More Fun This is why you’re here. With a few lessons you should feel a difference in your paddling. Improvement should be measurable, and you should feel like you made breakthroughs. It might be getting a roll, or surfing with greater reliability. Imagine, getting on the surf wave every time you try. Would that be worth it? 2. Reduce the Chance of…
If you learned your sweep while paddling a longer boat, you probably learned to sweep from your toes, to the very back of the boat, rotating your torso while watching the blade travel through the water. This stroke might have been helpful for turning long kayaks, but newer boats are designed specifically for turning. In fact, they can turn so quickly that one of the biggest challenges is staying ahead of your kayak’s progression to maintain control. Here’s another sweep stroke to use instead. Start At The Toes Still start at the toes. As you reach to the bow, focus…
We all know about the Grand kayaks, Middle Forks and Selways of the world. To a lesser degree, we also know about the Salts, Chamas, Yampas and Greens. What we’re not familiar with are the lesser-known multi-day kayak trips that can be found throughout the West, where permits aren’t an issue, and rangers and regulations are scarce. Consider the following a primer for 10 spots to wet your paddles without the hordes. 1. Labyrinth / Stillwater Kayaks, Green River, Utah You won’t find a better place to get in touch with your inner Edward Abbey than a multi-day float through…
Want to pack like a professional for a typical six-day summer river trip? If so, adhere to a few of the following guidelines, and you might just find yourself pocketing a tip when all’s said and done. Step 1 Place ice blocks on bottom of cooler with a layer of coated cardboard on top to minimize freezer burn. You can also freeze water in clear gallon jugs for trips on rivers that have limited sources of potable water. Pack coolers from last-day items on the bottom to first-day items on top. Pre-freeze everything possible in sealed Ziplock bags. I pack…
Whether you’re in a sea kayak or a playboat, a roll is the most reliable way to recover from a capsize. And even if you already have one, you can always make it better. Working on it is also excellent practice for maintaining balance and boat control. The objective is to get the boat right side up, so your body can follow. The key is doing this with very little support from the paddle. Minimizing paddle involvement depends on a good hip snap, the torso, and knee motion that rights the boat. To roll, you’ll need your torso working independently…