Kayaking Fun

     We had a beautiful weekend with some spare time to try out our newest addition to our kayak fleet.  This spring we purchased a Raven from Wenonah Canoe but with the hectic beginning to the summer we just got around to getting our kids into it yesterday. 

    Josh, our 6-year old was the first to try the Raven.  It’s a kayak designed specifically for people under 110 pounds, primarily kids.  It’s only 12 feet long and 20 inches wide so it’s quite easy to maneuver and amazingly stable.  Once Josh was in the kayak I showed him how much it could lean one way or the other and without any hesitation he was off and paddling as I quickly yelled safety instructions to him.(Learning moment for me… Take the time to instruct while kids are on the dock; once they get on the water they are ready to go.)

     Josh had a great time paddling the kayak and did an amazing job.  He looked like a professional kayaker cruising down the river.  Before long his turn was over and Abby was ready for hers.  She hopped into the kayak without a blink of the eye and eased her way out onto the river like she had done it a million times.

     Before long we grew tired of watching from the dock so we put two of our Current Design Kayaks by Wenonah into the water.  These are full size kayaks but are easy enough to handle Abby could paddle one alongside of me and Josh could stay in the Raven.  We explored the Seagull River and enjoyed the warm sunshine on our faces and the cool water dripping from the kayak paddles. 

   Before I tried kayaking I was intimidated by the sport.  I thought a person needed to know a bunch of technical skills to use them.  While this may be the case in whitewater kayaking it isn’t the same as flat water paddling.  Knowledge of any sort is great but one doesn’t need to know how to roll a kayak when not using a spray skirt.  The instructions I gave the kids were if they tipped all they had to do was slide out of the kayak and start swimming.  They had their life vests on and there was no danger of  them getting trapped in a dangerous eddy or the like.  Kayaking is a great way to spend time with kids in the great outdoors and I highly recommend you give it a try.