Kayak 101: What’s the worst that could happen?

Everywhere you look these days, there seems to be a kayak. TV shows, TV commercials, magazine ads for Viagra, and pretty much every other car on the interstate seems to have kayaks. Once only available at specialty stores, from people who really know a thing or two about kayaks and kayaking, kayaks are now available at major chain sporting goods stores where anyone can walk in, buy a kayak, walk out of the store with him and get into the water with absolute peace of mind. they have no idea what they are doing or what they will do when things no longer look like the funny moment they saw in the commercial. So what’s the problem, you ask? What is the worst that can happen?

Well, for starters, you could die. Kayaking is a very safe sport, extremely fun and relatively easy to practice. The cost of entry for someone wanting to join the ranks of kayakers around the world can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the quality of the kayak and the equipment you purchase. For example, you could go to a major sporting goods store and walk out with some sort of kayak, PFD, and a paddle for around $300.00-$400.00, assuming you bought one of the cheapest models on the showroom floor. and the less expensive (read heavy, unwieldy and uncomfortable) paddle and PFD. will it float? Yes. Is it appropriate for the water you are paddling in? Maybe, but that’s the point. It is highly likely that neither you nor anyone at the sporting goods store knows if a particular boat is safe or appropriate for the water you are paddling on. That is why specialized stores exist; and that’s why you should at least talk to your local kayak experts before paying a major chain store to put you at risk, for a few bucks.

Kayaking is a water sport, which means that it is practiced in the water. Water is not our home, no matter how at home we feel there. When you’re kayaking, there’s always the chance you’ll take a swim. This is true of any boat or water sport. If you end up in the water, several factors come into play that will determine your outcome. First, what kind of water is it? Cold water and fast moving water are, in and of themselves, dangerous. Water with obstructions, visible or submerged, can also be quite dangerous if you are unaware of them and/or their location, or have an unplanned encounter with them. Marine life can pose a threat, as can wind, weather, tidal currents, boat traffic, and simply getting lost. Tidal influences, for example, left a mother and her young son stranded in a quagmire for hours before a Coast Guard helicopter took them to safety. They were less than 400 feet from shore, but they could not safely wade through the mud and it would be 5 hours before the tide would give them enough water to get out of the quagmire. Being eaten alive by mosquitoes and no-see-ums while stuck in the mud with no food or water was probably not the adventure this mom was hoping for. A little local knowledge, a map and tidal chart would have helped. But she’s not likely to get any of that from a sporting goods chain.

So far, I’ve been referring to flatwater kayaking because it seems so benign; But let me take this opportunity to simply say: Whitewater kayaking is absolutely dangerous and should never be attempted without instruction, and that includes surf kayaking. Basically you could break your neck or get caught up and drunk doing this type of kayaking without first learning some technical skills. But even sea kayakers and kayakers planning to paddle mudflats and estuaries need to learn some skills and become familiar with the tides, currents, weather, and other local details like wildlife and navigation. All it takes is a little bit of wind to turn a relatively calm tidal river into a choppy mess that even experts wouldn’t paddle through. And, along many parts of the coast, if you don’t know the tides and currents, chances are you’ll be pulled somewhere you don’t want to go and can’t get back.

Recently, in southeast Georgia, three twenty-five-year-old men set out on a two-hour, self-guided tour of a paddle trail marked with numbered markers that correspond to a free map given out at the state park where this journey begins and ends. . They did not follow the course and did not know how to navigate or read a map. Their adventure kept them out hours after their scheduled return time and by then the wind had changed, making it impossible for them to return. They had no food and had finished their water earlier in the day. The water was warm and there was little chance of drowning or hypothermia, but one of them was startled when a dolphin appeared next to his cabin and knocked him into a few feet of water. In that area, oyster beds are common, and he was lucky not to be injured on one. The men gave up fighting the surface conditions and landed along a tree line where they began to walk, hoping to find a way. They walked several miles before being found, finally returning to their vehicle 11 hours into their 2-hour adventure. That’s not the worst, but it’s not ideal either.

Kayaking is fun; and everyone should try it. But kayaking is a sport that can and has killed people who didn’t plan on dying when they untied the kayak from the roof rack. If you want to enjoy this sport, you must start on the right foot, with education. You can learn more than you imagine just by taking a guided tour from a professional provider; but the classes are available for the more serious or safety conscious paddlers who really want to increase the odds in their favor. Read books, kayak magazines, and surf the Internet to get the information you need to stay safe on the water. A little information and a lot of common sense can help you; but be aware of the risks and consequences inherent in the water you will be paddling in and get proper instruction if you really want to be as safe on the water as possible. What is the worst that can happen? That is exactly the question you should ask yourself.