Kayaking gear : Waterproof rucksack tested on land and onboard

Rich    kayakingholidays     Bag drybag daysack kayak canoe paddling walking, canoeing, Canoeing gear, Canoeing holidays, Day sack, Kayaking, kayaking gear, kayaking holidays, Outdoor equipment, Outdoor gear, Waterproof gear

I recently got my hands on an Overboard dry daysack. So, to see just what it was made of, I tested it  walking and kayaking – it is a rucksack after all, so let’s see if it did what it said on the tin/ lid.

Waterproof rucksack: good for land and sea?

The route a friend and I chose was from Shaugh Bridge to Hexworthy – about 11 miles in total with a few detours for the tors and old tin works of Dartmouth.

With the steep start out of the way, and us up onto the moor and out of the forest, we opened up the pace a little and I found that the day sack was both comfortable and easy to carry, although it was a little small to hold all the kit I’d normally be carrying for a days walking.

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10 Safety tips for Kayaking and Canoeing at night

Rich    kayakingholidays     canoeing, Canoeing holidays, Kayaking, kayaking at night, kayaking holidays, kayaking in winter, watersports, winter

Winter’s crap isn’t it? And as I build both kayaks and canoes of varying designs I like to keep paddling as long as possible in the year. But why mothball the boats at all when you can carry on kayaking and canoeing at night or just long into the evening?

Canoeing at night: Be seen!

So long as you follow some simple safety advice and use the right kit, you should never get into bother – and you’ll pretty much have the water to yourself!

Here’s 10 safety tips for kayaking and canoeing at night, read them and get hours more paddling time.

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The Outdoors Show: its the biggest show on earth!

Mark Pawlak    ash     Adventure Sports, camping, climbing, cycling, Kayaking, MTB, Outdoors Show, travel gear, trekking, Walking

Well, we might be exaggerating a little, but it’s massive! If you are into any of the major outdoor activities then look forward to The Outdoors Show in January – and we’ve got 3 pairs of tickets to give away!

From 12 – 15 January the Excel in London hosts four separate shows all pooled together: The Outdoors Show, the London Bike Show, the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show and the Active Travel Show.

The Outdoors Show has been running for 11 years. This year it’s host to the Finlandia Vodka Travel & Adventure Stage, where adventurers like shipwreck hunter David Mearns will be sharing their exploits, and there’s also as the best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival to watch.

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Can we get too close to nature?

Mark Pawlak    ash     California, canoeing, Kayaking, sea kayaking, swimming with whales, united states, Whales, whalewatching

Some sports take you closer to nature – and the closer you get, the greater your responsibility. Nature as scenery is passive; it’s usually  the weather conditions that will pose the real danger. Until you come face to face with some of the biggest animals on the planet…

The video clip here is a controversial one. There’s no denying that it’s one of the most amazing handy cam clips ever – nature documentaries take years to get this close. But when is close too close?

Image: Flickr Chris Walker Innerwealth

The International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee (IWC SC) has previously noted that “whale swims have the potential to negatively impact whales through harassment and disturbance”.

Which really is not the plan. Further reading shows that divers have their own concerns. A piece in Scuba Diving.com suggests that the best place to view whales is from the boat. But watching the video below, we can see why this guy kayaking in the US (off California) took the opportunity.

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‘Creatively Adventurous’ 25 ways to travel 1,000 miles

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Adventure Travel, america, australia, expeditions, explorer, Kayaking, skateboard, South America, SUP, World record

Being adventurous is just not enough for some people. Take Dave Cornthwaite: he’s set up Expedition1000, a series of 1,000-mile challenges each using non-motorised transport. With world records falling along the way and the media knocking on the door, we thought we’d grab a word with the man (he just paddled the Mississippi on a SUP!)

Best described as ‘creatively adventurous’, Dave is bringing fresh ideas to the world of expeditions and endurance challenges – and a considerable amount to his growing charity pot. Read on and find out what it’s taken to get this far, and where this remarkeable journey is headed.

Dave on the Mississippi

SUP is fairly new to the UK but increasingly popular, as long distance transport how does it compare to kayaking or canoeing?

In 2009, I kayaked over 1500 miles along the length of Australia’s Murray River, at the time it was easily the most enjoyable journey I’d ever made. Now I can safely say that I will never travel by kayak again. Not only is SUP a much better form of all-round exercise, it’s a more rewarding experience. The vantage point is better, it’s more simple, less impact. People will be travelling long distances by SUP until the end of time, it’s glorious.

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Why canoes don’t need motors

Rich    kayakingholidays     Canoe, canoeing, Kayak, Kayaking, kayaking holidays

My girlfriend Amber and I spent a Sunday a couple of weekends ago on the river Dart in Devon, with a friend (and customer) and his cheating brother…

Amber, and man with a motor

We set out from Dittisham near Dartmouth, with its reasonable parking and easy access to the water (when the tide is right – and even when it’s not, it’s  a 200m walk at the most) and I introduced Paul and his wife Coleen to their new boat. As this was straight from production and Paul’s first time in a canoe, I took it for a little spin with him so that he could get used to it.

Well, the test went swimmingly (thankfully,with no swimming). And after Paul’s brother Stephen turned up and unloaded his canoe (with a motor ,WTF?!?!) it was time for Coleen to join Paul on the water for her first trip in the canoe.  Sadly, just three meters after pushing off from the shore they turned it over, giving them both a good soaking and covering them in mud!

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Kayaking: Why throwing yourself in at the deep end works

Jonathan Tait    ash, kayakingholidays     Adventure Sports, canoeing, Kayaking, river kayaking, watersports

I can’t breathe. My leg is trapped, bent back on itself into my kayak. My kayak is in no better state than myself, stuck, almost upright, between a rock and a tree. I rip my leg out and fall forwards into the water, my leg now caught in the drowning tree. I push and kick outwards, water crashing over my head at unimaginable speed.

This is the very first bend in the river and I’m already underwater, attempting to rip myself free from the various obstacles that hindered my oxygen supply. Eventually I struggle loose and I float through the now calm waters.

Don't expect your first trip to be so easy! Image: Library of Congress

This isn’t to scare you. This is my first attempt at kayaking, in Tena, Ecuador and I’m on a Class 3 rapid. Rated from 1 – 6, a class 3 is certainly strong enough for a beginner. Having only been in the kayak a few minutes I haven’t adjusted to the feeling of wobbling on the water, and I get sucked in to the wrong side of the rapid.

Once the trip resumes, it is a very enjoyable experience. Generally calming into a Class 2 ride, the river weaves its way through the unspoilt Amazon fringe, passing kingfishers and goldpanners.

Boasting the highest density of rivers anywhere in the world, Tena is the perfect spot to hop into the water. Not being a water baby my nerves were shredded. But my point is, when travelling, when trying adventure sports, throwing yourself in at the deep end is the best way to maximise the experience. I am buzzing with adrenaline and it is a vitalising moment.