So you want to get serious about kayaking. You have already decided to buy yourself a kayak and your schedule for the coming months has enough room for trips to the river or the lake to “do your thing”, so to speak. The problem is, you don’t have the basics down just yet, and you’re afraid you may have missed something if you forge head on with it. What should you do?
Be Acquainted with it
Well, the first thing you should do would be to learn what you could about it. Do not hit the water without knowing the first thing about kayaking. There are many books and publications dedicated to the sport. You can browse them and read through the many articles written on the subject. There are also a lot of online sources that you can peruse to get the information you need. Spending time with kayakers and asking them questions about the activity would also be a very good idea.
Tips On Getting Started
Let us give you some tips on how you can get started on your way to being a kayaker.
- Know how to paddle: Signing up for paddling classes is highly advised. Remember that the main thing you’d be doing while kayaking would be working those paddles, so it is important that you have more than a passing knowledge on how to go about it.
- Know how to navigate: In the future, you may want to venture further than a few miles from the shore. Therefore, you have to learn how to read maps and use other navigation tools.
- Practice: Small, baby steps. That’s how you should start. Take what you’ve learned from paddling classes and practice them, taking note of each stroke. Maybe practice paddling on a small patch of the water without venturing more than a few yards from the shore.
- Be aware: Know what the weather will be like. Keep your ears and eyes wide open for any news, forecasts, and the like. Even if you aren’t an expert (yet) on predicting the weather, wind speed, and direction, at least you know when to trust the experts.
- Choose a properly fitted kayak: The more comfortable you are while seated on it, the easier and more efficient your paddling will be.
- Have a paddling buddy: Learning by yourself is good; learning with another is even better. Besides, it is also another way to address the safety issue. At least there is someone who will have your back, just as you will have his or hers.
- Make sure you have the necessary safety gear: A personal flotation device (PFD) is a must.
- Stay connected: Make sure you have a communication device, such as a radio, to stay connected to someone on the shore, in case you need help.
- Dress for the occasion: Choose your paddling clothes carefully. You don’t want to be weighed down by inappropriate clothing. Your beginner status is already something you should be concerned about; there is no need to add any more to that.
And, Finally…
The most important tip of all would be to have fun. Enjoy the experience. The learning experience, the initial steps taken, would always be in your memory, so make sure to enjoy every moment of it. In the future, when you’ve already upped your skills as a kayaker and taking on bigger challenges, you will look back to the time when you were just starting out and marvel at how far you’ve gone.
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