The morning I launched my first V-hull sea kayak into 3-foot chop at Galveston, I learned a hard lesson about kayak hull designs. My buddy in his flat-bottom fishing kayak looked like he was riding a mechanical bull, while I sliced through those waves like they weren't even there. That day changed how I think […]

Last summer, I finally hit my breaking point. My garage looked like a kayak graveyard with boats stacked on boats, paddles scattered everywhere, and my wife threatening to park my truck outside if I brought home "just one more" fishing kayak. Sound familiar? That's when I decided to build my own kayak storage shed. After […]

Last April, I watched the morning mist lift off the Kentucky River as limestone cliffs towered 300 feet above my kayak. A great blue heron stood motionless on a rock ledge, waiting for breakfast to swim by. After paddling in 38 states over the past two decades, that moment in the Palisades still ranks in […]

Last Memorial Day weekend, I watched in envy as a parade of kayakers glided past my picnic spot at Lighthouse Point Park. Their colorful boats dotted the calm waters of Morris Creek like floating confetti, and that's when I knew – I'd been missing out on one of Connecticut's best-kept secrets. After spending the entire […]

Last Friday at dawn, I sat in my kayak watching the mist rise off Lake Travis, completely still except for the gentle drip of water from my paddle. That's when it hit me - the quote my grandfather used to say: "The river teaches what books cannot." Twenty years of paddling later, I finally understood […]

Last spring, I watched a guy at Lake Travis pull out what looked like a rolled-up tarp from his Honda Civic. Twenty minutes later, he was paddling circles around my buddy in his $2,000 hardshell fishing kayak. That inflatable? A Sea Eagle RazorLite that tracked better than some rigid boats I've owned. That moment changed […]

The morning mist was still rising off Walden Pond when I first dipped my paddle into Massachusetts waters fifteen years ago. Since then, I've explored nearly every paddleable waterway from the Berkshire hills to Cape Cod's sandy shores, and I'm still discovering new favorite spots each season. Massachusetts offers something special for every paddler – […]

The morning mist was just lifting off Lake Willoughby when I first dipped my paddle into Vermont's waters. That was 12 years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. Between the covered bridges reflecting in calm waters and the blazing fall colors framing every paddle stroke, Vermont has become my go-to destination when I need […]

Last weekend at Mosquito Lagoon, I watched a game warden write three tickets in under an hour. The violations? Missing safety gear that most paddlers didn't even know they needed. After 20 years paddling Florida waters from the Panhandle to the Keys, I've learned that understanding Florida kayak laws and regulations isn't just about avoiding […]

I'll never forget my first time paddling through the mangrove tunnels near Key Largo. The water was so clear I could see a spotted eagle ray gliding beneath my kayak, and when I looked up, a roseate spoonbill was perched just feet away. That moment – that perfect South Florida moment – is why I've […]