Introduction The morning mist was still clinging to the Wailua River when I pushed my kayak into the jade-colored water for the first time. That was twelve years ago, and I'd just moved to Kauai from Texas, thinking I knew a thing or two about paddling from my weekends on Lake Travis. Boy, was I […]

I'll never forget my first real sea kayaking experience off the Dorset coast. There I was, paddling what felt like a toothpick through 3-foot swells, wondering if I'd bitten off more than I could chew. That was 15 years ago. Since then, I've paddled everywhere from the glassy waters of the Sea of Cortez to […]

The first time I paddled around the corner at Ke'e Beach and saw those 4,000-foot cliffs rising straight from the Pacific, my jaw literally dropped. I'd been kayaking for years – from Alaska's glacier-fed waters to the mangroves of Florida – but nothing prepared me for the raw majesty of kayaking the Na Pali Coast. […]

Last summer, I found myself standing knee-deep in the Little Miami River, watching my buddy's kayak float away after a botched launch. As we scrambled through the shallows trying to catch it, an older paddler glided past and chuckled, "First time on Ohio waters?" That moment taught me two things: always secure your kayak, and […]

The first time I paddled the Hocking River, I nearly missed the Natural Rockbridge entirely. There I was, focused on navigating a tricky bend near mile marker 5, when my buddy shouted from behind, "Dude, look UP!" Towering 50 feet above us was Ohio's largest natural bridge, and I'd been so fixated on my paddle […]

Last Saturday, I watched my 8-year-old nephew go from terrified of tipping to voluntarily jumping out of his kayak - all because we turned practice into a game. After 20 years of teaching paddling and running youth camps from Lake Travis to the Colorado River, I've learned that the right games transform nervous beginners into […]

Last Fourth of July weekend on Lake Buchanan, my trolling motor died 3 miles from the ramp. In 95-degree heat. With no wind. That soul-crushing paddle back taught me two things: always carry a backup paddle (duh), and there had to be a better way to keep my batteries charged on multi-day trips. Fast forward […]

I'll never forget the day my knees decided they'd had enough of my weekend warrior antics. Standing at the boat launch on Lake Travis, staring at my kayak, I realized getting into that low seat was going to be a whole different ballgame with two cranky joints that refused to bend past 90 degrees. That […]

I'll never forget my first real kayaking trip to Lake Travis. I showed up with nothing but a borrowed paddle and confidence – only to realize I was missing literally everything else I needed. After getting sunburned, soaked, and genuinely uncomfortable, I learned the hard way that proper gear makes the difference between a miserable […]

Last weekend on Lake Travis, I watched a buddy struggle with his ancient wetsuit that had started letting water seep through the seams. As he shivered on shore, wringing out what should have been a "waterproof" suit, it got me thinking – how many paddlers really understand what makes neoprene waterproof, and when it isn't? […]