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 […]

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 […]

I'll never forget my first run-in with Michigan DNR officers on Lake St. Clair. There I was, paddling my brand-new fishing kayak, feeling like the king of the water – until the patrol boat pulled up. Turns out, my trolling motor meant I needed registration numbers, and my "I'll just grab a PFD if I […]

Last Saturday at Lake Travis, I watched two friends have the exact same argument I've been hearing for years: "Kayaks are way better for fishing!" versus "Dude, paddleboards are so much more fun!" After 12 years of paddling both and owning three kayaks plus two SUPs, I can tell you they're both wrong – and […]

The sun was just breaking over Lake Travis when I watched a first-time paddler struggle to keep his rented canoe going straight. Twenty minutes later, his buddy in a kayak had already made it to the far shore while canoe-guy was still zigzagging like a drunk fish. That morning perfectly captured the canoe vs kayak […]