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 […]

I'll never forget my first kayak crabbing trip in Puget Sound. I thought I knew what I was doing after years of fishing from my kayak, but watching my borrowed crab pot sink into 40 feet of water with no buoy attached taught me a $50 lesson real quick. The old-timer who lent me the […]

I'll never forget my first unplanned swim in Lake Travis. One minute I was confidently paddling along the limestone cliffs, the next I was bobbing next to my upside-down kayak watching a motorboat wake roll away. That cold water shock hit like a slap in the face, but what really got my heart racing was […]

The first time I paddled beneath the towering cliffs of Pictured Rocks, my hands were shaking - not from fear, but from pure awe. A 200-foot wall of multicolored sandstone rose straight out of crystal-clear water so cold it took my breath away. That was twelve years ago, and I've been obsessed with Lake Superior […]

Last Fourth of July weekend, I watched an Illinois conservation officer write three tickets at Busse Lake in about 20 minutes. The violations? Missing PFDs, no sound device, and a motorized kayak without registration. The total fines? Over $500. That expensive morning could have been avoided with a basic understanding of Illinois kayak laws. After […]

Last summer, I found myself paddling through downtown Chicago at sunset, skyscrapers towering above while herons fished beside my kayak. That's when it hit me - Illinois offers some of the most diverse paddling experiences in the country. From urban adventures to pristine wilderness, the Prairie State has it all. After exploring waterways from the […]

Last Tuesday, I was paddling across Lake Travis when a guy in a rental kayak pulled up beside me. "Hey, how long does it take to get to that island?" he asked, pointing to a spot about a mile away. "Twenty minutes if you hustle, thirty if you're taking photos," I told him. He looked […]

The sun was just breaking over the Lincoln Memorial when I pushed off from Thompson Boat Center for my first paddle on the Potomac. After years of kayaking lakes and rivers across the country, I wasn't prepared for what DC offered - monument views from the water, cherry blossoms reflecting in the calm morning surface, […]

Last Saturday morning at Lake Cachuma, I watched a guy land a 12-pound largemouth bass using nothing but a beat-up spinner and 20-year-old line. Meanwhile, three boats away, someone with $5,000 worth of gear hadn't had a bite all morning. That's California fishing for you – it's not about having the fanciest equipment, it's about […]

Last summer, I watched my paddle slice through water so clear I could count individual rocks 20 feet below. The Wood River's turquoise current pushed my kayak through a corridor of aspens while Mt. McLoughlin loomed in the distance. After paddling in 15 states, I can honestly say Oregon spoiled me – and it'll spoil […]