I'll never forget the day my buddy's kayak turned into a submarine off the coast of Monterey Bay. We were paddling through some decent swells when a rogue wave caught him sideways. His cockpit filled instantly, and within seconds, his entire kayak was underwater – except it wasn't. The bow and stern stayed buoyant, keeping […]

I'll never forget the sickening crunch I heard on I-95 just outside Jacksonville. My buddy Mike's kayak had just become a $1,200 projectile, cartwheeling across three lanes of traffic at 70 mph. The cam buckle on his front strap had slipped, and within seconds, his brand-new Wilderness Systems Tsunami was scattered in pieces across the […]

The first time I flipped my kayak while fighting a 5-pound largemouth on Lake Travis, I learned three valuable lessons: always secure your tackle box, expensive sunglasses sink fast, and laughing at yourself beats crying every time. That was six years ago, and since then, I've logged thousands of hours fishing from kayaks across Texas, […]

I'll never forget the morning I launched my kayak into Lake Superior near Munising. The water was so clear I could see 30 feet down to the rocky bottom, and ahead of me, the Pictured Rocks cliffs rose like ancient castles from the water. That day changed everything - what started as a casual paddle […]

I learned the hard way that choosing between a wetsuit and drysuit isn't just about staying warm – it's about staying alive. After dunking myself in 45°F water wearing nothing but board shorts (yeah, not my brightest moment), I became obsessed with cold water gear. Now, after testing dozens of suits in everything from Florida […]

Last February, I was paddling through the early morning mist on Orange Lake when my fish finder lit up like a slot machine. Twenty yards ahead, a massive grass bed dropped off into deeper water – prime largemouth territory. I pitched my Texas-rigged Junebug worm right to the edge, let it sink, and felt that […]

Last Saturday morning, I found myself standing at Kaw Point Park, watching the Kansas River merge with the mighty Missouri. The sun painted the downtown KC skyline gold, and I couldn't help but grin – this was exactly why I fell in love with urban paddling. After spending the last three years exploring every waterway […]

The first time I paddled through a Louisiana swamp, my heart nearly stopped when a six-foot alligator surfaced ten feet from my kayak. But instead of the attack I'd imagined, the prehistoric creature simply glided past, more interested in sunbathing than bothering with me. That moment in the Manchac Swamp changed everything I thought I […]

Last Saturday morning, I was paddling through the glassy waters of Lady Bird Lake when a great blue heron landed on a fallen cypress branch just 10 feet from my kayak. That's when it hit me - after living in Austin for 15 years and paddling these waters hundreds of times, I still discover something […]

Last July, I found myself 140 feet underground, paddling through America's largest underground lake in complete darkness except for my headlamp. The Lost Sea in Sweetwater had me questioning everything I thought I knew about kayaking in Tennessee. Turns out, the Volunteer State holds way more paddling surprises than just its famous rivers. After spending […]