The waterways of Long Beach have become my weekend escape from LA's endless hustle. There's something magical about pushing off from Alamitos Bay at dawn, when the water sits like glass and the morning fog hasn't burned off yet. Just 20 miles from downtown Los Angeles, this coastal paddling paradise delivers an experience that feels […]

When most paddlers think about prime kayaking destinations, Nebraska rarely tops their list. That is a mistake. With more than 79,000 miles of rivers and 10 officially designated water trails spanning approximately 518 miles, the Cornhusker State quietly delivers some of the most diverse paddling experiences in the Midwest. Kayaking in Nebraska means gliding through […]

The first time I watched the sun rise over the Missouri River from a kayak, I understood why paddlers become obsessed with this sport. Standing at the water's edge at Kaw Point Park, where two great American rivers meet, the Kansas City skyline glowed amber behind me while herons took flight ahead. That was three […]

Yes, kayaking is available in New Orleans throughout the year, with options ranging from urban bayou paddles in Bayou St. John to guided eco swamp tours in nearby wetlands like Manchac and Honey Island Swamp. Local outfitters offer kayak rentals, guided excursions, and launch point access for independent paddlers exploring the region's diverse waterways. The […]

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 spring, I watched a father and his teenage son shivering on the shore of Wawayanda Lake after an unexpected capsize. They had life jackets in their kayak, but not on their bodies. The air felt mild at 65 degrees, but the water was still a frigid 48 degrees from winter runoff. That experience taught […]

The sun was just breaking over the Cascade Mountains when I launched my kayak into Lake Roosevelt last spring. Within minutes of paddling out from Sterling Point, my fish finder lit up like a Christmas tree. Twenty feet down, suspended over a rocky ledge, was a school of bronzebacks that would make any angler's heart […]

Picture yourself miles from shore when an unexpected wave catches your kayak broadside. Water rushes into the cockpit, and for a moment, panic sets in. But instead of your vessel becoming a waterlogged tomb, something remarkable happens. The bow and stern remain buoyant, trapping air in sealed compartments that keep your boat floating level even […]

Nothing kills the excitement of paddling season faster than pulling out your kayak and discovering it's warped, cracked, or covered in mildew. I learned this the hard way when I neglected proper storage techniques during my first year of ownership. That expensive touring kayak developed a slight but noticeable deformation along the hull that affected […]

After fifteen years of paddling across every type of water imaginable, I've seen firsthand how a neglected kayak hull can transform from showroom-shiny to chalky and weather-beaten in a single season. Just last month at a local launch, I watched a fellow paddler struggle to scrub months of algae and grime off his composite touring […]