I guess I would call myself an open boater on the way to becoming a Jack-of-all-trades. I bought a sea kayak last year, but I haven’t been out in it as much as I through I would. About 20% of my trips so far his year were in the sea kayak. Of my canoe trips, 60% were whitewater and 40% were flatwater. I guess I’m OK with that. Plenty of paddling left for the year, and I will probably do more flatwater than whitewater in the canoe. Hopefully I’ll get out on some sea kayak trips as well. Haven’t done much tripping, but have a week-long trip in Maine coming up – looking forward to that.
When I’m in my kayak feeling connected to the sea, I think I love it the best. When I have a single blade in hand in a canoe and dance on a river, I think I love it the best. When I am heeled to the lee in a stiff wind, I think I love it the best. Throw in camping and good friends with any of the three above and they rank high among the best things in life.
Two days ago kayak camping on Lake Jocassee with good friends!
I am way more inclined towards rough water padding, be it running rivers, tidal flows or surf. I get bored by flat water (unless I am fishing from a canoe/kayak). If it’s flat, I would much rather grab my bike and just head out for ride, or don the hiking boots for a jaunt at the local reservations. Much less hassle and more of a workout. (I am always thinking of the “work out” with whatever I do as well.)
I paddle mostly coastal waters with the occasional spring fed river thrown in. I don’t mind some rough water but don’t actively go looking to play in it and try my best to stay out of the surf if I can (I’ll leave it all for you @sing!).
All of my kayaks are sea kayaks - I like paddling boats that can take more than I can take. Mine have gotten me through some gnarly stuff more than once.
My ideal paddle is 10-14 miles coastwise or out to a barrier island, ideally with a spot with some clear pretty water to enjoy. I also enjoy kayak sailing when the conditions are right.
It depends on the day, the depth of water and many other things.
I still have a racing boat I like to go fast in flatwater with.
I have a surfski for playing in big water, but that is happening less because of red tide and advancing age. It hurts less to fall out of it than to roll a boat, but getting back in is slower.
I also have some 12 foot packboats I built that I like to use in skinny water, both for fishing, going out for a recreational day with my lady, or to explore the way back areas of the rivers.
I think I would clarify myself as an explorer. Multiple days on a river, and now along a coast, seeing things and places I haven’t before or revisiting ones I know is the main reason I have any of my “transport vehicles” (deuce and a half, mtn bike, kayak, even my feet). In addition to that I really enjoy the dexterity and connectedness that comes from working a kayak (or mtn bike) through environments that are less than perfect and pushing/increasing my skill level.
Well, I guess I’m a switch hitter. Canoes for rivers & Canada tripping & sea kayaks for the Great Lakes & other open water.
Headed out Sunday for a week of paddling & portaging north of Elliot Lake with my daugher & a group of friends. We have a new this year Northstar B-17 for the trip. 43 pounds of canoe will be awesome on the portages.
Lasr year it was a week at Isle Royale in a NDK Explorer LV. It’s all good.
As an aside, you must have seen the Vlogs by “Lost Lakes” on youtube, given your geography. I came across his 60 minute video on his canoe camping trip on Lake Nipigon. I got really pulled into his trip and ended up watching the whole thing and greatly enjoying it! I appreciated the solitude and observations he had.
I started over 4 decades ago with a whitewater C1, added a whitewater kayak or three, and added a whitewater OC1. A decade later got a flatwater tandem canoe, still paddled whitewater C1s and kayaks. Around 2015 picked up a touring kayak and then got into solo tripping canoes. I mostly paddle flatwater solo canoes now, but will sometimes head out for some whitewater in my OC1 or kayak.
If there is water, it is good.
Sea kayaks, only, for me. Nothing against other form factors I am just not interested in putting in the work to get good at something else. I much prefer textured water over slow, sticky flat water.
I love putting in and paddling a short distance to where I can spend time figuring out how my hull reacts to different textures or edge applications and how to apply those tools in the real world. It is not unusual for me to launch, paddle for a few hours and never get more than a few hundred yards from launch. Going fast or far interests me not.
I like doing miles when I have to pay attention to stay upright. Going more miles than someone else? I couldn’t care less. Give me conditions where I have to apply those hull/texture interactions and I am a happy guy.
Actually, they hadn’t shown up in my feed. I’ve spent more time with ‘Explore the Backcountry’ and some with 'Canoe the North. Looking forward to viewing some of those.
Beat you to it. I had a moment to ask YouTube. Started to view one that is close to where we are going in a couple of days but will need to come back to it is a week or so. The upcoming trip is going to be a bit more laid back than previous ones in the area. We’ll spend at least 2 nights at one or two sites. There are a couple of lakes back up a creek or two that are marked as having Brook Trout & I plan to investigate.
One of the interesting features in the area is a fairly narrow band of Breccia on Dollyberry lake. Probably volcanic but may have a relation to Sudberry. I’ve tried to dig up any papers on the area but so far have come up empty. Given the area, it’s likely over a billion years old.
Oh I am envious. Some back country camping and fishing. This summer flew by. Never got around to doing a backpacking/flyfishing for native brookies in the White Mountains. Around here, we don’t get many ponds/lakes with native brook. Occaisonally, I hook up with a 12-14" “brook trout”. I am disappointed by these as I know it’s factory fish raised by Dept of “Wildlife…”
You are among a few on this board that gets out there every day and are truly getting daily exercise through paddling.
I try to get 4-5 sessions/week of intentional exercise (including resistance training and stretching) just to be somewhat in physical shape to take on the waves when these arrive.
I have a C1 that I never paddle - Dagger Cascade. it’s a blast, but I never got a roll and it is just too low for me to kneel in for any length of time. I should probably pass it on to someone who will put it to good use.
Evolving. At first it was about the quiet, the views, and nature. Then skills development. Then going further distances, and now it’s rolling. After rolling maybe rough water? I dunno, but it’s all fun!
