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Of all of nature’s elements wind is probably the one that most often effects us as paddlers. Living in a coastal environment means lots of interaction between land, air, and water. The dramatic differences between the temperatures of the ocean, bay, and land leads to one constant - wind! On sunny days in the summer the land heats up much more quickly than the water. As that hot air rises, the cooler air over the ocean is sucked into the void left by the rising hot air. This is called a sea breeze, and in our area the predominant direction is from the south. This sea breeze can easily reach speeds of 25 - 30 mph over open areas of water on the bays. One of the most important elements with wind that effects us

What kayak should I buy? I get asked that question literally thousands of times over the course of the summer. Unfortunately there is no “one” perfect kayak. If there was, everyone would have one and this article would be about choosing the perfect color. What most people should be asking themselves is – what will I primarily be using my kayak for and where will I be using it? All kayak designs are a combination of tradeoffs. For example, a kayak that is stable and easy to maneuver (short and wide) is going to be shaped quite differently than one that is really fast (long and narrow). So maybe you want a kayak that is kinda stable and kinda fast. You have to determine your own set of compromises. Over the years I’ve heard of

It’s early in the kayaking season at Coastal Kayak, but with the weather finally getting comfortable, it’s time for tours. Guides, like me, are getting their sea legs back. Wildlife is primping and prepping for this year’s round of visitors. On a warm, sunny tour Little Assawoman Back Bay Tour today (4/21), four women from New England and I saw more than our share of wildlife doing its Spring thing. Bald eagles were stretching their wings; osprey were fishing; great blue herons, little green herons and great white egrets were standing like sentinels in the salt marsh; terns were being their normally raucous selves … and Canada geese were sitting on their nests awaiting the arrival of five or six goslings. Maybe the next time I go out, the fluffy babies will be there. If

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bqFjEK3mnE Coastal Kayak's lead instructor, Mitch Mitchell, has made a number of kayak and stand up paddleboard instructional videos over the years but this one on launching a kayak through the surf remains the most popular! Before attempting this, you will want to have a very solid base of kayaking skills under your belt. You should have killer bracing and edging skills. You should be very comfortable with wet exits and self-rescues. A roll is, of course, even better. And you should have spent a good amount of time standing on the beach, studying waves and sets and beach styles. In other words, this is not for beginners! You can check out more of his videos, some instructional and some purely for entertainment, on his YouTube channel!

It’s that time of year again, finally! The days are getting longer, the sun is getting stronger, the water is winking at you, beckoning you to come on out. But wait! What exactly are you wearing?? Believe it or not, immersion in water as warm as 50-60 degrees can cause what is called “Cold Water Shock”. If you capsize in waters at these temperatures or below, your body’s first reaction is to gasp for air, followed by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, and disorientation. In only a few minutes, your body can become incapacitated. Hypothermia is more well known and happens when the body can’t reheat itself or maintain its core temperature. Cold water shock can easily lead to hypothermia and both can be fatal. These preventable tragedies happen frequently in the

The great thing about kayaking and paddleboarding is how beginner-friendly these activities are. Manufacturers have made equipment that is so stable and comfortable that nearly anyone can grab a paddle and a lifejacket and hit the water with no previous experience. In fact, for people completely new to the sport, we recommend doing an hour rental first just to make sure they are comfortable and enjoy it prior to taking a lesson. And who doesn’t fall in love with paddling immediately?! But once a person decides that paddling is a sport that they want to pursue, we strongly recommend taking a lesson. Lessons are beneficial for a number of reasons: 1) A short cut to proper technique: Instruction will teach you the correct way to paddle and more importantly, will prevent you from picking up

Leading a tour through the salt marsh at Burton’s Island this time of year is a little more challenging. It’s well beyond the prime breeding season for horseshoe crabs and, like the paddlers who go to Assateague Island in hopes of kayaking close to the ponies, paddlers to Burton’s Island hope to see limulus polyphemus up close. In late May, June and early July, it isn’t difficult to accommodate them. In early September, it’s an almost inch-by-inch quest of the island. But, if the “horseshoe crab wrangler” is among the paddling group, it’s a no-brainer. Almost as soon as we landed for some beachcombing, young Ethan from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, zeroed in on every shell he saw. “Is that one?” he asked, pointing to a female. “Yes,” I said, “but that one’s dead and they’re

Feels like fall is in the air, which makes it a great time to go paddling. On our tour to the Cypress swamp this week, we had excellent conditions on the pond. The air was cool, the water like glass, and the crowds have thinned down. Nothing like paddling the trail with sunbeams shinning through the trees and the cypress reflecting on the water. The folks on the tour were super quiet so all we heard were the paddles in the water, the boat cutting ripples into the surface, and the wings and squawk of the great blue heron as he took off through the trees. As one paddler said, "it's feels like something from a movie", and I agree. The fall is just starting and as the leaves start to change and the cypress start to

Yesterday was a great tour.  Getting out early provided us with crystal clear water.  As we paddled, everyone could see plenty of blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, fish and terrapins.  With a very interested group of paddlers, we feed horseshoe crabs and ate some sea lettuce! - Sarah B

Could not have asked for better conditions for the Moonrise Tour on July 31st! Light winds to start died out to glassy, calm waters as the sun began to set. The egrets and herons on Point of Cedars Island were silhouetted by the gorgeous sunset. We relaxed listening to the birds getting settled in for the night as the beautiful orange Blue Moon rose above the horizon and then enjoyed a peaceful paddle back to Coastal Kayak's beach. I'd like to order another one exactly the same for next month! - Neil Baker