September 04, 2010

On Location: Eye-Level With Gators At Myakka River State Park

A pair of eyes cautiously watches me approach from the water's surface. There is no movement, other than the gentle breeze blowing swamp grass on the nearby shore. As I draw nearer, I wonder how large this one is? Is it a creature that I could pick up and put into my kayak? Or is this one of the huge ones...

One that might be able to swallow my kayak whole.

I'll never know, because as I drift closer- thirty, twenty, ten feet away, it effortlessly and motionlessly disappears below the surface. No splashing or wake or change in current. It was just there looking at me, and just as quickly, it's gone, and I don't know where it is.

EtE: Paddling

To find a great place to paddle, use the Paddle Finder on the right.

Flatwater/Openwater places are best characterized by the lack of fast moving water, and the need for a longer boat. Traveling by kayak or canoe, these paddles are usually in bays, the ocean, wide flowing rivers, or large lakes. Boats vary in length from recreational (9 feet) to touring (19 feet), but most rest comforatably in the 13 to 16-feet zone.

Whitewater kayaking is described best as any paddling where the Class instituted by the Whitewater people is greater than Class I. On the whitewater Class scale, that means anything from Class II to V is game. Why no Class VI? Because we haven't finallized our last will and testament, and our insurence won't cover it. Boats best suited for this type of paddling are between 5 and 10 feet long.

We make no distinction between the risks involved in either type of boating. Paddling a class IV whitewater rapid is often as dangerous as paddling into a bay where motorized boat traffic is present. Safety is up to each indivdual person in his or her boat, and should be made a top priority. Never go out in a kayak or canoe in any kind of conditions without proper instructions on how to operate it safely.

Home Adventures Hiking Mountain Biking Paddling WtF?!? Escape the East Gear Talk Photo Gallery Event Calendar	September 04, 2010
	On Location: Eye-Level With Gators At Myakka River State Park A pair of eyes cautiously watches me approach from the water's surface. There is no movement, other than the gentle breeze blowing swamp grass on the nearby shore. As I draw nearer, I wonder how large this one is? Is it a creature that I could pick up and put into my kayak? Or is this one of the huge ones... One that might be able to swallow my kayak whole. I'll never know, because as I drift closer- thirty, twenty, ten feet away, it effortlessly and motionlessly disappears below the surface. No splashing or wake or change in current. It was just there looking at me, and just as quickly, it's gone, and I don't know where it is. EtE: Paddling To find a great place to paddle, use the Paddle Finder on the right. Flatwater/Openwater places are best characterized by the lack of fast moving water, and the need for a longer boat. Traveling by kayak or canoe, these paddles are usually in bays, the ocean, wide flowing rivers, or large lakes. Boats vary in length from recreational (9 feet) to touring (19 feet), but most rest comforatably in the 13 to 16-feet zone. Whitewater kayaking is described best as any paddling where the Class instituted by the Whitewater people is greater than Class I. On the whitewater Class scale, that means anything from Class II to V is game. Why no Class VI? Because we haven't finallized our last will and testament, and our insurence won't cover it. Boats best suited for this type of paddling are between 5 and 10 feet long. We make no distinction between the risks involved in either type of boating. Paddling a class IV whitewater rapid is often as dangerous as paddling into a bay where motorized boat traffic is present. Safety is up to each indivdual person in his or her boat, and should be made a top priority. Never go out in a kayak or canoe in any kind of conditions without proper instructions on how to operate it safely.	Paddle Finder 1. Select a State 2.