What is Kayaking?

Kayaking is a water sport that involves using a double-bladed oar to paddle a small boat called a kayak. There are many different kayaks – sit-on-top kayaks, recreational kayaks, inflatable kayaks, fishing kayaks, whitewater kayaks, tandem kayaks, and touring kayaks, among others – each one designed for the kind of kayaking activity you’d like to do. Most kayaks can only accommodate one person, but some designs (i.e. tandem kayaks) can hold two or three people and even pets.

Beginner

If you are still a beginner, it would be best to start with flat-water kayaking. This means you should have your first session on a body of water that is sheltered from the wind and does not have large waves. Otherwise, you will have some difficulty maneuvering through the waters and may end up getting into an accident.

Getting started

Before getting started, it’s also wise to do some reading on how to get in a kayak and how to properly kayak in the first place. While it may seem simple, having foundational understanding of proper form and techniques could be a life-saver.

Once you’ve become an expert kayaker, you can then move on to more complicated kayaking, such as taking part in races or braving the white waters. Remember to always consider your safety above anything else before deciding to kayak in dangerous conditions.

For those who are new to this sport, here is a checklist of the equipment and items you need to bring with you on your first outing:

For longer and challenging kayaking trips, you may also bring extra gear such as:

Towline

Paddle float

Paddling knife

GPS or Maps

Compass

Float bags

Two-way radios