Common Kayaking Mistakes That You Might Want to Avoid
If you’ve been bitten by the kayaking bug, you know all too well how freeing the experience is: winding along lazy rivers, cascading in rough waters, taking in the stellar sights of the world from the water—there’s nothing quite like a good kayaking trip. Of course, kayaking is still a demanding physical activity that requires skill and basic knowledge. The following will explore several common kayaking mistakes that you might want to avoid.
Not Telling Someone Where You’re Going
Rule number one with any activity that involves moving away from areas settled by humans: tell someone where you’re going. If possible, explain your route and give your friend or colleague or family member a rough time they can expect your return. This way, if something happens while you’re out on the water, people will start looking for you sooner rather than later. Some parks also require you to let staff know which route you’re taking and will present you with a time that you need to be back by, or they’ll send out a search party. These safety precautions might seem like they’re ruining the spontaneity of the trip, but they could very well end up saving your life.
Not Addressing Struggles
Kayaking is a much vaster topic than many people realize. Just spend a few moments perusing the leading resource for advice on kayaking, and you’ll be shocked by how many tips there are. Don’t assume that certain discomforts or struggles are simply part of the activity. Someone somewhere has come up with a solution to that very issue if you look. You don’t have to have soggy sandwiches for lunch—there are kayak-specific lunchboxes. Chafing is a common outcome of performing the same action repeatedly, like rowing a kayak. There are creams and clothing designed specifically to help with this. Maybe some of your aches or navigation issues are caused by improperly gripping the oar. You won’t know until you do a little research. Lookup any difficulties you have; there might be an easy solution just waiting to be discovered.
Not Learning Navigation
You don’t have to stick to the coast and face one direction the entire time you kayak to avoid getting lost. Learning to read a compass and understanding the basics of navigation will help ensure you can explore wherever your heart desires. This is a particularly important skill set to develop if you often kayak outside of the area in which your phone can receive service, as this makes using GPS-enabled apps and devices more difficult or, sometimes, impossible.
Not Wearing A Personal Flotation Device
Depending on where you’re kayaking, you might end up crossing regulatory lines and find yourself in an area that legally requires you to have a personal flotation device for each person in the kayak. Hefty fines are often the price to pay for getting caught without a life jacket in a boat, and no one wants to deal with that headache. Ensure that you have the appropriate emergency response items onboard for the area you’ll be kayaking in.
Not Brushing Up On Wilderness Safety
Many people focus heavily on the kayaking itself and forget to focus on additional skills that might be needed where they’re going. If you kayak in the wilderness, there are basic safety tips that should be learned. This is especially critical for younger children if you bring any with you. Knowing not to keep wandering when you get lost can mean the difference between a brief hiccup in your day and a serious problem. It is vital that you have an emergency plan for common problems that can arise in the wilderness and the appropriate safety tools and devices for the climate you’re facing.
Not Listening To Your Body
Your body is a wondrous thing; it’s what moves you from place to place your entire life. It’s also something that can get worn out if you don’t listen to it. If you’re noticing shaking in your muscles, it’s time for a break. If you’re aching, it’s a good idea to stop and address the soreness. Any physical sensation that is not pleasant is your body sending you a message; it’s your body letting you know that something is wrong, and if that thing keeps being wrong, serious damage might occur. Never ignore pains, aches, discomfort, itchiness, or any other negative sensations. Respect your body and be aware of your limits.
Not Dressing For The Weather
There is a fantastic Danish proverb which goes something like: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad outfits. This couldn’t be more true when it comes to kayaking. Be sure that you have appropriate clothing for the temperature, humidity, and sun, as nothing will ruin a kayaking trip faster than being miserably unprepared for the weather. You might even want to look into waterproof options for longer trips as being wet isn’t so big of a deal for a short excursion, but being damp for hours on end can leave you shivering, catching a cold, or developing foot problems.
Not Saving Energy For The Return Trip
When you’re a beginner, it can be hard to gauge your physical limits. It’s tempting to glide away from your starting point for hours into the great, wide, open, enjoying the sight of clouds and mountains and forests without thinking about all the energy it’s going to take you to get back to where you started. You need to save energy for your return trip.
Not Considering The Tide
If you’re kayaking in the ocean, you need to be thinking about the tide. Depending on when you leave and when you return, you might find that it was incredibly easy to set out and get super far from your starting point, but suddenly it’s become twice as difficult to get back as you’re paddling against the tide.
The above list includes a few of the most common kayaking mistakes. If you’re just beginning to get into kayaking, it’s a good idea to stick close to home and not push yourself too hard at the start. Kayaking uses muscles you might not be used to using, and so exhaustion can sneak up on you if you’re not careful.
