How did you get into Sea Kayaking?

[leong]

We all know that the sea kayak is "far and away the best one-man boat in existence". But I’ve always wondered how people get started using these skinny boats on the ocean. What’s your story?

My story is the ultimate thriller that explores my forbidden attraction for fast human-powered craft. I’ll tell you about it if and only if a few others go first.

-Leon

[Phil Allen]

Took a paddle with ERBA for some b-day or another. Thought it was fun even though no one could control the boats. So took lessons with CRCK and discovered I liked going up/down and sideways with some degree of control. It's been a ten year plus ride since then, and taken me to some amazing places. Nothing quite like it.

best

Phil

[kate]

I lived in central Maryland and was an avid whitewater kayaker (that beginning is another tale) for about 10 years before the first big drought hit. Western Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, western PA - all the usual venues were dry. With no water in the rivers, a friend who had moved to my area of Maryland from Boston suggested I try sea kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay. Eh, it was okay, but when rain returned I was back to the rivers. I did a little more sea kayaking (none of it in the open ocean), and then a 5-day trip with Maine Island Kayak Co. in downeast Maine. That opened my eyes to the possibilities. Once I moved up to Boston, so close to the ocean, I split my free time between sea and whitewater kayaking. The Walden Pond Scum introduced me to the Greenland paddle. The sea/ww balance continued to skew more and more toward the ocean, until finally the only action my whitewater boat sees is at Cohasset Rip.

Not an ultimate thriller by any means.... but it's been a happy process with many good friends and amazing places along the way.

[leong]

I sailed a “lightning” class sailboat when I lived in NJ. There, I used a dry sailing service at a marina that was adjacent to a large lake (they store your boat on land and have it launched and ready to use when you need it).

When I moved to MA I took the lightening along too. I used to sail it out of Riverhead beach in Marblehead. But there was a lot of overhead involved; for example, moving the boat on it’s trailer from Bedford to Marblehead, launching it off the ramp, parking the car and trailer, putting up the mast, attaching the rudder, raising the sails, lowering the centerboard, etc. After many years of this I got tired of the overhead and sold the sailboat.

After several years sans my beloved sailing I realized that my weekends were boring. So I began to explore some interesting hobbies. I finally settled on haruspicy. It’s an exiting way to spend your time. However, it does have its downside too. For one thing, you spend a lot of your time spattered with blood and bile. For another, your wife won’t let you into the house. So I reluctantly gave up on my dream of becoming an accomplished haruspex.

That’s when it all began. I happened to pass the South Bridge Boat House on the Concord River and noticed someone paddling a small kayak, the 10’ Walden Paddler. It looked like a lot of fun so I stopped and spoke to the boat house manager. I bought a little used “Walden” that day.

The next day I took the Walden to the launch behind the police station at Manchester by the Sea. At that point in time I didn’t know what I didn’t know. However, I did have a PFD, pump and bow and stern float bags. So I paddled across Salem Bay all the way to Riverhead Beach in Marblehead. On a similar trip I ran into the future NSPN founder, Bob Burnett, in his Gulf Stream. He said I could go much faster in a real sea kayak and be much safer too. So I took his advice, bought a Gulf Stream, took a few lessons from CRCK and entered the next Blackburn Challenge. The rest is known history.

-Leon

Edited January 20, 2015 by leong

[ccarlson]

I had sailed for many years, beginning with renting daysailers,then buying a 21 footer and then a 28 footer. Loved it and spend many happy days on the water. Then, daughter grew up and had other interests, I got divorced, lost my job, no money, sold the sailboat, etc. Few years later, a neighbor in the condo complex I was renting in was out in front of her unit with this funny looking, skinny boat on top of her little car. I went over and asked about it. She said it was a sea kayak. I said, "you really take that little thing out on the sea?" She said that she did only on occasion but used it a lot on lakes, rivers, etc. as well. As an avid cyclist, I thought, hmmm, upper body exercise and being on the water... how bad could that be? So, I found a couple of places that did kayak day tours and availed myself of a few of those during the summer. I loved it! Then, having secured employment and having a couple of spare bucks, I decided that I needed to take a winter vacation somewhere warm. Wonder if one can kayak somewhere warm? Yup, found week-long sea kayak "adventures" In Baja that sounded like fun. So, made my arrangements and jetted off to Baja for 9 days camping on an island in the Sea of Cortez with kayaking every day (and some lovely young... oh, never mind). That did it. The following Spring, I bought a kayak and took a couple of lessons. Somewhere in my travels I managed to meet up with Bob Burnett and his motley crue of paddlers... think it was an email list of some sort. Spent many great days on the water with that group that ultimately became NSPN. Having Bob and guys like Jed Luby as a mentors/friends/motivators really cemented my love of the sport and provided me with the foundation to be a "real" paddler. Injuries (not kayak related) have kept me away from paddling for a couple of years but, I will be back :-)

[spuglisi]

I paddled a couple of times many years ago with friends....really liked it but wasn't sure I wanted to invest a whole $800 or $900 on a sea kayak (how silly does that sound now?) to maybe have it just sit in my backyard next to the canoe. As I was approaching 50 yrs old I decided that it was now or never and that I should have a kayak for my 50th b'day. I walked into seacoast kayak owned by , now good friends, Bill and Karen Harter and got myself a kayak....made a lot of great friends....had a lot of great paddles...saw the world from a totally different perspective. Now....11 years later...I'm so glad I did.

[Paul Sylvester]

Growing up we had a double and used to go smelting nights in the fall dressed in blue jeans. Summers we took it to the lakes and ocean. Camped out of it on Pest island in New Castle once. Fast forward to 97 and I am at Mystic Seaport attending the Wooden Boat Show looking for ideas for a small boat project. Skiff, dory etc,

Looking out near the docks I saw several kayakers rolling and lounging around near shore. Probably Connyak. Thank you guys! Now I am intrigued.

That winter I built two kayaks and a six hour canoe (20 hours). Met Bob Burnett June of 98. (again thank you) and hooked....

Determined to roll I took a lesson at Winnipesaukee Kayak and combined with the new nspn trips I was learning and gaining some skills. Met Rambo, aka Rick, on the ferry to Peaks for 3 star training.

Much more could be said. Great winter topic.

[Wayne S.]

About 7 or 8 years ago we used to vacation for a week every August on the Maine coast. I was an EMS staffer way back and had some experience with rec boats but mainly stayed on the hiking, climbing, and skiing side of the house. One day I saw rental outfitter in Maine, got intrigued, and promptly rented a plastic Aquanaut for an afternoon. Hiking on the ocean! How did I not appreciate that fact before. Well, that was it - totally hooked. That was three boats and many miles ago. First time poster, relatively new member, but longtime lurker here from almost day one. You guys have been an invaluable resource and inspiration. Thanks! I hope to hook with up you soon.

[leong]

>>I had sailed for many years, beginning with renting daysailers,then buying a 21 footer and then a 28 footer. Loved it and spend many happy days on the water.

Ahoy, Captain Carl,

Below is an oldie but goodie email exchange … I guess I archive all my kayaking emails. The email exchange between us is dated 5/25/07. I was running weekly Blackburn Challenge race-training workouts. Thunderbird is wonderful; it pulled the emails from my backup disk in seconds.

I'm not sure if we hooked up or not.

-Leon

----------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Blackburn Practice

Hi Carl,

I go out two to four times each week, but the days and times vary. Yesterday I paddled with Tom and plan to do it again next week on either Wednesday or Thursday. He wasn't ready to do the Blackburn circuit, but perhaps he will next week.

I think I'll be going out this coming Monday from Lanes Cove at about 10:30 AM. I'll post this and other possibilities on the private trips bulletin board.

Leon Granowitz | leon_g@alumni.stevens-tech.edu

Carl Carlson wrote:

> Hello leon,

>

> I'd be interested in doing this though uncertain that I could commit to a regular schedule. If you just post or let me know when you're going out, I can respond for each week. Or, if it's a specific day and time, I can just let you know each week.

>

> Thanks and have fun!

>

> Carl

[josko]

Booy, have to dredge pretty far -

Canoeing: trying to access good trout fishing spots on Cetina river in the 60's, then AMC WW school in the 70's, then a couple long-haul trips, then mom in the bow, two pamper-campers in the middle, and dad in the stern on lots of 1-2 week treks,...

Kayaking; got tired begging for rides to bonefish flats at AUTEC, then a couple Andros circumnavs, then Greg Paquin...

[Katherine]

I was living on the Maine coast without a boat, at all, no boat. How silly is that?!

Then I moved a little further inland and began dating a guy who knew I wanted to kayak so he bought 2 rec boats w assorted gear.

Then I moved back to MA and found myself on Plum Island after "Guide Training" w ERBA

Then came the Paddlesport show where I met Theresa Willett and was introduced to Valley boats and she pushed me to Suz Hutchinson who introduced me to Kokotat (I think she may rue the day...) & I did not buy a Tsunami, instead I bought a plastic Avocet and I drove it directly from the shop to Lake Chebaco and was exposed to the usefulness of a Crangle. I've been with all y'all ever since.

PS: my favorite tools are a Hutchinson & a

Wait for it...

An Allen wench

Thanks for the tip, Phil, I meant no disrespect...

[Phil Allen]

I was living on the Maine coast without a boat, at all, no boat. How silly is that?!

Then I moved a little further inland and began dating a guy who knew I wanted to kayak so he bought 2 rec boats w assorted gear.

Then I moved back to MA and found myself on Plum Island after "Guide Training" w ERBA

Then came the Paddlesport show where I met Theresa Willett and was introduced to Valley boats and she pushed me to Suz Hutchinson who introduced me to Kokotat (I think she may rue the day...) & I did not buy a Tsunami, instead I bought a plastic Avocet and I drove it directly from the shop to Lake Chebaco and was exposed to the usefulness of a Crangle. I've been with all y'all ever since.

PS: my favorite tools are a Hutchinson & a, wait for it......

An Allen wench!

Careful Katherine, I can tell you from personal experience that term doesn't go over too well. ;-)

best

Phil

[rick stoehrer]

derek hutchinson took the fella from backpacker magazine to ireland along with a film crew and it was televised on pbs. voorhees was a mess but the other guy, derek...here's this "old" buck playing in the boat; surfing, chatting it up, traveling along beautiful shoreline...graceful as a gull on the wind. it was transformative and i had a kayak the next weekend. later, took some classes with derek through the club and outta ri and my next "proper" boat was an orion. haven't looked back and have loved that old buck since. thanks derek!

[leong]

Ah, reminiscing about Derek Hutchinson. I also had the pleasure of meeting the master back in 1999, at the Run of the Charles race. For fun, I towed Derek and Bob Burnett rafted together after the race. That part of how I got into sea kayaking is contained in the thread “The death of Derek” right here.

-Leon

[Suz]

My journey began in 1999 while eyeing the kayakers on the Kennebec river while I was white water rafting with a group. I figured that because they were alone in their boat, I could do that by myself. So then one day a bit later, when my daughter was at some sort of soccer thing that required a drop off and pick up near to Essex, it seemed easier to just find something to do for the day nearby. I took a day trip with ERBA. Although I went over twice, I had so much fun that I decided to buy one. Next day I bought a book on kayaking - A Women's Guide by Shelley Johnson and read up a bit. Decided that a "touring" kayak with two hatches was the way to go. Planned to use it on lakes as I realized that rivers were scary and ocean was totally crazy.

Paddled alone for a year and then joined NSPN the next year. It was a Crangle that showed me how to load and unload my boat by myself (it seemed daunting at the time). It was Jed Luby that taught me how to roll (I was probably his slowest learning student!) and how to tie a knot.

Funny how a single day can impact your life so much.

[mhabich]

ERBA was gateway drug. Bought a boat and showed up at Chebacco, where I encountered a Hazard. Then a Crangle showed up, and nothing but hazards since.

[...]

It was 2010 and I signed up with Plum Island Kayak for a two hour guided paddle of the waters in the Joppa Flats section of Newburyport. Although the rental kayak I was given was OK, I noticed a wicked cool all black NDK Explorer. It happened to be owned by Rick Stoehrer who was guiding a different group. I remember thinking to myself if I really like kayaking someday I will own an Explorer.

Warren

[Gcosloy]

I was at Walden Pond fooling around in my new Chatham 16, previously paddled only on the Charles or Sudbury rivers when I met this interesting guy furiously paddling a rec boat with a cane under the bungees. (He was recovering from a recent mishap with surf in Florida.) Leon Granowitz introduced himself and inquired if I had ever paddled on the ocean. Well no, I replied, I didn't know that anyone did that! The next day we were both putting in at Lanes Cove and paddling Ipswich Bay. It was tough to keep up with Leon but from that day on I never dipped my paddle in fresh waters again other than Walden and Chebbaco. Leon taught by example and since neither I nor anyone else I knew at the time could keep up with him, I had to learn everything myself. He was useful to have around if I needed a rescue however-but that didn't happen too often. Twelve years and too many boats later I still love it. Thanks Leon.

[leong]

I took a day trip with ERBA.

Surely you didn’t learn your very efficient forward stroke at ERBA, Suz. But where?

-Leon

Edited January 22, 2015 by leong

[spuglisi]

Funny how a single day can impact your life so much.

Suz,

That is so true. I think we can probably all look back on one or two.....maybe three days in our lives when something, seemingly insignificant, happened that dramatically changed our lives. I'm sure that most of us here have the day we bought our first kayak as one of them.

[spuglisi]

By the way Leon...Thanks for starting this thread.

[Lallen]

Careful Katherine, I can tell you from personal experience that term doesn't go over too well. ;-)

best

Phil

HA! Katherine, you did not need to edit your original post-that's funny! You and the other paddling babes can get away with using that term. But only because you are female. Phil is also correct, the term might not go over so well otherwise. ;-)

[Lallen]

I was the one who gifted Phil with said Bday gift of a family day paddle with ERBA. The next part-Intro lessons with CRCK-was actually something we signed up for via Brookline Community Ed. Spending 3 evenings on the Charles River after work messing around in boats seemed like a good activity to do as a couple. Now I thank my stars our first experience (or ever for that matter) was not in a tandem! Who knew what a journey those first few trials would take us on, or how much of a shared passion it would become...

[rfolster]

I grew up car-camping with my very large family every summer, almost all summer. We had always rented a row boat, until my dad got interested in a canoe they had at one camp ground. He liked to fish, and the clunky aluminum row boats made way too much noise, so the silent canoe was the ticket. I have fond memories of 4am wake-ups to be on the road and onto the lake before the sun came up. I would paddle my dad around the lake, fishing a little myself, but mostly letting him have his time with the lure.

One day, when I was barely a teenager, a funny lookin boat was tooling around the lake, and a bunch of us kids went down to the beach to have a look. The guy was nice enough to come into the beach and give us each a shot with this wierd closet-top-canoe-kinda-thingy. It was soooooo easy to paddle, even though I think it was a simple rec boat, probably even didn't have any flotation. Didn't see another boat like that for many years.

Fast forward about 30 years! Cathy and I have always looked for something interesting to do every now and then. She knew how much I enjoyed my time paddling the canoe with my dad, so she decided we would go to Charles River Canoe & Kayak to rent a canoe for the day. Nostalgia asside, it was awful, mostly because she hated how unstable it felt. I noticed they had tandem kayaks, and hearing that they can be more stable than a canoe, I thought we should give it a try. After a significant amount of encouragement, we finally did it and...... it was awful, but not because of how it felt, but because she wanted to go one way, and I another! We almost split the thing in half trying to paddle in different directions. So, we thought we would give it one more shot in single kayaks.

That was the summer of 2008 I think, and we rented at Charles River maybe two or three times again, as well as at Portsmouth Kayak Center once or twice. The next summer, we opted for "season rentals" from CRCK which gave us unlimited use of any boat at any time to paddle on the Charles, plus a number of days that we could take boats off site to paddle elsewhere. We tried a bunch of different boats while talking about where we would paddle if we actually owned some, and started thinking about ocean paddling. We took a half-day stroke clinic up at LL Bean (I forget his name but he was actually a really good instructor!), and signed up for a trip with North Shore Kayak Center to Thatcher Island, which we ended up in 3' seas for our first time on the ocean! That trip made us realize that we needed to learn a lot more if we wanted to paddle out there, so Cathy did an internet search and found, amongst others, NSPN. She was instantly facinated by this "message board" that she had signed up for (oh boy, what has she gotten into now?). It wasn't until she forwarded a particularly well written trip report from someone named "Pru", that I realized what a special group this was.

[Phil Allen]

As Sal said, thanks for starting this thread Leon. Peoples responses bring a smile to my face.

best

Phil