Sea Kayaking Safety

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that safety while kayaking is one of my top concerns. I am always on the hunt for anything that can help further the cause of safety, from articles to checklists, and I just found a pretty good article from an interesting source. Some of you may remember a company called Mariner Kayaks. Mariner Kayaks used to build and sell sea kayaks, from 1980 until 2008. Even though the business has closed, the former owners have left the website up as a reference. As long as they decide to keep them available, there are several excellent articles on the site that are worth reading.

The article that caught my eye is obviously the one about safety, but if you go to the home page and open the drop down menu on the left called manuals, you will see the list of articles available. The article is targeted at sea kayaking, but there is information there good for all kayakers.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

Kayak Surfing

Now this looks like fun! One of the things I enjoy the most about kayaking in the ocean is playing in the waves near the shore. One of my boats is a short sit-on-top that has removable thigh straps, so it can handle even moderately challenging whitewater and waves. I don't use that kayak as much as I used to, but after watching this video trailer for a kayak surfing movie, I may just have to give my fishing and touring kayaks a rest.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Angler

Florida's Best Secret Beaches

If you are like me, you love a quiet stretch of beach where you can paddle, fish, swim, and even camp. You may remember a post I did last year about some of the best beach campsites in the US. The original article neglected to include one of my favorite beach campsites, Cape Sable in Everglades National Park, so I added my two cents. Well I just happened on an article about Florida's Best Secret Beaches, and again they neglected to mention my favorite!

Oh, well...I guess I just have to put in another shameless plug for Cape Sable.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

Photo Credit: Florida Villas Today

Whitewater Adventures

Remember, the Kayak Sportsman is into all manner of kayaking, including the heart-pounding, whitewater variety. I will admit that I have never been over a waterfall much higher than about 8 feet, but I definitely admire those who have plunged over falls much higher. If you like crazy whitewater footage, then YouTube has you covered too.

Here is just one example of the many clips you can find there.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

Kayak Fishing on TV

Have you ever seen an episode of Florida Sportsman's "Shallow Water Angler" television show? Well, as you can imagine, it highlights the best fishing that takes place in...you guessed it...shallow water! Well, here is a nice 8 minute segment from a recent episode that is all about kayak fishing, with Captain Mike Kogan, in Jacksonville, Florida.

YouTube is quite a gold mine for great kayaking videos, as a quick search will reveal. Do you have a favorite kayaking, fishing or camping video you would like to share? Email me (kayaksportsman@gmail.com), contact me via Twitter, or leave a comment below. I'll be sure to post the best ones right here on the blog.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

Self Support Kayak Camping

Self Support Kayak Camping is a web site for those of you that are interested in hard-core camping by kayak. The site has a small but useful collection of articles and videos that cover everything from boat and gear selection, to trip planning. The site looks to have been live for less than a month, but the posts already available offer some great tips for those of you who like to rough it by kayak.

I have at least two self-support kayak camping trips planned, so I will be sure to post any similar resources that I find, as I plan for my own adventures.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

Free Online Issue of Kayak Angler Magazine

Kayak Angler magazine is making their Spring 2010 magazine available as a free digital edition online. All they ask is that you provide an email address, and then the magazine is yours to read online or download to read offline. This issue includes their annual buyer's guide and some great articles. Of course, there are also plenty of advertisements, so you can drool over the next boat or gadget that you absolutely must have.

Good Reading and Paddling!

The Kayak Angler

New England Kayak Fishing

For those kayak anglers who live in New England, there is a great online resource called (appropriately enough) New England Kayak Fishing. The web site has community features, like a forum and photo/video gallery, as well as articles and an event calendar. They also have some nice planning tools for checking tides and weather, viewing charts, and even a printable float plan.

Even if you don't live or kayak in New England, the site is definitely worth a look.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

REI Instructional Videos on YouTube

National outdoor equipment retailer REI has a nice series of instructional videos available on their YouTube channel. The videos cover many topics, including quite a few specific to kayaking. There are also a few other videos that may be of interest to you kayak sportsmen and women (camping, outdoors essentials, equipment testing, etc.).

Enjoy your weekend, and...

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman

The 2010 Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic

If you didn't think that kayak fishing was becoming a big-time sport, here's more evidence. The 7th annual Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic tournament, scheduled for May 8th, 2010, boasts more than $80,000.00 in prizes and gifts! This tournament has quickly become one of the premiere events on the kayak fishing calendar, and is well worth the trip to Jacksonville, FL.

Let me know if any of you are planning to attend (contact me via email at kayaksportsman@gmail.com). I am thinking about attending and maybe doing some live coverage, live blogging, video updates, etc.

Good Paddling!

The Kayak Sportsman