Inflatable Kayak Blog

Creek Company is getting the jump on everybody by releasing their 2011 Sport XR 1 – 8 foot inflatable pontoon fishing boat now. The XR 1 is their best selling pontoon. So when the 2010 models sold out quite awhile ago, the 2011 version was moved ahead of schedule to fill the gap.

You’ll notice some small improvements over previous models, but one of the best features of the XR 1 is that you can fully take it down without tools. It’s light (50 pounds) and easy to carry, too. And the Creek Company Sport XR 1 comes with a high volume two-way pump with an adapter ring that fits all of the Creek Company product line. Some pontoons don’t include the pump with purchase, making it a hassle for the customer. Creek Company also offers their Lifetime Guarantee that all of their products are free from defects in material and workmanship to the original owner for as long as they own the product. (This does not cover normal wear and tear or abuse of the product.)

You can check out the Creek Company Sport XR pontoon boat at PortableKayaks.com, where they are offering a 10% discount off the normal retail price through the end of 2010.

By Sheryl Brennan

It’s four o’clock on Friday and a sly smile spreads across my face. Don’t wake me from my daydream, man! I’m lost in the soundless glide of my kayak across the lake.

My paddle softly dips into the cerulean water, stirring tiny minnows in its current. The heron nods at my passing as it would a log loosened from the banks after a storm. Turtles warming themselves on sun-bleached branches merely wink when I glide in for a closer inspection.

On some afternoons, I remember my sea coast excursions, where seals, sea lions, whales, and dolphins happily joined me for a swim.

As a business owner and parent to five teenagers (yes, I said five), my soul yearns for a retreat that doesn’t require high level thought or action; where silence rules the day. My kayaking adventures provide the perfect respite to my over-stimulated senses. I am one with nature, communing with the chilled water slapping against my boat and the azure sky streaked with wisps of ivory.

Slipping through the water in my kayak allows the natural world to see me as a contributing member of the eco-community instead of a threat to their existence. They do not run to their dens or retreat to deeper depths. They welcome me into their environment and beckon me to join in their sanctuary.

The clock signals the end of the work day and I rush to get home and plan my weekend adventure. For the duration of my commute, my thoughts drift to the many local waterways I could explore and the wildlife I could observe.

I may not be an adrenaline junkie, but silence, wildlife, and my folding kayak are a trifecta of adventure for me.

Sheryl Brennan is the author of Celtic Sacrifice and a multi-published blog writer.

Two Sea Eagle 380 Inflatable Kayaks are co-starring in an independent film (documentary) about a kayaking trip down America’s great river, the Mississippi. The movie is titled “The River is Life”. Ryan Jeanes and Phillip Hullquist were filmed as they paddled two inflatable Sea Eagle kayaks from Lake Itasca, Minnesota (the source of the Mississippi) to New Orleans, Louisiana. They stayed in people’s homes, camped along the riverbanks, and had to contend with wind-swollen lakes, barge traffic, and massive boat wakes.

The documentary is a fun-filled journey with lots of surprises and unique encounters with real people, some a bit on the unusual side. You’ll find a more detailed story here at 11Visions.com.

The movie is initially being presented in a 42 stop movie tour down the same route as they adventurers paddled. It began August 4th and will end in New Orleans on Halloween night. You can check out the schedule and see the movie trailer at TheRiverIsLife.com, where they are also offering a chance to win a Sea Eagle 380 Inflatable Kayak just like the ones they paddled on the trip.

Jeanes and Hullquist have filmed other documentaries through their production company, 11 Visions, including “The Hitchhiking Movie” where Ryan hitchhikes across the entire United States. Click here to visit 11 Visions.

(Candace Clayton is an author who’s written novels, poetry and other short stories. She was kind enough to write this fictional adventure series specifically for the Inflatable Kayak Blog about ‘The Traveling Man’, a kayaker who tells us tales about his youthful adventures with his buddies on the rivers where he grew up. We hope you are enjoying it!)

When last we ran into our adventurous duo, they were trapped in a cave full of chanting, dancing ghosts. Will The Traveling Man and his buddy John, survive this latest adventure? Let’s rejoin them and find out….

I consider myself a fairly brave man, but I must admit that I was plum terrified. There we were, walking towards a group of ghosts. John was walking so close to me there was a hairs breadth between us. I think he woulda held onto my arm if he’d a thought he could get away with it and not look like a ninny.

One by one those ghosts stopped their chanting and dancing and turned to face us. Then we noticed something about their faces that stopped our fears right in their tracks. Those folks were sad. They had the longest frowns on their opaque faces I had ever seen on any creature. Sad ghosts? What the heck? I turned to look at John and saw he had noticed the same thing I had. Wonder and concern etched John’s normally cheerful face. We picked up our pace and headed over to see what was wrong with these sorrowful folk.

In no time at all we were standing right in front of this group of spectral beings. The one who had beckoned us over seemed to be the fella in charge. He looked right at us and spoke.

“Many moons we have waited. Many moons we have danced. Many moons we have watched. Your arrival signals the end of this test of patience.”

John’s mouth opened in shock and his chin nearly hit the floor of that cave. I just stood there in wonder of what we were witnessing.

“Long ago, through times now forgotten, we were a happy people. Not like you see us now. We celebrated life and the Giver of Life. We had much success in hunting. We had many horses and young, strong braves. We became proud. We became arrogant. We no longer followed the ways of our fathers. We no longer celebrated the Giver of Life. “

John and I sank to the floor and sat down.

“The Giver of Life also gave us the gift of knowledge. This knowledge had enabled us to build our fine canoes. We used these for hunting in the swamps, fishing and gathering of herbs for healing. This freedom we gained from the canoe also increased our arrogance. We claimed we had created the canoe on our own. We refused to teach other tribes the ways of building this life saving gift. The Giver of Life was angry. Our tribe was condemned to this secluded cave, until we were able to help someone in dire need. You are that someone.”

I sat there wondering how lowly little me was gonna help these folks outta their predicament. John and I couldn’t even get ourselves outta the cave. We were lost.

“We are going to lead you two young braves out of the darkness. We will fulfill our destiny and go to our final rest in peace.”

Those were the last words we heard him speak. With a wave of his hand, we found ourselves back in our canoe. We were surrounded by the tribe. Each one emitted a soft blue light. Picking up our paddles, we started out of the cave and into the night.

It was a long trip back to the dock. Each time we started to head in the wrong direction, our guides would gently lead us back on the right path. Anytime a log or tree root blocked our path, they quietly removed it. If we were followed by yellow eyes, half submerged in the water, or heard the slither of a snake, they gently shooed the curious creature away.

Just as the sun was starting to rise, we reached the very dock we had set out from the day before. With the rising of the sun, our guides all looked back towards the swamp and slowly disappeared.

John and I vowed never to speak of this again, as we didn’t want folks thinking we were loony. But, we didn’t let this stop us from adventuring out again. No sirree. We had many other adventures. Like that one time when me and ….

Come back Next month and see what crazy predicaments our two travelers get themselves into.

The author, Candace Clayton, lives in Granbury, Texas with her Husband and family, spending as much time in the outdoors as she can.

(New Chapters of “The Traveling Man” series are published on a monthly basis here in the Inflatable Kayak Blog. Check back soon for another chapter or set your computer to receive our RSS feed and you’ll be informed automatically when the next part of the story will be posted.)

PortableKayaks.com and Sea Eagle are teaming up to offer some end of the season discounts on their most popular inflatable kayaks, the 330 and 370 models. Both versions are made to be used as tandem (two person) kayaks or as solo (one person) kayaks. The 330 is a little over 11 feet long and the 370 is a little over 12 feet long. Both are very durable and easy to store, transport and inflate.

Each kayak package comes with pump, paddles and carry bag. Everything you need to start paddling except for life vests. The 330 and 370 are each available in a Deluxe and Pro Package. The main difference being the type of seat. The Pro Pkg. seats are firmer and give better back support.

It’s easy to take advantage of the savings. Simply type the coupon code in on the PortableKayaks.com checkout page. To save $20 on a Sea Eagle 330 kayak, use the coupon code 330summer. To save $20 on a Sea Eagle 370 kayak, use the coupon code 370save20.

As an extra incentive to customers, Portable Kayaks FaceBook Fans are receiving an extra $5 discount bonus. If you currently are or if you become a Fan (click that you “like”) of Portable Kayaks on Facebook, you’ll have access to a ‘fan only’ coupon code for the extra $5 discount. Click here to become a ‘fan’. You need to be logged into your FaceBook account.

These coupon codes for Sea Eagle 330 and 370 inflatable kayaks will be available for a short time only. Prices are expected to go up at the end of September (2010), so this is a great time to buy.

By Victoria Adams

Sailing is all about excitement, feeling the misty cool drops of water as they caress your skin, the exhilaration of the winds playing with the strands of your hair like a new toy, gliding with the speed of a bird over the water, and being content in the knowledge that you can control the direction and course of your own craft. You don’t have a sail boat? That’s ok, you can still sail away on the open sea…well perhaps not the sea for you first time sailors, but rivers and lakes will work too.

I bet you’re wondering just exactly what I am going on about here. I am talking about the WindPaddle Kayak Sails. A Kayak sail is a detachable or permanent modification to a kayak for the purpose of propelling the craft across the water utilizing the wind as your power source. WindPaddle Sails are of the detachable variety so there is little to no modifications to make to your vessel, and will work with virtually every type of small water craft on the market today. And they can be used by solo or tandem kayakers.

Wind Paddle offers two different types of Sails the Adventure Sail, and the Cruiser Sail. The WindPaddle sails are circular in appearance and operate on a pop style deployment which makes for easy unfurling and stowing. With its ease of use and smaller diameter, the Adventure Sail is a great start to teaching a novice how to sail, while still offering a lot of speed and maneuverability to a sailing expedition.

Sailing a Kayak is a great way to go green and to protect the environment, instead of using a boat with a motor that could potentially pour pollutants not just into the air, but also into the water you are boating in. Try sailing your small water craft instead, use wind power not gas power. Sailing is also a great way to use your communication skills with your friends and family. Kayaking in tandem with one of you operating the sail and the other using a paddle for a rudder can build a more lasting relationship with your friend or family member. It’s a great bonding experience. Sailing a kayak makes for some wholesome fun you can do with just about anyone, and it’s healthy for anyone. Just remember to be safe, follow any boating rules for your chosen venue, and always wear a life jacket even if you think you’re the best swimmer in the world. Happy sailing everyone!

NOTE: Click here to see some videos of WindPaddle Sails along with more detailed information and prices.

(The author, Victoria Adams, is the mother of two wonderful children, a stay at home mom, semi-professional photographer, and self taught graphic artist. She enjoys a myriad of other activities to stimulate her creative processes.)

It’s been a very hot summer and, hopefully, you’ve managed to avoid the heat related maladies that accompany this time of year, heat stress, dehydration and sunburn on your paddling adventures.

There are some other things to keep in mind to avoid injuries that can occur with the repetitive motion used to paddle a kayak. Often when it’s hot and your body seems to feel loose and ready to go, you’re tempted to just jump in the kayak and paddle away. Not a good idea! Even at this time of year, you should do some stretching before paddling. Get those muscles loosened up and ready to work. You can still get tightened up in your kayak, especially on a longer paddle trip, where you’re in the same position for quite awhile. Even though I use an inflatable kayak, which has no deck or cover over my legs to restrict movement, and I can move my legs around a little, I still find that when I stretch first, I don’t get nearly as tight as when I don’t. In a hard shell or folding kayak with a deck, it’s much more confining and the need to stretch out ahead of time is even more crucial.

Kayaking should be fun and not add to your aches and pains or cause you any unnecessary injuries.

by Carole Moleti

So you’ve got a place to stay and have studied the field guides and local maps I pointed out in the second installment of this series on family bonding. (Posted August 3, 2010 – Kayaking the Salt Marshes of Cape Cod, Massachusetts). You’re ready to go, but aren’t sure where to start. How about one of these itineraries for beach to beach kayaking in the historic sea captain’s town of Brewster, Massachusetts?

High on my wish list for this excursion is one of the Conquest Clear Bottom Inflatable Kayaks, perfect for observing underwater goings on. But for now I stow a mask and snorkel in my inflatable Sea Eagle 370, which allows both the younger ones and us older kids to interact with crabs, eels, and small fish at high tide.

Consider a trip out from one beach, paddle horizontal to the shoreline, then return to one of the other beaches, which are spaced about one-two miles apart. Get a drop off at Breakwater Beach, Brewster on an outgoing tide and paddle southwest toward Paine’s Creek. Hang out on the flats until the tide starts to come in (check out the second installment for ideas on how to wile away the hours) and ride with the current past the crescent shaped sliver of Paine’s Creek Beach. You’ll enter a narrow channel surrounded by tall, lush dune grass, spot an osprey nest (on a platform built by the Cape Cod Museum-Natural History in Brewster) and eventually end up at a dead end. Get some aerobic exercise paddling against the current back to the beach–a local hot spot to take a dip, relax, and watch an incredible unobstructed view of the sunset.

Take an easy stroll up Paine’s Creek Road where you’ll find Kate’s Fried Seafood at the intersection with Route 6A. Kate herself might be there helping serve huge ice cream treats, New England chowder, clam, and lobster fritters. No beer, no bathroom.

If you choose the opposite route and return to Breakwater Beach, the Brewster General Store, built as a church in 1852 and in business since 1866, still has most of the original fixtures and architecture. They feature breakfast fare, snacks, ice cream and fudge, an old-fashioned penny candy extravaganza, beach and boating supplies, books, and souvenirs.

If you take a longer trip and paddle into or out of Linnell Landing Beach, be sure to sample the best fried clams on the Cape, (with a real bathroom, but still no beer) at Cobies, also a short walk to nearby Route 6A.

Because of easy access lots fill up fast, and you will be ticketed for no permit or illegal parking. There are no lifeguards. Some have porta johns, and an ice cream truck makes regular stops.

The Brewster Town Office has maps, local print guides to area attractions, and in season (June 15-Labor Day), sells passes which allow parking at the beach heads along this middle portion of the Cape.

Pay for parking at entry to most beaches in the neighboring towns of Dennis, and Skaket Beach in Orleans. They have real bathrooms, snack bars and lifeguards, but their lots often overflow onto the approach roads. There may be a prohibition against the use of inflatable devices at some (lifeguard discretion), and a few beaches in Dennis allow parking for residents only.

At all beaches, shell fishing is by permit only. Dogs are not allowed on most public beaches during the summer season.

If you want more adventure, and if surf and weather conditions allow, check out the beaches on the ocean side of the Cape. On Nauset Beach in Orleans, as well as at beaches on the Outer Cape, certain areas are reserved for surfers only. Stay tuned here for more information about Kayaking the Outer Cape.

Here are some links for beach information:

Brewster beach information

Dennis beach information

Orleans beach information

The Author, Carole Ann Moleti spends her winters sliding down steep, icy Northeastern slopes and summers on the lakes, rivers, beaches, and bays of Long Island Sound, upstate New York, and Cape Cod. With her inflatable Sea Eagle 370, there’s no limit to the places she can go. For a fictional account of paddling the salt marshes, check out an excerpt from Carole’s novel Unfinished Business which was posted on the InflatableKayakBlog on 4-27-10.

Innova inflatable kayaks are designed to be very durable, versatile and easy to transport. In fact, Innova kayaks will fit into your overhead bin as carry-on luggage, your backpack, or the trunk of your car. They’ll also handle whitewater and make excellent fishing kayaks, depending on which of the dozen different models you choose.

Only thing is, in most cases, when you purchase an Innova kayak you have to purchase the pump and paddles separately. PortableKayaks.com has solved that problem for you. You won’t have to spend extra time choosing a pump and paddle because they’ve put together a “Pump & Paddle Package” option that includes the recommended pump and paddles for the Innova inflatables.

The add-on foot pump is the Bravo Scoprega 1, a hearty 5 liter pump that fills your kayak or inflatable boat in no time. The add-on paddle choice is the very high quality Aqua-Bound Manta Ray four part paddle that’s easy to transport and light in your hands. You can also choose between an aluminum or fiberglass shaft. Of course, if you already have a pump or paddles, you can pick out whatever you need to complete your package. And, best of all, these “Pump & Paddle Packages” are discounted below regular retail price when you purchase an Innova inflatable kayak from PortableKayaks.com.

by Carole Ann Moleti

Ready for some more of the outdoor family bonding activities we discussed in the first installment of this series? (Posted June 22, 2010 – Play Together, Stay Together in the Great Outdoors). Try kayaking the salt marshes located in quaint seaside towns along the northeast coast of the United States.

These incredible saltwater ecosystems, home to a huge variety of sea, plant, animal and bird life, abound along the east coast from Maine to Florida. With some advance planning, they are perfect spots for kayakers of every ability, including children.

Our inflatable kayak Sea Eagle 370, which has room for two adults and gear (or one child), has the advantage of easy portability in case the tide goes out, if you want to travel beach-to-beach, or your car is loaded with bicycles (like mine).

If you’re unfamiliar with the area, and especially if you’re kayaking with kids, begin at The Cape Cod Museum-Natural History in Brewster, Massachusetts. It boasts many exhibits and a variety of programs for children and adults, including maps and guided walks/tours. Tidal flats adjacent to the Museum offer easy access to gentle, easy to navigate areas which are a great place to “test the waters.”

The beaches along Cape Cod Bay are ideal for the less intrepid, as long as a few precautions are taken. Wear life vests, for sure, and check the marine forecast for small craft and weather advisories. When the wind picks up, there are whitecaps and storm surges even deep within the marshes. Thunderstorms can be sudden and violent with hail and cloud to ground lightning.

Because of large areas of “the flats” along the mid-Cape, consulting a local tide chart is crucial. It is tempting to ride the strong outgoing current, but you’ll soon find yourself stranded over a mile from shore. It’s a long hike back unless you’ve got food, water, a hat, sunscreen, and time to kill until the tide runs back in. Better still, plan on it and tuck some gear into the kayak.

While waiting there is plenty to keep beachcombers of all ages busy in the diverse areas of the marsh: tide pools full of small fish, hermit, rock, green, horseshoe and fiddler crabs, mussels, clams, quahogs (and seagulls feasting on them).

My favorite spots are the nesting areas for moon snails, which stain the mud a light pink. Take a dip in Cape Cod Bay where the waves break over the tide line, fly a kite, cast a line, watch para-sailors, sail and motor boats, or ride a skim board to wile away the hours.

Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. Dune grass and the muddy berms are fragile. Treading through and upon them causes damage to the habitats and could harm the sea creatures themselves. Children and adults alike can learn a lot about sea life, ecology, and environmental preservation “on the job” in a salt marsh.

I rely on a combination sunscreen/insect repellant preparation against painful, annoying green flies and mosquitoes and take it along to re-apply after swimming. Poison ivy is ubiquitous. Showering with old-fashioned brown soap or new- fangled solutions that remove the oils from your skin are a must if you’ve been in or around any vegetation while packing into and out of launch areas.

I’ll have more for you in the third installment of my Family Bonding Activities Series: Beach to Beach Kayaking in Brewster Massachusetts. Watch for it later this month.

Here’s a few links and references for more information about the mid-Cape, including accommodations, activities, and the beaches.

Cape Cod Towns:
Brewster, Massachusetts

Dennis, Massachusetts

Orleans, Massachusetts

Books:

Walking the Shores of Cape Cod (Yarmouthport: On Cape Publications, 1997), by Elliott Carr, a local resident who has “walked the walk” offers advice easily adapted to kayakers including the topography of the beaches, and itineraries with hints on timing, current and surf conditions, access, and necessary precautions.

The Seaside Naturalist: A Guide to Study at the Seashore by Deborah A Coulombe, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1984. An excellent resource on the biology, ecology, flora and fauna of the Atlantic coastline.

The Author, Carole Ann Moleti spends her winters sliding down steep, icy Northeastern slopes and summers on the lakes, rivers, beaches, and bays of Long Island Sound, upstate New York, and Cape Cod. With her inflatable Sea Eagle 370, there’s no limit to the places she can go. For a fictional account of paddling the salt marshes, check out an excerpt from Carole’s novel Unfinished Business which was posted on the InflatableKayakBlog on 4-27-10.