Inflatable Kayak Blog

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.

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.

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.

During our recent trip to Fairfield Glade Resort we took our Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak so we could get out on some of their many lakes and do some kayaking. It didn’t turn out to be the best kayaking weather while we were there. It was very hot most of the days and we had rain several other days. In fact, we were just leaving the condo to go kayaking one morning and as we opened the door to head to the car, the heavens opened up and the area got a much needed rain shower. But by the time it was over, it was too humid to get out for a paddle.

We did manage to make it to Lake Glastowbury the morning before we had to leave. It was still pretty hot, but we figured it would be cooler on the water so we found our way to the boat launch and got the kayak launched in the very calm waters of the moderate size lake. The lake was like glass it was so calm and made for some beautiful reflection pictures. We paddled around the perimeter of the lake and it was just the right amount of time in the kayak for only our second kayak trip of the year.

We did have some company on this paddle, a family in a canoe and two kayaks were also out for a paddle and we passed them on our way back to the launch site. It was such a peaceful place and aside from the other paddlers, we had the lake all to ourselves. How cool is that!

Living in southern Indiana, we don’t have a lot of beautiful lakes and rivers to go kayaking in, and having a hotter than normal spring and summer has postponed us getting our kayak in the water until this past week while we were on vacation at the Fairfield Glade resort in Tennessee. We love the area and they have many beautiful lakes to put the kayak in for a paddle. Though it was still fairly warm we took the kayak to one of the largest and deepest lakes at the resort, Lake Dartmoor. We launched from the little beach area and had several curious onlookers checking us out as we were inflating the kayak. We always love to tell people how much we love our inflatable kayak and show them how easy it is to get it inflated and into the water.

We had been on this part of the lake before, but always love to check out the big beautiful homes as we paddle by. As we were paddling to the nearest golf hole, a line of geese came swimming across the lake. We watched as they made their way to the other end of the lake. I had my camera, as usual, and managed to get several pictures of them as they passed by us.

There was a slight breeze on the water that help keep us a little cool and also gave us a chance to try out our Windpaddle sail. We were pleasantly surprised that even with the small breeze we were able to get the kayak moving along pretty well. We definitely need more practice with that, but it will be handy to have on future paddling trips.

We didn’t want to stay out too long seeing it was our first trip of the year, but it felt great to get out on the water, get some exercise and get some great pictures too.

It’s always great to hear from customers about their experiences with their inflatable kayaks. Recently, Chuck R. from Texas e-mailed me his inflatable kayak review and a video with these comments … “Just had the kayak out yesterday for the first time on the Guadalupe River in Gruene (“Green”) Texas. It performed beyond my expectations and we had a fantastic time with it. My 2 daughters and their friend occupied it for the most part with 3 adults in inner tubes alongside. During rapids, as in this video, I climbed aboard and guided them safely down the river. I love the kayak, and will probably reach for this one first over either of my 2 sit-on-tops. Great boat!”

Just click this link Sea Eagle 385 Fast Track on Guadalupe River in Texas and the video will open.

Enjoy the video and if you have any questions about the Sea Eagle Fast Track 385, feel free to give me a call at PortableKayaks.com.

(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’re enjoying it!)

When last we saw the Traveling Man and his buddy, John, they were lost in the swamps of Louisiana in their canoe. It was after dark and they decided to spend the night in a cave. After they had entered the cavern, they hit a rock and their lantern went sailing overboard. Once again, they were submerged into darkness. In the gloom, something hit their canoe a second time. That was when they realized they were not alone inside the cave…..

I tell ya Friend, and I ain’t ashamed to say it, We were plum scared!

John and I had been through some exciting adventures, but this was not one of those times, no sirree. John took a flashlight out of his backpack and started shining it around the cave.

“John, aim that there light at the water,” I told him.

Sure enough, there were two beady, yellow eyes looking at us. Those eyes were attached to an angry ol’ gator. Happens, he wasn’t thrilled to have us barge in on him in his cave.

Yep, it was staring at us and we were staring at it. You ever have a staring contest with a cat? This was just like that, ‘cept those eyes did not belong to a cuddly kitty cat. So, there we were staring each other down, when that ol’ gator decided he had had enough and with one last disgusted look at us, high tailed it outta the mouth of the cave. We were relieved, I can’t tell ya how relieved.

“John,” I says, “Shine that there light around some more. Let’s see if there’s anything else in here with us.”

Fortunately, we didn’t see any other creatures with us in that cave. I guess that gator had scared them all away. So we rowed the canoe up to the side of the cave, and climbed out on the ledge. After tying the boat up, we decided to explore that cave a bit. Seems our sense of adventure had restored itself as soon as that gator left us alone in that cave.

John went first, as he had the only light. All of a sudden, he says, “Look there!”

I looked where the light was a aiming and saw the most amazing sight. This cave had been inhabited before. There were charcoal drawings all over the cave walls. They were hard to make out by the dim light, but we could see pictures of gators and snakes. There were also some pictures of fellas with spears a-fighting those old gators.

Just then something at the back of the cave caught my eye.

“John, put that light over here.”

From where we were standing, it looked like a pile of old leather and some sticks. We headed over for a closer look. The closer we got, the more shape that pile of leather took.

“Looks a lot like our canoe,’ John says.

“John, you know what this is? This is the remains of an Indian Canoe. We have made one heck of a discovery here.”

There we were, staring down at that ancient canoe, when we heard another noise. I swear it sounded just like feet dancing and pounding the ground in time to the chanting we could hear. Then, the smell of smoke from a campfire and food cooking on an open flame caught our nostrils.

Suddenly, a strange mist swirled all around us. We could see ghostly figures dancing around at the back of the cave. John and I looked at each other in shock. Had we wandered into a haunted cave?

Come back next month and find out how The Traveling Man and John get themselves out the haunted cave.

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

Contributed by Victoria Adams

Alligators can be found in the Southern portions of the United States such as Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Mississippi, Eastern Texas, Virginia, and the southern tip of Oklahoma. Avid Kayakers need to be aware of proper safety measures and what one should do if they encounter an alligator while kayaking in these areas. Alligators have the capability to kill a human, but are naturally wary of people and will only attack when provoked.

In some states there are laws that protect alligators from harassment and molestation by tourists. So by all means kayak and enjoy the water, but be cautious and respectful of Alligators and their environment.

Be prepared and contact your local fish and wildlife organization for information about Alligator mating season, behavioral patterns, and the times that predators feed.

What do you do if you encounter an Alligator on your trip?

1. Do not panic! Just leave them alone! And Don’t Feed Them! It is against the law to feed Alligators. The reason is because if humans feed alligators then alligators will become desensitized and more prone to attack.
2. A must for kayaking in dangerous waters is a PDF whistle. PDF stands for personal flotation device. The whistle is typically plastic and without a pea in it to prevent corrosion and to facilitate using it if it gets wet and is attached to your life jacket so you don’t lose it. If you encounter an alligator you can use the noise from your PDF whistle to scare it off.
3. If you are in an area where you see signs of Alligator activity (for example a muddy wallow where they like to roll, a slide for them to slip into the lake or river, and/or Alligator eggs), leave the area as quickly and as calmly as you can. Gators are naturally territorial and will defend their eggs aggressively.

More than likely if you encounter a gator and it is your first time seeing one you are going to panic. You may feel threatened, and you may want to run or paddle wildly. If possible, try to have someone who has experience in gator encounters with you when paddling in potential gator areas. The buddy system works wonders in helping you overcome your fears. If you see gator activity in an area, make a notation and call the fish and wildlife organization and notify them of your sighting.

This might make you feel a little safer if you are kayaking in an inflatable kayak or a folding kayak. Most of the material components in these type kayaks are designed to keep you afloat even if the hull of your boat is punctured. For example, even the smallest Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak has three separate air chambers for the floor and each side of the kayak. Most importantly be safe, do your research about the area you choose to kayak, and have respect for the alligator populations leave them alone.

If you’d like to read more, here are a collection of links to a variety of additional information about alligators in general and kayaking around alligators.

http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/NatureIssues/sharks.htm#ali

http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/showpage.asp?page=070609_Alligators

http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/Instruction/SignalDevices.html

http://members.tripod.com/lauras_house/alligator.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Alligator

By Guest Author, Victoria Adams

A float tube or Belly boat is an inflatable flotation device used in fly fishing. They are basically a seat for a fisherman to sit in while he fishes a lake that is inaccessible by boat, and they generally allow a fisherman to fish more area on a lake than he would from a boat. Float tubes are also better for the environment because they are man powered by using a pair of fins or flippers, rather than gas powered. They are economical and come in a range of prices as low as $60.00. They have a compact portability fitting into a space no bigger than your average back pack. They can go from packed to lake worthy in less than 15 minutes depending on the type of air pump used. Many different styles offer different storage options, so where ever you go, your gear can go with you too.

One of the basic styles of float tubes is The Round Boat Float Tube made by the Creek Company. It looks like a doughnut with a back rest and a seat in the center. It is made of a 14 gauge PVC main bladder and has a separate backrest bladder; the outer cover is heavy duty 420 denier nylon, with a 20” interior diameter and 3 pockets for gear storage. It’s like having your own personal foot powered yacht. With its 225 lb capacity and fishing rod holder straps you don’t have to worry about losing anything to the water.  Its 6 pound weight makes it very portable and enjoyable to use on any lake fishing trip.

A different option would be to go with a U style boat like the Original U-boat Float tube, also made by the Creek Company. U style boats have an easier accessibility due to the open front style so there is no stepping into it. The tension straps keep the boat from collapsing on the water. The 14 gauge PVC main bladder and separate backrest bladder seat you higher above the water and give you a better maneuverability when you are on the water. The side pockets and one large rear top pocket give you plenty of storage space for everything you will need so you don’t have to get out of the water, multiple rod-holder straps for hands free use. It has a weight capacity of 275lbs, and weighs about 7 pounds so it is very packable. It is also designed to be carried on your back fully inflated so you can switch lakes without having to deflate it.

A pontoon style float tube is another option you could take when looking for stability, visibility, and safety as comfort and portability. The Kennebec Pontoon Float Tube has some very nice features like a Hydrodynamic hull shape for maximum stability, buoyancy, and tracking. It has a unique sculpted design, and a high back stadium seat with adjustable backrest for support and comfort. The horizontal rod holder assures that you’re not going to drop your rod as you get in or out of the lake, and the roomy armrest storage with additional pockets are a bonus for keeping other things as well as your gear in, plus the additional rear storage pocket and exterior mesh storage pocket make it easy to pull a day trip out on a lake. The Kennebec has a weight capacity of 300 lbs it has a 48” width and a 54” length. It is heavier than the Round boat at 12.75 lbs, but still reasonably easy to maneuver to those remote area lakes.

Shopping for a float tube can be difficult in some areas of the country. Float tubes for fishing are often easier to find in online stores than even the big outdoor sports retail outlets. All of the fishing float tubes I’ve mentioned in this article are available online at PortableKayaks.com.

Whatever style you choose; wherever you go fishing a float tube is a fun, affordable, comfortable way to enjoy and relax in the water. Always remember to fish responsibly, legally, and safely. Follow the proper channels find out if float tube fishing is allowed on the venue you choose to take, clean up after yourself and leave the environment as undisturbed as possible. There are some videos on YouTube that show some examples of fishing from a float tube, if you want to check them out.

Thank you, and happy fishing.