Inflatable Kayak Blog

So far Destin has provided some interesting locations to paddle. We still had time to get another day of exploring in before we had to head back home. We remembered the couple we met on the first day mentioned that Grayson Beach State Park had nice places to paddle so that became our last paddle destination on this vacation. It was a pretty area with sand dunes along the beach. The lake was large with several different areas to explore. I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised to see the “Alligators – Swim with Caution” sign. It’s Florida, of course there are alligators!

We put the boat in and headed out in the biggest part of the lake along the shoreline checking out the scenery. We paddled under the low bridge back into another pretty area. There were water lilies along the shore and a neat dock with a gazebo. The water was calm and the reflections of the trees on the water made for some nice pictures. We paddled back as far as we could go in that area and I wanted to get a picture of the water lilies. We weren’t too far from shore when we saw something breaking the surface about 20 feet off the starboard side of the boat. All I saw was a brown, bumpy part that looked like small fins and a long pointed tail. Alligator?! All we could think of was “inflatable kayak and alligator” not a good situation to be in. We paddled as best we could to get out of there FAST! At the time I wasn’t thinking about getting a picture, but now I wish I had. Maybe next time? Let’s hope there isn’t a next time. We did ask the park Ranger on the way out if what we saw was potentially a gator. He said there was a big one that hung out in that area and pretty much confirmed our suspicions.

Destin is a great place to take an inflatable kayak. There are so many wonderful places to get out and explore. One launching spot is at a little park that was on the bay near where it meets the Gulf. The water was a beautiful blue-green color and fairly calm which was good considering it was only our third time in the boat. We were getting better at paddling together and feeling a little more comfortable with the way the boat handled. We paddled along the shore checking out all the beautiful homes. There were pelicans all around and we loved seeing them flying over head.  At one spot we saw a blue heron on the shore and paddled closer to get a good look. We noticed that there were several more herons roosting in the trees all around this area. There were so many places that we could have explored, but still not feeling all that proficient in the boat we stayed close to shore and didn’t venture out too far or nearer the gulf. We’ll save those neat places for next time we’re in Destin.

After about 45 minutes in the boat we headed back to shore to pack things up. There was a neat restaurant, Dewey Destin, on the water that we were told had great seafood so we went there for lunch. As we were eating on the dock we noticed that there were dolphins swimming right in the area we had just kayaked in. How neat that would have been if we were out there when the dolphins were swimming by. That’s now become one of our goals … to paddle with the dolphins some day!

After our first outing with our Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak, we were ready for some more paddling adventures. We took our kayak along on a trip to Destin, FL at the end of April. Although there were some very calm days on the Gulf we just didn’t feel comfortable putting the boat in the ocean. We did ask at our resort for some places we could put the boat in the water.

One location they suggested was just past Eden Gardens State Park. Although we were eager to get the boat in the water, we first toured the grounds of this pretty state park. There is a mansion on the property that you can see in the picture. We would recommend it as a place to spend a few hours if you are in that area. Up the road from the park was a boat landing with easy access to Tucker Bayou, an area that connects with the bay. What made this a really interesting trip were the fish that jumped totally out of the water and for very long distances. Being from the north, we had never seen mullets before and we found it fascinating to watch them. The water was calm and made for smooth paddling as the fish jumped all around us. After we made a trip around the bayou we headed back to shore, a bit more tired than we were from our first time out. This is fun; we are going to enjoy this kayak.

When we were putting the boat in the water another couple also put their kayaks in the water. They were more experienced kayakers and they told us of another state park that was fun to paddle. That will be another story…

Like anything else you own, taking good care of your inflatable kayak (boat, catamaran, pontoon or float tube) will result in many extra years of service. The process is easy. It begins with being careful when you handle the craft. Very little damage happens when you’re on the water. On land, it’s a different story. Gouging and scraping the surface of your boat can occur when loading or unloading the craft or transporting it from one spot to another. Be careful lifting your boat, making sure it’s not near anything sharp. When moving the boat on land, if at all possible, don’t drag it on the ground. Keep aware of these potential hazards and you’ll save the use of your repair kit while extending the life of your inflatable.

Improper storage and improper inflation are other ways you can damage your inflatable kayak (or other craft). The “Tipster” will return with another post soon to address those issues.

We haven’t had our inflatable kayak for very long, but in the time we have had it we have enjoyed some memorable adventures. This is a story about our first paddling experience in our new Sea Eagle 330.

Our first time out was at a small lake in a county park in Harrison County, Indiana. It was a warm night in mid April. We were surprised at how fast the boat inflated and we were eager to try our hand at paddling it for the first time. The lake was very calm so there wasn’t any problem with the stability of the boat and we found it easy to launch. Getting both of us to get the paddles into the water without clunking them together was another story. This was the first time either of us had been in two-person kayak. For the first part of the trip around the lake, we weren’t very coordinated. After a while, though, we were almost looking like we really knew what we were doing, at least to a few people on the shore who would wave or ask us about out boat. We didn’t want to get overly tired for our first time out so we only stayed out on the lake about 30 minutes. After this paddling trip we were on to bigger and better things. I’ll be blogging about some of the places we have been, including some more ‘eventful’ trips. If anyone else would like to share some of their adventures, I would really like to hear about them.

Although there are many ‘brands’ of kayaks, they are essentially broken down into four ‘types’. The versatile Recreational Kayak is used to paddle calmer waters such as lakes, ponds or bays. The efficient Touring Kayak, with a thinner hull, is designed to be paddled long distances with less effort on rivers, lakes and even the ocean. A Whitewater kayak is a shorter, easier to turn vessel that can handle twisting rapids. And, high tech Racing Kayaks which are used by pros and highly skilled amateur paddlers in competitions.

Hard Shell Kayaks, which are the best known and the most popular, are solid, one piece units. Inflatable Kayaks are inflated by hand, foot, or electric pumps. Folding Kayaks are made with a frame, usually aluminum that supports a synthetic fabric. A Folding or Inflatable Kayak is carried and stored in a bag. Paddlers find that they are easier to store and travel with than hard shells.