Paddling Education

By: Eszter Horanyi I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I struggled in the seemingly bottomless pit of mud, my heavily loaded packraft fallen to the side into some trees, my drysuit zipper, which had been unzipped...

Kayaking safety should always be top-of-mind, especially if you take your kayak further than a small local lake and plan to paddle in all weather conditions. “Kayak flotation” is one of those safety topics you need to understand.

Aqua Bound Ambassador Joachim Larssen is no stranger to marathon sea kayak expeditions. He gives us a peek inside his Fjords of Norway trip of 2023 when he began his quest to kayak Norway’s ten longest fjords.

Aqua Bound Ambassador Marcel Bieg is the director of River House Outdoor Center in Eugene, Oregon. A lifelong paddler himself, Marcel discusses the paddle programming they offer as well as the myriad of benefits he sees for kids who paddle.

When you think of a fishing kayak, you don’t think inflatable. But one manufacturer has designed an inflatable kayak specifically for fishing.

Bikerafter and filmmaker Deane Parker and a few mates headed into the mountains surrounding New Zealand’s Dillon Cone by way of the Clarence River. The goal of their trip was the tackle the summit and descent by bike, after an unsuccessful 2017 attempt.

In scenic northcentral Washington lies the Methow River, the “home river” of Aqua Bound Ambassador Jessica Kelley. Here she shares with us an expedition she’s been wanting to take for a long time—the Methow from start to finish.

Join Ken Whiting, Aqua Bound Ambassador, as he sea kayaks for the first time along the coastline of the beautiful island country of Dominica.

There are so many reasons we choose to kayak, canoe, paddleboard or packraft. Here are some of the main reasons we love to paddle. Which are YOUR reasons to love it?

The kinds of water conditions that make ideal kayaking, packrafting and paddle boarding depend on a couple of key factors: your experience and the type of boat and gear you have.

In this two-part video series, our friend Dan Arbuckle from Headwaters Kayak compares five open-cockpit recreational kayak models for features, value and performance.

Aqua Bound Ambassador Rachel Bott attended the Sea Kayak Iceland Symposium 2023 in Arnastapi, Iceland. In this blog post she tells us a bit more about the event, the conditions, and the awesome international instructors present.

Aqua Bound Ambassador Reidar Sether grew up on the island of Hitra, along the central Norwegian coast. Come along as he shares his favorite things about this sea kayaker's paradise near Trondheim.

Traveling to epic kayak and canoe destinations is amazing. But paddling locally can be equally wonderful and is a whole lot more accessible.

Blackwaters is a film by adventure photographer/creative director Chad Brown that follows five black outdoorsmen of diverse backgrounds into Gates of the Arctic National Park.

Aqua Bound Ambassador Ken Whiting covers the essentials of how to choose the best life jacket for you, no matter what type of paddling you do:

If you’re on the lookout for a wonderful way to get kids more interested in the great outdoors, water activities are a perfect place to start. In this blog, we dive into tips to get kids started paddling and learn about 5-year-old Astrid's first time packrafting!

Hugo Desrosiers embarked on an epic 490-kilometer kayak journey around Kyrgyzstan’s Lake Issyk-Kul in May 2022. This Canadian's first attempt at a solo kayak expedition in a foreign country proved both a success and life-changing education.

Scott Nechemis is an avid backcountry backpacker, but this was his first time packrafting. He, his partner Jordan McKinney, and Aqua Bound ambassador Dan Ransom took an overnight trip to the John Day River. This blog encapsulates his experience.

The Stonington Archipelago is a sea kayaker’s playground off the coast of Maine. This grouping of about 70 islands offers a ton to see and do from wildlife viewing to camping to learning about the history of this unique area.

Paddle boarding (SUP) is pretty straightforward: you need a board, a paddle and a PFD. Depending on your situation, there are other accessories you may need to cover safety. And there are options you can choose that add to your enjoyment on the water.