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Kayaking is a great way to explore the Coastline of a dozen different countries. Although requiring a reasonable level of fitness, kayaking short distances is an accessible adventure that will offer plenty of rewards – usually in the form of quiet coves, pristine beaches, undisturbed wildlife colonies, great camping, and total serenity.

Here’s a list of the top kayaking destinations to discover your own piece of paradise, whether solo, with family, or on a small-group tour.

Prince William Sound, Alaska – Surrounded by the Chugach and Kenai mountains and their ice-fields, this pristine wilderness area is conveniently close to Anchorage. Whales, eagles, bears and salmon live in the area, and the thousands of miles of shoreline are full of bays, islands, and passages to explore. Because the sea here is sheltered, it’s a great place for novice kayakers.

Baja, Mexico – The scenery might not be quite as spectacular as Alaska, but Baja’s warm waters and accessible marine life add another dimension to a kayaking vacation. With the Sonoran Desert inland, and the translucent waters offshore full of dolphins, sea lions, and blue whales, this kayaking area is particularly popular with warm-weather lovers and families.

Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada – Known as the ‘Canadian Galapagos’, this island chain offers both cultural and natural history. Teeming with seabirds, seals, sea lions, dolphins, and whales, these islands contain old-growth forests and remnants of the cultural history of the native Haida, including collections of carved totem poles.

Ellesmere Island, Canada – For the truly adventurous kayaker, there is no better destination than Ellesmere, in the high arctic. Located a three-hour flight north of Resolute Bay, the fjords of Ellesmere Island are unparalleled for high arctic sea kayaking, making a great challenge for experienced kayakers. Scenically, there are unusual and scenic landscapes, historic Inuit sites, dry weather, continuous sunlight and rich plant, bird and animal communities. And all this is within 800km of the North Pole!

Wherever you choose to kayak this summer, enjoy the fresh air, adventurous activities, and great exercise afforded by kayak vacations!

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Kayaking is a sport that is loved by many. It is filled with excitement and adventures that cannot be produced by any other type of sport. However, when you go sea kayaking, you want to make sure that you have the right clothing to stay comfortable and safe. This is where sea kayaking apparel comes into play. These are specially designed outfits that can greatly enhance your adventures and keep you safer. There are many reasons why you should wear sea kayaking apparel. Of course, one main reason is for comfort. Regular clothing was not designed for kayaking and can bind and pull making you miserable during your adventure.

Sea kayaking apparel is also designed to fit loose in the right area for comfort but will not get in the way when you are paddling. They are designed to be comfortable and help you relax so you can concentrate on other more important details. Another reason to buy this type of clothing is for safety. Sea kayaking clothing is designed to keep you warm and help prevent you from getting hypothermia. Capsizing is always a possibility and being splashed is almost a certainty so you need to be prepared. Kayaking clothing is designed with special material that helps it to dry out faster when you do get wet and helps to prevent the clothing from clinging to your skin keeping your body wetter.

Sea kayaking apparel includes everything from shorts to shirts to jackets. You need a variety of clothing to help you be prepared for any situation. The weather conditions on the sea is always changing and the better prepared you are the safer you will be. You can always expect the water and wind conditions to make the temperature on the water much cooler than it is on dry land. Therefore, you need to make sure that you are prepared for this by having warm jackets and a variety of apparel to take with you on your trips.

Many kayakers wear drysuits or nylon swimsuits underneath their clothing to help make sure they are prepared for anything the sea has to throw at them. This is always a good idea whenever possible. Another great thing about sea kayaking apparel is that they are very stylish making it possible to look great while staying safe. If you enjoy kayaking, then it is recommended that you shop for apparel designed to make this sport easier and safer. There are many retail stores available for your convenience and you can always search for stores on the Internet that sell all types of sea kayaking apparel that will be perfect for any occasion.

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Imagine going on a camping tip and being able to take your kayak with you in a backpack or the trunk of your car. Not strapping said boat to the top of your vehicle or towing it behind, but conveniently storing your kayak in a bag small enough to fit in a backpack. This is the kind of flexibility an inflatable kayak can offer. And, by the way, inflatable kayaks have come a long way from what you may be thinking.

Just because they are “inflatable” doesn’t mean that they have to be something that you might play with in the pool. Technology has enabled manufacturers to produce quality boats that just happen to be inflatable. In fact, some inflatable kayaks are strong enough to withstand a dog sitting and walking inside of them! If you know how sharp a dogs nails can be, you realize how impressive this is.

You probably also think that there’s no way an inflatable kayak can be taken into rapids. Wrong again. Is an inflatable kayak going to be used in the upcoming Olympics? Of course not, but some inflatable kayaks are strong enough for you to traverse class IV rapids. Not bad for a kayak that can easily be taken anywhere. An inflatable kayak can also be a wonderful way to explore your favorite trout fishing river. Zipping downstream to new fishing area will be no problem with the help of an inflatable kayak.

If you’re into outdoor activities such as: fishing, camping, RVing, or just vacationing on a lake, an inflatable kayak can be a wonderful way to enjoy and traverse the water, and at a fraction of the cost of a “traditional” boat of any kind. Inflatable kayaks are a wonderful way to enjoy your favorite water.

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“I keep my eyes clear and I hit ‘em where they ain’t.” This was baseball’s Willie Keeler’s famous explanation for his .432 average in 1897. This applies well for baseball, but not fishing. To be successful, you need to be able to get where the fish are, not be “where they ain’t” and a great way to accomplish this to use a kayak.

As a child, I sat on the bank of many a river and many a small lake with my grandpa trying to catch fish. While I cherished the time we spent together, we did not catch as many fish as I would have liked. In fact, I know that I would have enjoyed these trips more if we would have had more action. Now that I have my kayak, I am mobile. If I spot feeding fish I can get to them with just a few short strokes, make a cast, and BINGO “Fish On!” This makes for a much more exciting day.

My favorite lake to fish is Lake Angelus in Michigan. This is a private lake; I am fortunate that my sister has a house on the lake and allows me access. Anyway, my point is that I have discovered where the fish are and now I can get to them. The lake has a “flats” area that cannot be reached by heaving bait as a landlubber. Also complicating things is that the fish are easily spooked from the sounds of boat engines. Consequently, the kayak is the ultimate tool for achieving success. I have literally “snuck up” on 5-pound small mouth bass, seen the lunker lying on the bed, worked my “Texas” rig, through the shallows, and then had the fight of a lifetime. At times, the fish have towed the kayak quite some distance before being landed.

Serenity Now!

For those of you familiar with the comedian Jerry Seinfeld, you may remember the famous episode when one of the characters thought they could obtain peaceful bliss by screaming “SERENITY NOW!” Of course, this did not work, and the character ended up being institutionalized. However, I know how you can obtain bliss, simply take the kayak to a secluded place and enjoy nature. I am a good angler, but I am sure there are many other fishermen who have developed more skills at this sport than I have. Consequently, I do not have a fish on constantly (nor do I want to have a fish on constantly). When things slow down on my quests for fish, I can obtain Serenity by paddling around the lake and observing nature.

I also am a birder and like to identify the different species that gather around the wetlands. My kayaking trips have allowed me to observe birds and other wildlife that could not be seen in suburbia, where I live. Some examples are a bald eagle in Upper Michigan, an elk on the Two-Hearted River in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, some loons also in the U.P., and moose and Grizzly bear in Alaska.

Okay, let’s say you don’t like fishing, and birding isn’t your bag either. How about surfing? Or riding the rapids? Or sailing? The kayak can be used in all of these sports. No kidding, I have surfed in the Atlantic Ocean with a kayak. I paddled out to the breakers, timed the wave, and rode it to shore. This was very exciting! I have also taken my kayak through white water on a river, an adrenaline rush. Before you try this, you must make sure you are properly equipped and have the skill to make it through safely.

Sailing is something I have yet to try, but I’ve seen it and want to give it a go. The kayaks really move out on a windy day!

Lastly, I am 5’7″ tall and weight 200 pounds (sometimes more). The reason I bring this up is to let you know that I need exercise. Sadly, I do not have the svelte physique I used to have back in the day. The kayak provides me with an aerobic workout opportunity. It helps me keep my weight down and to keep my muscles toned.

The above reasons are why I have the passion for kayaking. Dollar for dollar, the kayak is the best investment you can make if you share the same interests that I do.

At night a kayaker will need at least one white light on their kayak so that it can be shown in the direction of any oncoming boaters. All Lights used for Kayaking should be waterproof and be using new batteries when starting out for the night. A handheld flashlight will do for most kayakers. It is wise to check your local boating laws for the exact requirements. Boats over 16 ft often have greater lighting requirements. Find out Your Kayaks Length and be prepared for the safety rules that apply to it.

The best form of “white light” for a Kayaker is a “Deck Light” (also referred to as an anchor light). A strong white light that you can see from all directions is ideal, yet not very practical for a kayaker. If they had a pole light it would be cumbersome and inhibit the maneuverability of the kayak. A simple deck light would suit the kayaker better.

Deck or (Anchor) Lights are usually mounted at the Stern (back) of the boat. Often other lights such as Red for Port (left) and Green for Starboard (right) are used in combination with the Anchor light. The white front light is not as important if these other colored lights can already be seen from the front.

Navigating Lights are often not required for small vessels like the Kayak but they increase your chances of being seen. For Your uninhibited vision sake be sure to have all Navigation lighting not glaring in your eyes (point them straight or slightly down if effecting your vision. Along with this be sure that your white anchor light is behind you as well. All these help preserve a clearer night vision.

Headlights can also enhance your night vision. As well they can help locate navigation aids such as the channel markers and buoys.