I have encountered many paddlers, both in person and through pictures they share on social media, enjoying time on the water in a canoe or kayak with their four-legged, furry companion. And why not? Most dogs are well suited for paddling adventures and will relish the...
Forget the 120 Rule, so says Moulton Avery, whose cold water safety presentation I had the pleasure of attending. Avery used the May 16, 2010 tragedy of Irina McEntee and Carissa Ireland in Casco Bay, Maine, as the driving force to start the National Center for Cold Wa...
I've been paddling for decades. I lead paddle trips in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Puget Sound. I've also paddled in the Salish Sea that surrounds the San Juan Islands. In the Strait of Juan de Fuca, I have encountered paddlers paddling inexpensive kayaks, not u...
It's an early fall day; you set out in the morning; the water is calm and as smooth a sheet of glass; there's not a cloud in the sky; the sun has started to creep above the ridge behind you, bathing the water ahead of you in amber light. You think to yourself, "With wa...
Paddling at night under the stars, a glowing moon, or the Aurora Boreallis can be a magical time, but it isn't without a certain amount of risk from a possible encounter with another boat. How do warn other boaters by letting them know where you're at on the water?
Canoe & Kayak magazine recently reported on the death of former CEO and co-founder of North Face, Doug Tompkins, who died as a result of hypothermia he suffered when his kayak overturned in rough conditions while paddling a lake that borders Argentina and Chile. The r...
The importance of wearing a properly fitting life jacket when in, on and around the water is paramount, especially when it comes to our most precious cargo –our children. During this past summer, boating and life jacket experts from around the nation came together wit...
You’re paddling on one of the many beautiful lakes in central Oregon; you’re out in the middle of the lake; you hear it. First it’s a low rumbling sound like that of a tympani drum in the distance. It gradually builds to a crescendo the closer it gets. You know what fo...
As you age, your mind isn’t as sharp as it once was. You find yourself forgetting things, things like where did I leave my car keys, did I remember to bring my PFD, and did I remember to properly secure my boat. And some things that we haven’t had to think about in a l...
I know spectators and those participants who weren’t able to compete are blaming the captain of the Spirit of Portland for the early closure of Red Bull’s Flugtag event in downtown Portland, but the fault doesn’t lie with him. The fault lies with Red Bull and the boate...