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...
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...
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...
A tragic event occurred on April 12 in which two kayakers lost their lives and left another one fighting for his life after they got caught in a storm. A party of seven kayakers set out from Dungeness Spit Lighthouse to paddle the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Weather condit...