Fishing Kayak Guide
Take a Lesson You have to start somewhere. With sea kayaking, it's best to pick up fundamental skills before dipping your paddle in the big drink. “I think it's important that beginners take a lesson,” says Piffath. “If you don’t have the skills—like going from paddling strokes to maneuvering capabilities, for instance—then you run into trouble.” Outfitters up and down both coasts offer simple lessons, as well as more intensive courses, to start you down the path to a paddling pro.
Practice the Basics Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to sea kayaking. You actually don’t want to start in the water, though. Piffath begins each one of her lessons by practicing proper techniques on the beach first, for muscle memory. After repeating strokes on land, take to shallow, calm water to make sure you’ve got everything down. If the boat is moving efficiently and you feel comfortable and confident in your paddling, step it up by heading to more open waters with your group.
Pick Your Route and Check the Weather Piffath recommends being familiar with the area where you’d like to paddle, keeping in mind that bays and other sheltered areas, protected from the strangers winds and choppier waters of the open sea, are best for beginners. Check a marine forecast to get a general idea of what the weather might do on the water, but always expect some wind and waves, even on a beautiful, bluebird day. Avoid fog as much as possible.
Bring a Map. Your GPS and iPhone or Android are great tools to bring paddling (try the Lifeproof case for sleek, top-notch waterproofing), but they're only as good as their battery life or, as is often a problem on the ocean, their reception signal. “Knowing how to read a [nautical] chart and use a compass is huge,� says Piffath. Remembering to pack them is even bigger.
Bring a Friend Kayaking alone is never a good idea, and it's even worse when you're a newbie. Understand now that the ocean is big, powerful and pretty darn unpredictable, but it doesn't have to be scary. The more companions you bring paddling, the safer (and probably more fun) your voyage will be. “Go with a veteran group," says Piffath. “If you can experience the wide variety of conditions that'll affect your kayak with a veteran group of guides the first time around, you’ll gain invaluable experience from it.”
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