happyThis was my third time with the church and my first time with a rented kayak. I think I'll try sticking with the canoes; they're easier to get in and out of when you misread the river and get stuck in the shallows. On the other hand, it was particularly nice to have the boat to myself; I could actually sit still and hear the river change as it got shallower or deeper.
Some helpful hints if you've never done something like this before:
- Tie everything to the boat. If something isn't physically tied to the boat, you will tip and it will float merrily downstream.
- Dry bags are good things to have.
- Sunscreen is important too, especially when you're breaking camp and you don't think you need it..
- Even if you think you look dorky wearing a Type III PFD, wear it. If nothing else, you can float over shallow rocks without whacking yourself on the sitzplatz.
