“Every day you get one more yard, You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, The waiting is the hardest part.” —Tom Petty | Feature photo: Elizabeth Gadd
“I think we can navigatethis safely,” one of my friends says. I squint out to sea thinking, “Tom Petty was right.”
On the beach are three loaded sea kayaks. We’re on day six of an 11-day outer West Coast trip and primed for the crux move. Ahead is eight miles of exposed coast, with three jutting points surrounded by shallow reefs, notorious for making gentle swell explode into breaking waves. Then we have to find a narrow slot behind an island before we can take a breather on land. I look at the sea again and shake my head.
As far as I know, the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers never sat in a kayak. But now his lyrics echo in my head. We woke to a placid forecast and packed our boats under blue skies and light wind. By the time we were loaded, fog had descended, and we couldn’t see across our small cove. One friend still wants to press on. I don’t. This is where Mr. Petty comes in. He nailed sea kayaking’s biggest dilemma when he wrote, “Waiting is the hardest part.”
The friend who wants to go can’t sit still in the best circumstances, certainly not once his boat is packed and his drysuit is on. My other friend thinks we can do it, but it won’t be fun, and we won’t get to see the cliff-lined coastline and its summer gathering of whales, which is why we came here in the first place. I’m not interested in foggy dead reckoning or squinting at a GPS along a coastline full of boomers in the fog. But the anticipation of movement is still coursing through our veins.
“Every day you get one more yard, You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, The waiting is the hardest part.” —Tom Petty | Feature photo: Elizabeth Gadd
Waiting means wondering. If we wait too long, will the wind come up? What if we get stuck on this beach for days? It seems easier to move, even if it’s foolish, than to sit still and wait for the fog to lift.
All types of paddling take patience
It’s not just in sea kayaking. I’ve felt the same pressure scouting whitewater rapids. Watching the water churn, I fight the urge to hop back in my boat and plunge into my line to get watching, deciding and second-guessing over with. I force myself to methodically assess and apply WORMS (water, obstacles, route, markers, safety) and make sure I’m not missing something. I could get a better run by watching someone else go first, but that means even more waiting with anticipatory adrenaline in my system.
Waiting is even harder and more critical in rock gardens, where timing is everything. Watching a slot to see how it sets up with different swells and getting the timing right can be the difference between a fun run and a tough rescue. But bobbing up and down for those few minutes is mentally taxing.
It’s not just Tom Petty who thinks so. Kate Sweeny, professor of psychology at the University of California Riverside, dissected the stress to find out why waiting is, in fact, the hardest part. In an interview with the American Psychological Association, she said waiting combines two challenging feelings: uncertainty about what will happen and powerlessness from being unable to do anything about the situation and the uncertainty you feel about it.
Sweeny also noted the things we can do while we’re waiting, while useful, can add to the stress.
“Waiting can prompt us to plan out worst-case scenarios and make sure we’re ready for them,” she told the APA. Helpful when not already prepared, but if we are prepared, it can keep us dwelling on what could go wrong, even if we’ve done everything we can. And the longer we have to wait, the worse the worry gets.
“While we’re waiting, our expectations tend to go from very optimistic at the start or before a waiting period, and then plunge into pessimism as time goes on,” says Sweeny. Or, as Petty said with Roy Orbison, George Harrison and Bob Dylan in The Traveling Wilburys, “Every day is Judgment Day.”
What to do when waiting is all that’s left
Sea kayakers are already trained to think in worst-case scenarios. We practice rescues, scour charts for bailout spots and huddle around VHF forecasts. We’ve already done all the planning that needs to be done. Being stuck on the beach wondering what awaits us around the fog-shrouded cape isn’t the same stress as waiting for a biopsy report, but the psychological response is wired the same way.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: View all touring kayaks ]
Since waiting is inevitable, what’s the solution to Tom Petty’s conundrum? According to Sweeny, the best antidote is something kayakers also know well: a flow activity. That’s something mentally absorbing, causing you to block out everything else, including the passage of time. The flow state of surfing a glassy wave or moving with the river is why we paddle. We just need to find one on shore.
I’m in luck because I’m a photographer, and it’s low tide. For me, photography is a flow activity. While my friends try to occupy themselves piling up beach debris, I become absorbed in close-up shots of tidepools. Entranced by close-ups of anemone’s tentacles and hermit crabs, I don’t realize when my friends are waving at me. The fog has cleared. The hardest part is over. It’s time to paddle.
Neil Schulman writes from Portland, Oregon. When Petty’s “The Waiting” was released on the album Hard Promises, Neil was an 11-year-old canoeist.
This article was first published in the Spring 2024 issue of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
“Every day you get one more yard, You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, The waiting is the hardest part.” —Tom Petty | Feature photo: Elizabeth Gadd
ATLANTA, GA – This year marks a significant expansion of an already successful volunteer-led initiative to offer low-cost kayaking instruction on the Saturday before Memorial Day Weekend. Nationally certified instructor volunteers from the American Canoe Association (ACA) and representatives from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary are joining forces with public lands partners, state agencies, paddling clubs and other local paddlesports leaders to offer 43 simultaneous “Kayaking 101” classes
across seven states on May 18 to kick off National Safe Boating Week. After successful initiatives in Tennessee and North Carolina in 2022 and 2023, this year the ACA partnership will expand to include Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Texas and Missouri. The ACA is the national accrediting body for paddlesports education.
According to the US Coast Guard, 40% of all boaters are engaged in paddlesports. The US saw an estimated 45 million paddlers enjoying kayaking, canoeing and paddle board activities last year. Unfortunately, fatalities are on the increase too, with 26% of all recreational boating fatalities involving paddlers. Kayakers comprise the bulk of paddlesports growth and the majority of paddling fatalities. Surprisingly, accidents happen most often in calm water conditions. Nearly 75% of fatalities involve paddlers with less than 100 hours experience and 35% of those have less than 10 hours experience.
Volunteer organizers of this event are working in collaboration with US Coast Guard and US Coast Guard Auxiliary as a grassroots initiative to change the trajectory of this trend. Specifically, this event aligns with the USCG Strategic Plan for the National Recreational Boating Safety Program (2022-2026): encouraging wear of life jackets; and, employing strategies to address new boaters, including paddlers.
“The US Coast Guard is excited to support “Kayaking 101” as a powerful volunteer-led initiative to share the love of paddlesports and help train newcomers how to do it safely,” said Verne Gifford, Chief, U. S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Division (CG-BSX-2). “It is amazing to see the local ACA instructors, paddling clubs and paddling leaders join forces to address this need in their communities. They saw a chance to make a difference and they stepped up to be part of the solution!”
In April 2024, the National Safe Boating Council recognized this volunteer-led initiative with the 2024 IBWSS Community Impact Award for making such a notable difference with paddling safety in our communities. But in fact, this initiative is winning awards and getting the attention of boating safety specialists everywhere the volunteers take it.
In 2022, ACA Tennessee partnered with Tennessee State Parks and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to offer 12 classes, and was recognized by the Tennessee Recreation and Parks Association with the Four Star Innovation Award for Park Programming. In 2023, ACA Tennessee and ACA North Carolina partnered with State Parks and the Wildlife Resource Commissions from both states to offer 24 classes. In 2023, North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation’s Interpretation and Education Council noted this was “likely the single largest education day for kayak safety in North Carolina State Parks’ history.”
“We are thrilled with the success we have seen already as a partner in this initiative, and we are delighted to see the program expand,” said Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. “This instruction is an excellent opportunity to learn important safety techniques and make the most of such an enjoyable sport. It is a great way to kick off National Safe Boating Week.”
Hammocks Beach State Park, NC, 2023
These classes have demonstrated a remarkable impact on their communities, achieving the following metrics of success in 2023:
Trained 279 people in one day across 2 states
179 volunteers from 46 organizations came together to lead the training
36 news stories/earned media was secured reaching 200-500,000 people in the general media market with messages about paddling safety
83,000 paddlers reached on social media (conservatively)
Watch highlights reel from ACA Tennessee 2023 here
“We know that just one day of training can make the difference between setting yourself up for a bad experience that ruins the sport for you versus setting yourself up for a whole lifetime of paddling fun,” said ACA Regional Activity Council Chair and event co-founder, Andrea White.
In each state, the local chapter of ACA partners with a public lands agency to build the foundation for the event and then gathers instructor volunteers and safety boaters, donations for free kayak
rentals and other support from the paddling leaders and stakeholders in those communities.
2024 marks the first time the US Army Corps of Engineers has sponsored the “Kayaking 101” partnership to bring the event to their state.
“We are excited to be able to bring an event of this caliber to Georgia for the benefit of all of the paddlers we see at Allatoona Lake and in other parts of the state,” said Ranger Rusty Simmons, Chief Ranger of Park Operations at Allatoona Lake. “Being able to mobilize this many nationally certified ACA instructors to help beginners is a very powerful way for the community to come together to reinforce safety while we are having fun!”
Hammocks Beach State Park, NC, 2023
Participating Marquee Sponsors for this event include:
American Canoe Association’s Regional Activity Council
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
Georgia River Network
Tennessee State Parks & Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
North Carolina State Parks and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
South Carolina State Parks and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Florida State Parks and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission
Missouri State Parks
US Army Corps of Engineers at Allatoona Lake, GA, Trust for Public Lands/Chattahoochee Riverlands, and Georgia Power Company
Classes cost $15 per person including a free kayak rental for training that often retails for $75-$150. All instructors are local volunteers who are nationally certified by the American Canoe Association to give paddling and rescue training and are supported by experienced paddlesports safety teams.
Each park’s event will be limited to 15 people. In returning states, Tennessee and North Carolina, there are also a few specialized classes for Adaptive Kayaking, Kayak Fishing, and Standup Paddleboard.
Interested parties can register at the registration links provided here for each state. In-person spaces are limited. A free ACA online class is also available; however, in-person training with a certified instructor is strongly encouraged.
These classes are made available by certified instructor volunteers, safety boaters and equipment donations from many organizations coming together to help their fellow paddlers across 6 states. Valued partners joining the American Canoe Association and US Coast Guard Auxiliary in this effort in each state include:
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, TN, 2023 | Photo by Ande Demetriou
Cliffs of Neuse State Park, NC, 2023 | Photo by Lloyd Dosser
Tennessee: Appalachian Paddling Enthusiasts, Blues City Kayaks; Bluff City Canoe Club; Catalyst Sports; Chattanooga Therapeutic Recreation Services, Chota Canoe Club; East Tennessee Whitewater Club; Knoxville Kayaking Clinic; Nolichucky Outdoor Learning Institute; Sunseeker Outfitters; Team River Runner-Atlanta; Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association; Tennessee Valley Canoe Club; and Tennessee RiverLine.
North Carolina: Carolina Kayak Club, Get Outdoors Pedal and Paddle, Carolina Canoe Club, Paddle NC, Outdoor Women by Jo Proia, Catawba Riverkeepers, Cape Fear River Adventures, Kitty Hawk Kites,
South Carolina: Low Country Paddlers, Augusta Canoe and Kayak Club, America’s Boating Club – Charleston, and Edisto River Canoe and Kayak Commision.
Georgia: Georgia River Network, Georgia Power Company, Trust for Public Lands, Georgia Canoeing Association, The Outdoor Foundation, Savannah Coastal Ecotours, Middle Georgia Kayaking, Miller Kayak Trips and Training, REI Co-op and REI Co-op Experiences, Tennessee Valley Canoe Club, Half Moon Outfitters, Westbrook Supply Co., and Southern Conservation Trust.
Florida: Kaku Kayaks, Tampa Bay Kayak Anglers, Florida Paddling Trails Association, Kayak Adventure Group out of Tampa Bay, St. Augustine Paddle Sports.
Missouri: The Alpine Shop
Texas: Houston Area Sea Kayakers, Texas Outdoor Family
The National Park Service (NPS) is searching for a missing man and his dog in the Grand Canyon and believes the pair may have launched on the Colorado River on a homemade raft. On April 21, 2024, the NPS located a presumably abandoned Toyota Tacoma belonging to Thomas Lee Robison of Santa Fe, New Mexico, at Lees Ferry, the launch point used for the majority of paddlers embarking on a Grand Canyon river trip. In a press release, the Park Service published images of Robison, 58, and his 11-year-old Welsh corgi, along with a photo of the homemade wooden raft. Neither have been seen as of this writing on April 29.
Feature photo: National Park Service
Robison and his corgi missing in the Grand Canyon
The wooden raft Robison may have launched with. | Photo: National Park Service
In an interview with Arizona’s Family (KTVK/KPHO), Grand Canyon National Park Service public affairs officer Joëlle Baird stated Robison did not have a permit to launch on the river. Baird also shared, “This is not a type of watercraft or vessel we would recommend,” in reference to the homemade wooden raft seen in the photo, which appears to be little more than three planks of lumber etched with artistic detail and lashed together with rope.
Along with securing a permit, the Park Service requires all paddlers to carry certain equipment and attend an orientation prior to launching on the river. Other items, including a satellite phone, are recommended by the park. It hasn’t been stated whether it’s believed Robison had any of the required or recommended equipment, or even whether he had adequate technical apparel for the cold water of the Colorado.
In the image, you can see an orange, rectangular Type II life jacket with a single buckle, similar to the type associated with being stowed away on a motorboat. This type of life jacket, while providing ample flotation, does little to stay secure on an individual in the thrashing high-volume rapids of this section of the Colorado River. The Park Service requires paddlers to use a Type I, III or V PFD in the Grand Canyon.
The day Robison’s truck was reported, the Colorado River at Lees Ferry peaked at a volume of 11,400 cubic feet per second (cfs) and has reached over 12,000 cfs each day since—with a water temperature hovering around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The river flow is around average if not below its mean flow this time of year.
Permits, awarded through a lottery, are required to paddle through the Grand Canyon, both as a means of regulating impact in the corridor, as well as allowing the Park Service to monitor who is currently within the remote 280-mile class IV stretch of the Colorado.
Thomas Lee Robison. | Photo: National Park Service
The Park Service receives more than 300 rescue calls a year with a third of these being river users. The rugged and remote nature of the Canyon requires most rescues to be made by helicopter.
“It’s the people you meet, the bonds you form and all the experiences you have together. For me, that’s the most important thing.” | Feature photo: Red Bull Illume // Gonzalo Robert Parraguez
Gonzalo Robert Parraguez’s image of paddler Kilian Ivelic sending a waterfall in the Cajon del Maipo, on Chile’s Maipo River, is dreamy for more than just its magical light, billowing water and otherworldly textures of the rocks channeling the cascade. Ivelic, 24, grew up dreaming about paddling the class V Maipo canyon and has been developing his boating skills for years on Chile’s iconic whitewater rivers—tracked and documented by Robert Parraguez’s lens. The duo’s efforts paid off: 25-year-old Robert Parraguez won Red Bull’s prestigious 2023 Illume award for emerging photographers for this photo. Along with producing a remarkable image, the acclaim showcases a tremendous partnership between an extreme athlete and an adventurous lensman poised to take the next step.
“Without him, none of these places would look so amazing,” says Robert Parraguez. “The first time I met Kili was by chance on the river. He’s always so motivated and such a nice person; he’s become a very good partner for these missions.”
How to win adventure photography’s most prestigious prize
Robert Parraguez and Ivelic waited patiently for months for the right water levels to run the Maipo’s rock-clad waterfalls, just south of Santiago in central Chile. Then, in late May 2022, Ivelic gave the photographer a call. The pair drove for two hours, trekked 10 minutes to the canyon and set up anchors for a challenging 15-meter rappel to give Robert Parraguez and a safety boater access to the river. The focus was on helping Ivelic achieve his dream descent, Robert Parraguez recalls. “Honestly, when I was walking to the waterfall, I never thought I would get an award-winning picture.”
“It’s the people you meet, the bonds you form and all the experiences you have together. For me, that’s the most important thing.” | Feature photo: Red Bull Illume // Gonzalo Robert Parraguez
Such a harrowing approach puts a premium on compact camera equipment and a versatile zoom lens, Robert Parraguez says. A wide-angle perspective captures the scale of the scene: Reflecting on the day, Robert Parraguez can still hear the deep bass rumble of the falls, taste the misty air, and sense the butterflies he felt in his stomach as his friend planted a forward stroke into frothy water at the apex of the drop.
These experiences give Robert Parraguez all the resolve he needs to continue with his life’s passion to travel the world, camera in hand. Living in Chile gives him access to some of the world’s finest whitewater rivers as well as ocean surf breaks. His recent film, There’s Good In Everything with Spanish whitewater superstar Aniol Serrasolses, won the Best Whitewater Film award at the 2024 Paddling Film Festival.
“I started photography when I was 18, when I left school and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” Robert Parraguez says. “I think what I like most about being an adventure photographer is just what it says: photographing the adventure and always being on adventures with amazing people. One of the biggest difficulties in taking these photos is always the access, but at the same time, it’s also the fun part—when you want something really bad and have to figure out how to get there to make it happen. That’s where the adventure begins.”
Watch Gonzalo Robert Parraguez’s film Origen, starring Kilian Ivelic, and There’s Good In Everything in the 2024 Paddling Film Festival at paddlingfilmfestival.com.
This article was first published in the Spring 2024 issue of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
“It’s the people you meet, the bonds you form and all the experiences you have together. For me, that’s the most important thing.” | Feature photo: Red Bull Illume // Gonzalo Robert Parraguez
Ottawa, ON, April 25, 2024 – Level Six, a leading outdoor gear manufacturer, proudly announces the launch of the Loki Drysuit, a game-changing product that sets new standards for sustainability, performance and user comfort.
Key features include:
PFAS-Free and Recycled: The Loki is the first drysuit on the market to be both PFAS-Free and made from recycled materials. Years of research and development have culminated in this groundbreaking achievement.
Latex and Neoprene Free: This is a game changer for anyone allergic to latex and neoprene products. Made with sensitivities in mind, this suit is ideal for all.
Innovative Gasket System: The Loki is the first latex—and neoprene-free drysuit that utilizes an innovative PU-coated Lycra gasket system. This system allows the user to customize the fit, tightening or loosening the gasket for either more performance or greater comfort on a long day. This suit performs to the highest standard while simultaneously being breathable and comfortable.
Breathable Design: Whether paddling on whitewater or embarking on a canoe trip, the Loki performs to the highest standard while simultaneously being breathable and comfortable.
Environmental Commitment: Sustainability is not a buzzword for Level Six; it’s a core value. While other companies hesitate, Level Six has taken action. The Loki features a fully recycled fabric and a C0 PFAS-Free DWR coating. Level Six’s commitment extends beyond the product itself. All future dry gear production will eliminate these harmful forever chemicals, protecting our waterways, our environment, personal health, and factory workers.
Health Impact Awareness: We were once unaware of the risks posed by PFAS chemicals. Now, Level Six is leading the charge. The staggering health consequences for exposed laborers and surrounding communities drive this mission.
The Loki drysuit isn’t just a product; it’s a beacon of change. Level Six is excited to see the changes industry-wide.
Customer Appreciation: We owe our success to our loyal Level Six customer base. Their support fuels our passion for innovation and sustainability. The Loki Drysuit is more than gear; it’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to a healthier planet.
About Level Six
Level Six is a Canadian-based outdoor gear company dedicated to creating high-performance products that respect the environment and enhance outdoor experiences. Our mission: gear that matters.
Wherever you choose to go, there's more than one way to get there. | Feature photo: Frank Wolf
The last few years made a pretty strong argument for building paddlecraft right here in North America. First came a trade war ratcheting U.S. import tariffs on kayaks and inflatable boats from China up to as high as 27.4 percent. Then came Covid and a near-total collapse of the global supply chain.
Sticking with the home team was absolutely the right call back then. But how about now?
The supply chain is stitched up and seems to be holding together. Shipping is down too. According to the online freight marketplace Freightos, sending a 40-foot container from China to the U.S. west coast this month will cost you less than $1,400, down from a peak of $20,600 in September 2021.
And have you heard about the Chinese economy? It’s gone from bad to worse, meaning Chinese manufacturers are looking to deal like never before.
Wherever you choose to go, there’s more than one way to get there. | Feature photo: Frank Wolf
“The Chinese economy is reeling right now, and that’s going to make those suppliers really sharpen up their pencils,” says Ed Vater, the former Branches president who guided the Wisconsin-based paddlemaker to record profits during the Pandemic, thanks to a relatively short supply chain and an agile homegrown workforce.
When demand shot through the roof in 2020 and 2021 and paddlesports importers could do little more than yell into the phone, Vater walked onto the production floor and started stamping out paddles, alongside his wife and kids. In fact, many Branches employees brought family members on board for what they thought would be a temporary surge in production.
Asian suppliers surged too, but not so quickly. And the products they did manage to produce often sat offshore for weeks in those $20,000 containers. Then, when they finally managed to unload, the taxman was waiting to collect the import duty because nobody has called a truce in the trade war.
All of those factors lined up in favor of domestic manufacturing during the Pandemic, but there are some signs the pendulum is beginning to swing in the other direction.
More than one way to get there
A Made in U.S.A. or Made in Canada badge is good for the brand here in North America, but few consumers choose a boat solely on where it was made. The choice typically comes down to quality and price—factors depending more on a brand’s priorities and management than country of origin.
North America never had a monopoly on quality, and cheap kayaks aren’t only made in Asia. Indeed, the majority of price-point hard-shell kayaks crowding box store shelves are now made on this side of the Pacific. Sun Dolphin molds kayaks in Michigan, Lifetime in Utah and Pelican in Quebec. In our globally integrated world, a better predictor of quality is not where you choose to build, but what you’re willing to pay and how well you manage the process.
Homegrown manufacturing works for Jackson Kayak, which makes whitewater, fishing and recreational kayaks in Sparta, Tennessee, but it may not be the solution for everyone.
Sending a 40-foot container from China to the U.S. west coast this month will cost you less than $1,400, down from a peak of $20,600 in September 2021.
“When it comes down to China versus the U.S., there’s not one right answer or wrong answer,” says Marketing Manager Emily Jackson. Still, having design, production and quality control under one roof can pay dividends in unexpected ways. “We have over 200 people on our team,” Jackson says, and enough of them are boaters that when Jackson Kayak rolls out a new product, someone who punches a clock in the Sparta factory is likely among the first to paddle it. “That really allows us to see the problems faster, not just in the factory but on the water,” Jackson says.
Keeping innovation in-house
There’s also something to be said for keeping an eye on the door, lest your design walk out of it. Or as Vater puts it, “How special is your secret sauce?”
If you’re cooking up something new or different, it may be a good idea to keep a lid on it. That’s more difficult in China, where the culture and law take a more permissive view of intellectual property. Vater offers the hockey stick trade as a cautionary tale.
“Nobody making a hockey stick has really got any technology over anybody else,” says Vater, who in 2002 helped guide Bending Branches out of the hockey business to focus solely on paddles. “When that happens it’s really just marketing and selling a commodity. It’s deadly to brands and nobody invests in the sport anymore,” he says. Two decades on, 75 percent of the hockey sticks used in NHL games are made in China. And the rest? Mexico.
Why I make kayaks in China
Corran Addison
“We were producing our Soul Waterman kayaks in China and getting a top-quality product, but a few years ago some of our U.S. customers told us they didn’t want to buy Chinese-made kayaks. They wanted to buy American-made kayaks, and they were vocal enough that we decided to do it.
We found a factory in the U.S. that sold us on their ability to make quality products and shipped all our molds to them—our whole production facility. A month and a half into it, they’re like, “Dude, we can’t make your boats. You either need to drop your standards or redesign them so they’re easier to make.”
I wasn’t about to do either of those things, so I moved to a factory in Canada. Same thing. Then I moved to another factory in the U.S., and then another, and it was the same with them. So finally I just moved everything back to China.
My supplier there said, “Tell us what you want and what your standards are. We’re going to charge you for it, but we’ll make it.”
The days of cheaper manufacturing in China are in the past. It costs me about 20 percent more to produce in China than the U.S. But I get the quality I want, and I get it on time.
Chinese goods have a bad reputation because people have long memories, and the stuff that was coming out of China 30 years ago was absolute rubbish. That’s no longer the case. I know because I’ve been making things in China for three decades and have seen the change in quality over that time.
The second part of that equation is, if you go to a dollar store and buy an item for a dollar and it breaks three days later, the reason it broke was not because it was made in China. It broke because it cost a dollar. What did you expect?
There are still factories in China that make dollar store junk. But your iPhone was made in China, and your laptop was made in China. The computer chips that are in your Maserati are made in China.
You don’t go to China to produce cheap stuff anymore. You go to China because the supply chain is there. Somebody in China makes every widget you need to build whatever you can imagine building, and the entire country is set up to get that widget to you as cheaply and as efficiently as possible. And then the infrastructure is in place to get your finished product onto a boat and on its way to your customers.
In fact most companies producing in North America use components that are made in China. If you’re going to wait for critical parts you need to come from China to build your product, you might as well build the whole thing there, which gives you flexibility as well as quality.”
— by Corran Addison, as told to Jeff Moag
This article was first published in the 2024 issue of Paddling Business. Inside you’ll find the year’s hottest gear for canoeing, kayaking, whitewater and paddleboarding. Plus: how to beat the big box, trends in kayak fishing instruction, building the Paddlesports Trade Coalition and more. READ IT NOW »
Wherever you choose to go, there’s more than one way to get there. | Feature photo: Frank Wolf
“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” —Vivienne Westwood, British fashion designer | Feature photo: Scott MacGregor
Muriel was tapping her toe. Ninety-two-year-old Phil knew most of the words. The accordion player, who wasn’t a whole lot younger, was doing a decent job with Fats Domino’s “Blueberry Hill.” The rest of the residents who’d hobbled out of their rooms seemed to enjoy the Monday night entertainment.
The night before I was to emcee the premiere of the Paddling Film Festival, I was in a retirement home visiting my mom’s best high school friend. I had time to wonder: Why do old people all dress the same? When will I begin wearing pants with ironed creases down the front, collared button-down shirts, cardigans and lace-up leather shoes?
During the encore of “Hound Dog,” it finally occurred to me. This is probably what they’ve worn most of their adult lives. Since their best years. A time when Elvis was making movies. And what if it’s not just our wardrobes we’ll settle into during the good ol’ days, what if it’s our gear, too?
Come as you are: How our old paddling gear tells the stories of our lives
In my early 20s, I upgraded whitewater boats every spring. As a C1 paddler, building foam saddles with bread knives, rasps and contact cement was a commitment to skill acquisition at a time when I was on the water 125 days a year.
The last playboat I outfitted—and still paddle—was a Wave Sport Project, the spring it was released, 18 years ago. The same year, I bought—and am still wearing—a mango Kokatat drysuit. I’ve only ever owned one tripping canoe. I’m still packing my original blue barrel and harness. Paddling Magazine digital editor’s daily driver is a Dagger RPM. Really? “It’s a great boat,” says Joe. Editor Kaydi is paddling a long-defunct Dagger Phantom OC1 in a purple Lotus Designs PFD.
“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” —Vivienne Westwood, British fashion designer | Feature photo: Scott MacGregor
People think being a gearhead is about always having the coolest new things. Sure, it begins that way, when we start with nothing.
For a while, we trade up in quality, learn our styles and hone our brand loyalties. Used gear is sold to pay for the new. But eventually, we find what works and stick with it—sometimes forever.
[ Browse the widest selection of boats and gear in the Paddling Buyer’s Guide ]
I have bins of river shoes, pogies and base layers, just in case I need them. Let’s be honest, when will I ever need a holey pair of Five Ten Water Tennies? I know I’m not alone in this.
Fear and familiarity
Fear is another reason we hold onto gear too long. We fear the new version will not be as good. They don’t make them like they used to, we tell ourselves. What we have and know serves as a form of protection or security against the unknown.
Whatever the reasons, the longer we keep a patched-up boat or faded life jacket, the more sentimentally attached we become. Our gear is more than just physical stuff gathering dust in garage rafters and on hooks. Our gear becomes a manifestation of our emotions, beliefs, behaviors and memories locked inside the lids of plastic storage bins. Getting rid of a paddle, no matter how worn, is saying goodbye to an old friend.
Above all these emotional and psychological factors, I think we hold onto things because they provide us with a sense of comfort or familiarity. It reminds us of good times. When I had nothing better to do than outfit new C1s every spring.
I now understand men and women don’t one day wake up and begin dressing like old people; they dress as they have done since living their best days. So I had to smile while looking out into the sea of flannel shirts, Blundstones and flat-brimmed hats at the Paddling Film Festival sold-out show.
I can see me now. In the retirement home wearing Patagonia double-knee canvas work pants, hoodie, visor and Chums on my glasses. In my pocket is a Swiss army knife. Leaning in the corner of my room is my first canoe tripping paddle. On Monday night, I’ll be singing along with a guy in a sleeveless denim jacket covering Pearl Jam’s “Alive.”
“I, oh, I’m still alive
Hey I, oh, I’m still alive
Hey I, but, I’m still alive
Yeah I, ooh, I’m still alive
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah.”
Scott MacGregor is the founder and publisher of Paddling Magazine.
This article was first published in the Spring 2024 issue of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
“Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.” —Vivienne Westwood, British fashion designer | Feature photo: Scott MacGregor
Sometimes, procrastination is the mother of invention. Just ask Dermot MacDougall. The mechanical engineering technology student at Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia, was avoiding thinking about his upcoming exams while listening to the 1986 hit song “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins. You might remember it as the theme song in the original Top Gun film. As MacDougall’s mind wandered, an idea struck him: What if I could make my canoe fly?
Marrying his two passions of aviation and boating, he went home and made sketches of a canoe with hydrofoil wings. MacDougall had recently purchased a well-loved 18.5-foot fiberglass canoe for $75. Boats and boards are increasingly utilizing hydrofoils, but no one had yet put hydrofoils on a canoe, he thought.
In need of a capstone engineering project for his following term at college, he pitched the flying canoe idea to the faculty. “My first and second submissions lacked important details, so our professor sent me back to the drawing board twice before giving the project a green light,” he says.
College project takes flight. Literally. | Feature photo: Dermot MacDougall
MacDougall and his classmates worked tirelessly to bring the invention from idea to reality over four months. The design had three masts projecting into the water to hold the central and front hydrofoil wings in place. Two 6,000-watt electric motors, powered by three deep-cycle marine batteries, would give the canoe the power for lift off. Foot pedals controlled the forward mast rudders.
[ Paddling Buyer’s Guide: View all (non-flying) canoes ]
The flying canoe was a team effort and included classmates Trevor Stothard, Victoria Contreras, Fatima Alsoufi and Griffin Adams. Adams coined the canoe’s name, Millennium Phoenix, as a nod to the Star Wars spaceship and mythical bird that rose from ashes.
Millenium Phoenix makes its maiden flight
After months of revisions and redesign, MacDougall’s team and professors, Jeffrey Stevens and Richard Burman, launched the 750-pound canoe on Elk Lake. MacDougall piloted the vessel, feeling the weight of so much resting on this day. He nervously pressed the button to control the motors.
“I got jolted back, and everything was shaking as I gained speed. Water was lapping at the hull, and then it got dead quiet,” MacDougall said. “I heard my team cheering from another boat, and my professor’s voice came through my headset saying the words I’d been hoping for: Dry hull! The feeling of flying something I’d invented was surreal. I was about one foot out of the water, looking down at people in the safety boats. It was the best day of my life.”
“I got jolted back, and everything was shaking as I gained speed. Water was lapping at the hull, and then it got dead quiet.”
The Millennium Phoenix flew 10 times before eventually taking up residence in MacDougall’s driveway. It won the team bragging rights for the year’s best capstone project, literally soaring above the competition.
As for MacDougall, once he completes his diploma in mechanical engineering at Camosun, he may seek funders to refine the design and commercialize it before proceeding to university for an engineering degree. He also wants to get his pilot’s license and has started concept drawings for an ultralight plane he hopes to pilot.
This article was first published in the Spring 2024 issue of Paddling Magazine. Subscribe to Paddling Magazine’s print and digital editions, or browse the archives.
College project takes flight. Literally. | Feature photo: Dermot MacDougall
Winona, MN – Sanborn Canoe announces the acquisition of Twin Cities-based Grey Duck Outdoor. With the acquisition, the Sanborn family of brands now includes Sanborn Canoe Co., Merrimack Canoes, Current Designs and Grey Duck Outdoor.
Grey Duck Outdoor founder and owner, Rob Bossen, says, “We’re thrilled to be a part of the Sanborn family and look forward to continued growth with the Grey Duck brand over the coming years. The additional resources of the Sanborn team will enable Grey Duck to reach its long-term goals in ways that wouldn’t have been possible before.”
Sanborn Canoe Vice President Peter Boysen says, “We’re really excited to add Grey Duck into the growing family of Sanborn brands. We’re passionate about getting out on the water in ways that are both functional and inspiring, and Grey Duck SUPs and canoes fit that mission perfectly.”
About Grey Duck Outdoor
Grey Duck is a Minneapolis, Minnesota, based canoe and paddleboard manufacturer, focused on building products that allow each of us to live our adventure. They believe in reconnecting with nature, time with family and friends, and exploring often. Learn more at greyduckoutdoor.com.
About Sanborn Canoe Co.
Sanborn Canoe Co. is a leading manufacturer of handcrafted canoes, paddles and outdoor gear, based in Winona, Minnesota. With a commitment to quality craftsmanship and a passion for outdoor adventure, Sanborn Canoe Co. strives to provide customers with premium products that enhance their outdoor experiences. Learn more at sanborncanoe.com.
The question we faced in curating this article was simple: how to list the most beautiful places to paddle in the world without playing favorites?
To create a more objective tally, we focused on both beauty and diversity. In just about every example, our 15 greatest destinations have a variety of types of scenery and paddling opportunities for canoeists, kayakers and rafters—as well as options for a wide range of skill levels. There’s always room for improvement, but we feel like the results come close to the ultimate paddler’s bucket list.
Call us biased, but we believe Rapid Media’s home province easily ranks among the most beautiful places to paddle in the world. From the vast horizons of the Great Lakes to wilderness rivers and immense networks of freshwater lakes, there’s something for every paddler in Ontario.
Lake Superior is a world-class destination for sea kayaking, with Pukaskwa National Park and surroundings boasting over 200 kilometers of wilderness coastline. Similarly, Georgian Bay is a sea kayaker’s dream with 30,000 islands to explore. History comes alive on canoe tripping rivers like the Missinaibi and French. The powerful Ottawa River has been a training ground for the world’s best whitewater paddlers—with exciting opportunities for whitewater rafting, too. Finally, Killarney, Quetico, Algonquin, Wabakimi and more feature incredible lake-to-lake canoe and portage routes that it would take a lifetime to explore. Have we said enough?
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Photo: Erik McLean/Unsplash
2 Newfoundland and Labrador
“The Rock” is truly a world apart, rich in cultural heritage and blessed with a unique geography that’s perfect for paddling. Located in eastern Canada, the island of Newfoundland is known for its rugged coastline and maritime traditions, which are best experienced in a sea kayak. Newfoundland’s rugged and remote southwest coast is one of the planet’s finest sea kayak destinations for expert paddlers, while incredible sea caves near the provincial capital of St. John’s make great day paddling for novices and families on guided trips.
Newfoundland canoeing is underappreciated yet equally spectacular, with several free-flowing waterways, including the Main River, offering options for multiday trips in the lush boreal forests and sparse taiga of the island’s interior. Meanwhile, mainland Labrador is a true frontier for long-distance wilderness paddlers.
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Photo: Kristina Delp/Unsplash
3 Yukon
Canada’s Yukon Territory offers a wide range of superlative adventures for all types of paddlers. For starters, the Yukon’s namesake river is one of North America’s longest, with a captivating gold rush history revealed in the legacies of Jack London and Robert Service. You don’t need to be an expert to paddle the Yukon River, and guided trips are available for families and novices alike. Some of the river’s headwater lakes make for good kayaking, too.
Countless wild rivers spill off the northern Rockies in the Yukon, including the spectacular Snake and Bonnet Plume rivers, which are bucket list destinations for whitewater canoe trippers. Meanwhile, the Firth and Wind rivers can be navigated by canoe or raft alike, and each offer unique northern landscapes of tundra and mountains. The Yukon is a place where time stands still, and it’s still possible to experience the lands and waters of your dreams.
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Photo: John Thomas/Unsplash
4 Alaska
Just across the border from the Yukon Territory, Alaska features similar attractions and geography—with the addition of coastal fjords and glaciers. In Alaska you’ll find the world’s best wilderness whitewater rafting on the the Tatshenshini and Alsek rivers; incredible canoeing on Wild and Scenic rivers like the Noatak and Kobuk; whitewater creeking around the city of Anchorage and beyond; and incredible sea kayaking amidst the islands and glaciers of Prince William Sound, at the north end of the Inside Passage.
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Photo: David Morris/Unsplash
5 Montana
If you’ve watched A River Runs Through It you’ve got a good sense of just how spectacular Montana rivers can be. In particular, the Wild and Scenic Missouri River takes canoeists into the landscape of Lewis and Clark, with austere white rock landforms set between the Great Plains and the foothills. Meanwhile, the Yellowstone, Gallatin, Flathead and Madison rivers all offer outstanding whitewater rafting. Brennan’s Wave on the Clark Fork River offers fantastic freestyle kayaking in the heart of Missoula, one of America’s greatest outdoor cities.
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Photo: Trac Vu/Unsplash
6 Four Corners States
All the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico offer a range of experiences for paddlers. The magnificent Colorado River lives up to its reputation as a bucket list destination for whitewater rafting and kayaking. The Green River in Utah offers exposure to similar geology and arid landscapes, yet includes flatwater sections suitable for sea kayakers and canoeists. Meanwhile, you’ll find plenty of shoreline to explore on Lake Mead. Colorado is known for its expert-only class V Front Range rivers, and Arizona is home to numerous lakes and rivers for recreational paddling.
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Photo: Joe Pohle/Unsplash
7 Minnesota
There’s a lot of beautiful paddling in Minnesota. For starters, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is the most popular canoe tripping destination in the world—for good reason. This 1.1-million-acre wilderness contains thousands of miles of canoe routes and connects to Ontario’s Quetico Provincial Park.
Minnesota also marks the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul offer some of America’s best urban canoeing and kayaking, living up to the state’s moniker as the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Northeastern Minnesota pushes up against Lake Superior, and communities like Duluth and Grand Marais provide access to world-class sea kayaking on an inland sea.
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Photo: Miro Vrlik/Unsplash
8 Maine
Legendary American nature writer Henry David Thoreau celebrated canoeing in Maine’s North Woods. Not much has changed along the canoe routes of the Allagash and Penobscot rivers in the century and a half since Thoreau traced these waters with Indigenous guides. Maine beckons with pristine forests, tall hills, vast lakes and Wild and Scenic rivers—some of which fall along the epic 740-mile-long Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
The coastline of Acadia National Park tempts expedition sea kayakers with deep bays, countless islands and rugged bedrock coastline to explore. From easy day trips to wilderness sojourns, Maine easily serves up some of the most beautiful paddling in America.
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Photo: Christopher Kuzman/Unsplash
9 Mexico
Mexico is a place of stark contrasts for paddlers: aquamarine rivers tumble through moist, dense jungles, serving up some of the finest whitewater on the planet; meanwhile, stark desert landscapes, rocky, treeless mountains, and spectacular beaches line the warm azure waters of the Sea of Cortez. It’s hard to imagine better destinations for winter whitewater and sea kayaking to ignite your sense of wonder and keep you sharp in the offseason.
Mexico whitewater kayaking and canoeing is best for expert boaters. Most vacations are based out of small, friendly communities where an adventurous spirit is beneficial for visitors—though some guided packages are available. There’s a huge range of Baja sea kayak trips, including family-friendly and beginner guided tours to more advanced expeditions, including open water crossings and exposed coastlines.
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Photo: Andrew Svk/Unsplash
10 Patagonia
Located at the southern tip of South America, the mountain wilderness of Chile and Argentina feature equal parts world-class whitewater and jaw-dropping coastal fjords. As you can imagine, Patagonia is one of the most beautiful places to go paddling—especially when combined with rich and friendly South American culture.
Big rivers like the Futaleufu are renowned proving grounds for the world’s best whitewater paddlers. However, you don’t have to be an expert to go on a Patagonia whitewater rafting trip. Similarly, there are guided sea kayak trips where you can experience the fjords and glaciers of Chile’s Pacific coast up close.
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Photo: James Eades/Unsplash
11 Antarctica
The paddling options in Antarctica are limited, yet it still ranks as one of the world’s most beautiful places to paddle for its icebergs, mountains and wildlife-covered shores. Most Antarctica kayak trips are based from adventure cruise ships, where guides and naturalists will take you out on the Southern Ocean for close encounters with otherworldly seascapes. Short, all-inclusive tours make these experiences of a lifetime available to novice kayakers.
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Photo: Murilo Gomes/Unsplash
12 Scotland
With a mind-blowing coastline of islands and tide-washed channels on the North Sea, Scotland is a proven ground for expert sea kayakers. Places like the Isle of Skye and the Hebrides are world-renowned for outstanding scenery and challenging paddling conditions, with plenty of routes for day trips and overnight expeditions. The Scottish Highlands make for great canoeing, too, with tall peaks and harsh landscapes setting the backdrop for excellent paddling on rivers and lakes.
Feature photo: Benjamin Kraus/Unsplash
13 New Zealand
New Zealand routinely tops the list of most beautiful adventure destinations in the world, so it makes sense the country would also feature fantastic paddling. Abel Tasman National Park, located at the north end of the South Island, showcases New Zealand’s best kayaking, with expansive beaches, incredible coastlines and impressive biodiversity—even blue penguins. The area’s well-developed ecotourism industry includes guided tour operators, outfitters and water taxis to allow paddlers of all levels the opportunity to customize their own kayak trips, ranging from hours to days on the water.
What’s more, there are a multitude of whitewater rafting and kayaking options available on both the North and South Islands. Crystal clear, wild waterways like the Tongariro and Wairoa rivers cascade from New Zealand’s mountainous interior. Indigenous people coordinate much of New Zealand’s tourism and conservation, and efforts of the Maori community led to the Whanganui River being granted legal “personhood” in 2017.
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Photo: Henrik Morkel/Unsplash
14 Sweden
Scandinavia includes some of the world’s most beautiful places to paddle, with Sweden offering a huge variety. For starters, the Swedish backcountry offers multitudes of canoe routes amidst a classic landscape of lakes, rivers and boreal forest. The country also boasts plenty of coastline, and the Baltic Sea near Stockholm provides thousands of islands to explore by sea kayak. Come summer, the whole country basks beneath the midnight sun. Great public access to wilderness areas makes it easy to plan the paddling trip of a lifetime in Sweden.
Photo: Tristan Mimet/Unsplash
15 Portugal
Of Mediterranean paddling destinations, Portugal offers the greatest diversity of trips by kayak or canoe. The historic Douro and Mondego rivers flow peacefully through sweeping pastoral landscapes, complete with ancient vineyards and historic farms. Combined with a pleasant climate and friendly people, there’s no better place to paddle into Old World culture.
This article was first published in the Spring 2024 issue of Paddling Magazine. 
This article was first published in the 2024 issue of Paddling Business. Inside you’ll find the year’s hottest gear for canoeing, kayaking, whitewater and paddleboarding. Plus: how to beat the big box, trends in kayak fishing instruction, building the Paddlesports Trade Coalition and more. 
