How did you celebrate New Years Day?

Some paddlers got an early start on the paddling season. Here is a sampling of some of this year’s events:

• Michigan:
  Michigan had a 1 and a half mile paddle down the Huron River. This paddling event which has been going on since 1975 was organized by the University of Michigan Raw Strength and Courage Kayaking Club. The temperature for New Years Day was 24 degrees.
• Minnesota:
  St Paul Minnesota had their annual New Year’s Day Paddle down the Mississippi River at Hidden Falls Park. Canoes and Kayaks have participated in this event for the last 15 years with temperature at 23 degrees for the day.
• Chicago:
  For 23 years paddlers have paddled the North Branch of the Chicago River. This year there was over 200 paddlers. The Forest Preserve of Cook County Sponsored this event providing shuttles and portable toilets.
• New Hampshire:
• The Merrimack Valley Paddlers and Friends of the Winnipesaukee River had their annual New Years Day Paddle on the Winnipesaukee River in Tilton, Northfield and Franklin, New Hampshire. Novice and intermediate boaters paddled the Upper Winnipesaukee river and expert boaters paddled the Lower Winnipesaukee river. Paddlers had class III and IV rapids.The purpose of the paddle was to draw attention to the proposal for scheduled water releases for white water paddling during the summer.

Did you paddle on New Year’s Day? Tell us about your New Year’s Day Kayak and Canoe event by leaving a comment on this post.

Sean Patch commutes via kayak across the Hudson River

Sean Patch, a school teacher, kayaks across the Hudson River daily to his job.

WCBS TV News in New York recently reported on a man who kayaks across the Hudson River to get to work everyday. We thought that was a great idea! Here are the details:

Sean Patch, a math teacher, lives aboard a boat in Weehawkin, NJ and decided to paddle to work in light of rising ferry costs.

Once he gets across the river, he locks up his kayak and bikes the rest of the way. Patch must be in awesome shape!

Now, not everyone can kayak to work - oh, but what a world it would be if we all could! It’s great to see this sort of initiative. Patch is not only being very “green”, but he is also saving himself a good deal of money.

Patch reports that paddling to work saves him $15.50 per day and that by the end of the school year, he’ll have saved $4,175 in commuting fees.

He plans to continue paddling to work through the winter - more power to you Sean!

Kayaking to work must be a lot of fun, but Patch also wants to caution anyone thinking of following suit - the Hudson can be dangerous. There is a lot of marine traffic on the river and though it is smack dab in the middle of NYC, the waters often get rough. Patch - and your friends here at BornToPaddle.com - recommend only attempting this particular paddle if you’re an experienced kayaker.

Have you ever paddled to work? Or used your kayak to get somewhere you normally would drive to? Tell us about your experience!

The holidays sure are upon us! And today being “Cyber Monday” you can be sure that all of our sponsors are going to be offering some great buys on kayak, canoe and paddling gear.

So be sure to check out our shopping pages to take advantage of some of these great buys!

• Click here to browse kayaks and canoes
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe paddles
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe car roof racks and storage systems
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe gear and equipment
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe clothing
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe gear just for kids
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe accessories
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe books, DVDs, and magazines
• Click here to browse paddling, kayak and canoe posters and art prints
• Click here to browse kayak and canoe gifts for paddlers

Good luck shopping! We hope you get great deals on just the paddling gear you want!

A tool to take along on kayak, canoe, paddle, boat, hiking, backpacking and other adventure trips that could save your life.

We found this story on line from the St. Petersburg Times (FL) about a kayaker who used the new SPOT satellite messaging device to get himself rescued from a bad situation.

“When sea kayaker Derek Crook set out to circumnavigate Tasmania earlier this year, the Canadian adventurer knew the dangers involved. Midway through his 36-day expedition, a rouge wave flipped his kayak and left him fighting for his life on an offshore reef.

Luckily, Crook was able to grab hold of his kayak and trigger a small, handheld satellite messaging device that transmitted his Global Positioning System coordinates to authorities on the mainland…”

SPOT is not only a great idea for all boaters and paddlers, but also for hikers, backpackers, mountain climbers and anyone who tends to venture off the beaten path. SPOT lives on when cell phones die! The device weighs just 7 ounces and includes the following features:

• Ask for help: Request help from friends and family at your exact location.
• Check in: Let contacts know where you are and that you’re okay.
• Track progress: Send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress using Google Mapsâ„¢.
• Alert 9-1-1: Dispatch emergency responders to your exact location.

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for your favorite kayaker, you’ll hit a home run with SPOT.

Bass Pro Shops carry SPOT Satellite Messenger Personal Tracker and SPOT accessories, click here to learn more about SPOT.

***Take advantage of a $50 rebate when you purchase SPOT between now and December 31, 2008. Click here for more details.

Here’s the whole story from the St. Pete Times, or click here to read it on line:

(reprinted courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times and TampaBay.com)

Satellite tracking device delivers help in an emergency or sends a jab to those schmoes at the office

By Terry Tomalin, Times Outdoors Editor

When sea kayaker Derek Crook set out to circumnavigate Tasmania earlier this year, the Canadian adventurer knew the dangers involved. Midway through his 36-day expedition, a rouge wave flipped his kayak and left him fighting for his life on an offshore reef.

Luckily, Crook was able to grab hold of his kayak and trigger a small, handheld satellite messaging device that transmitted his Global Positioning System coordinates to authorities on the mainland. He was plucked from the water by locals as a helicopter arrived. Suffering from hypothermia, Crook was transported by air to the nearest hospital by paramedics. Without that immediate medical care, Crook is convinced he would have died.

A lifesaver

The National Association for Search and Rescue estimates that more than 50,000 search-and-rescue missions are initiated each year. These missions involve everything from U.S. Coast Guard helicopters searching for overdue boaters to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers in four-wheel drive vehicles scouring state forests for lost hunters. The Satellite Personal Tracker (SPOT) system removes the guesswork by providing GPS coordinates to narrow the location to within 20 feet.

In many cases, authorities are not notified that there is a problem until it is too late. In the winter months, with low temperatures, boaters don’t stand much chance of survival if they float in the water for more than a few hours. In December 2003, four men who went fishing in Tampa Bay died after their boat took on water and they had no way to signal authorities.

Most big offshore boats carry Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), but these devices are often heavy and expensive, putting them out of reach for many sportsman.

Lightweight and affordable

If technology has advanced so much that a television can be the size of a cell phone, than a satellite messaging device can be made small enough, inexpensive enough and light enough for Joe the Angler. The new SPOT unit retails for just $149.95. And more likely than that latest cell phone, the SPOT can save your life.

Many outdoorsmen are under the mistaken impression that a cell phone can work as an emergency backup system. But anybody who spends any time paddling or hiking the wildest regions of this state will tell you that cell phones don’t work in the wilderness.

The SPOT has four simple functions. First, you can hit Alert 9-1-1, which dispatches emergency responders to your location. Second, you can check in with prearranged contacts and let them know where you are and that you are all right. Third, you can request help from family or friends at your exact location (this will come in handy next time I lock the keys in the truck on a kayaking trip.) And lastly, SPOT will save and send your location out so friends can actually track your progress using Google Maps.

The fine print

But piece of mind comes with a price. The SPOT has an annual subscription plan (similar to that of your cell phone or Blackberry) to keep you wired.

Check out more useful kayak, canoe and paddle gifts by clicking here to go to our Great Gifts for Paddlers Page.

Well, as much as we hate to admit it, for many of us, it’s getting near time to put up the kayak and canoe for the winter.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a warmer region you may not need to put up your boat just yet, or at all. But there will be times when you’ll want to store your boat for a while, so this post will be equally helpful to you.

There are several ways to store your kayak when the paddling season ends. You can hang them on straps, stand them upright, store them upside down, or on their side. But there are some pre-storage steps you need to do first, whichever way you choose to store your kayak.

When preparing to store your kayak:

• Wash it, especially if you paddle in salt water. Make sure to dry it completely.
• Cover the cockpit with a cockpit cover to keep bugs and other pests from making your kayak their home.
• Avoid sun and weather. This will help keep your kayak’s hull from deforming, cracking, or fading.
• Store your kayak off the ground. This will protect your kayak from moisture and extreme temperature changes.

To protect your kayak from the elements store indoors like a garage, basement, shed etc. If you do not have room to store indoors than store under a shelter or overhang.

If you do not have a shelter you can build a very simple one using a weather resistant tarp. You will want to hang the tarp over your kayak. Do not wrap or cover your kayak with the tarp because this may promote moisture and mold.

You can hang your kayak from straps or place it on sawhorses. You will want to support your kayak and distribute the weight evenly at several points along the length. You can use straps or cradles to distribute weight evenly.

Your other kayak, canoe and paddling equipment will need some pre-storage care as well, so:

• Don’t forget to clean and dry your life vest ( PFD), paddles, accessories, and store in a cool, dry, place. You can hang them or store them flat.

IMPORTANT! Protect your kayak against theft:

If you are storing you kayak outside, find a spot that is hidden from view. You don’t want to make it easy for someone to just carry it off. You may want to consider locking your kayak to heavy/non movable objects using a cable and lock.

If you need some of the essentials we’ve talked about in this article, here are a couple of links to reputable kayak, canoe and paddling gear dealers:

Kayak Cockpit Covers can be found at Altrec.com, just click this link to browse their selection.

Boaters World offers a simple $10.99 tarp, click here to take a look at it and see if it will work for you.

If you have any tips for our readers about storing a canoe, kayak or other paddling gear, please let us know by either leaving a comment on this post or clicking here to use our handy contact form.