There are many different bodies of water which serve as excellent settings for kayaking holidays, and you may decide to choose one over another for any number of different reasons. Some people may be pressed for time, and for this reason decide to enjoy kayaking holidays close to home; in this situation, a local river or lake is a likely setting. If the participants are seasoned veterans of the typical experience to be had on the water they may hunger for a more challenging scenario, seeking out fast moving rapids as their fare. Families may find that the beach is the best place to enjoy their sea kayaking adventure simply due to the large number of activities available for members with different tastes. While one person is enjoying soaking up the sun, another could be practicing surfing and still others may venture out far beyond the shoreline into the calm, undulating sea. Some of the best spots for enjoying a sea kayaking adventure can be found on the mainland and just off the coast of New Zealand, Chile, and western Canada.

Since your experience with kayaking holidays is very much dependent on the location that is chosen, it is important to take the time to research the properties of the site you are considering visiting. Even something as simple as the change of the seasons can have unforeseen impacts on the characteristics of a given body of water. To illustrate this point clearly, some climates vary sharply in the amount of wind they receive from spring to summer which can seriously impact the characteristics of the ocean surface in the area. In times of little wind, the surface of the ocean may have gentle waves or even dead calm in some areas, but when the wind picks up the sea can turn so rough as to make the adventure dangerous. What one might have considered to be a leisurely spot for a sea kayaking adventure may become nearly unnavigable under specific circumstances.  The point is, to avoid unexpected circumstances and maximize enjoyment, it is wise to educate one’s self on the dynamics of the location at which the sea kayaking adventure is taking place.

If you are still unsure, here is another article regarding your sea kayaking adventure.

If you would like some help planning and preparing for your sea kayaking adventure we have a lot of experience in Patagonia (Chile), New Zealand and Canada.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Their response, “You’ve seen one river, you’ve seen them all. Why bother to travel around the world to do something you can do at home.” It’s at this point you realize you are fighting a losing battle in trying to explain your reasoning until the person you are speaking to actually tries it.

Maybe your response to their questioning should be, “You can eat food at home, but does that mean you never want to go out to eat?” It’s kind of the same thing with kayaking. Just because you can do it near where you live, that doesn’t mean it isn’t exciting to explore new regions, peoples, and bodies of water. If you live in an area without much geography or many rivers, it could be a dream come true to kayak mountainous or coastal regions. If you live in a geographically diverse region, it may be more interesting for you to visit a different country to get the feel for the various lifestyles and living habits of the indigenous people as you paddle their waterways. Still others who are used to calmer, more serene kayaking venues such as lakes and lazy rivers might find a whitewater river trip, which may not be available where they live, more desirable for its excitement factor.

No matter what the reason, seeing different lands, geography, peoples, and waterways, never seems to get old to the true ‘river rat’. Not only does a kayaking expedition in different parts of the country or world make for new and interesting adventures though, it is also a test of sorts. Like mountain climbers searching for new challenges through mountains or cliffs, kayakers like to test themselves as well. Being out on the water alone, or with one other person, can be incredibly relaxing, but it can also test one’s skills. Pushing your navigation techniques, physical endurance, and kayaking abilities can be an intoxicating experiment that can lead you all over the world in search of new courses on which to conduct your trials.

Nevertheless, it is often simply the thrill of the adventure and what is just around next corner that drives us to find new locations to paddle. Discovering the beauty of nature while having the opportunity to learn about new countries, peoples, and cultures, is an amazing benefit of a kayaking expedition. In addition, as with looking back on many other trips and vacations, half the fun in the experience is getting there. Therefore, when someone asks why it is that you would want to kayak abroad when you can do it at home, you’ll know the answer, even if he never does.

If you are thinking to join a kayaking expedition then we here at S2Si are the people to talk to.  We can help you join a kayaking expedition to Patagonia (Chile), Canada or New Zealand, we has the industry’s finest expedition leaders and operate to extremely high safety standards.

If you would like some information on a kayaking expedition the please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Another great benefit of choosing a sea kayak adventure is that it gives the boater an opportunity to get some great exercise! While generally not requiring an exceptional amount of strength, traveling long distances under one’s own power does take some endurance. How much, of course, depends on the distance to be traveled and even the number of individuals paddling as there are kayaks that have room for two and even sometimes three people. Embarking on your sea kayaking adventure with one or more friends can add much to the experience as well as lighten the load. Many find that the quiet of the open sea is a great place to socialize with friends and even to make new ones. Of course, to have company on a sea kayak adventure does not necessarily mean that everyone participating must be in the same boat! What can be even more fun is to have a group of individuals, each with their own boat exploring together; this allows greater freedom of movement and gives each participant the ability to go at their own pace as well as travel their own path. One of the great things about sea kayak adventures is the almost unlimited choice of location and direction to travel. It’s called the “open sea” for good reason!

When planning on embarking on a sea kayak adventure, it is usually wise to take the time to rather carefully plan out what supplies will be necessary for the trip. When properly prepared, sea kayak adventures are great fun but without the proper supplies and equipment, the journey is made more difficult. Aside from the usual common sense items like life jackets and spare paddles, on a longer sea kayaking adventure having food, the human fuel, becomes increasingly important. Of course, going hand in hand with this need is the requirement of considerable amounts of fresh water. Not only will one need more than usual due to physical exertion, but there is no shade on the sea’s surface and on a sunny day the requirements will substantially increase. While communication equipment from high tech radios to low tech whistles and other such implements can be useful, these basics will cover most short to intermediate length trips. Applying this advice to your sea kayak adventures will help to ensure a safe, fun, and enlightening journey.

If you would like more information regarding a sea kayaking adventure please contact us. We provide kayaking vacations and expeditions to Patagonia (in Chile), Canada and New Zealand.

Another unique design advantage of the kayak lies in the paddler’s placement; the width of the boat is not much more than that of the person propelling it. Essentially, the paddler’s legs are braced against the body of the boat, allowing for increased leverage which translates into greater maneuverability. While some may consider this a trade off for comfort as the rider is generally confined to one spot for the entire duration of their time in the boat, there is no comparison in agility. For serious white water rafters, kayaking adventures are the only acceptable way to experience the rapids. There are in fact a few different types of kayaks, the most notably different design being the “sit on top” style, which as its name suggests does not actually contain the rider. It is most useful in relatively calm environments where significant shifting and jarring are unlikely to occur. For riders with complaints of stifling lack of movement within the boat itself who plan to ride in mild environments, this may be the best choice for enjoying a quiet kayak adventure.

Other, more minor variations in design are worth mentioning for those wishing to glean a deeper understanding of how they dynamically affect their kayaking adventures. There are differences, though they may be hard to spot. For example, an individual intent on learning to overcome the challenge of intense rapids in their kayak adventures will likely choose a shorter boat design with a rounded nose and tail. Not only does the shape allow for decreased resistance when turning, but the shape of the nose helps to ensure that if physical contact occurs with an obstruction such as a rock, the kayak will be better able to slide past it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some choose to embark on their kayaking adventures in much longer, thinner and more pointed craft; these design elements ultimately lead to less resistance in the water and are predominantly used for racing applications. Ultimately, the design you choose to purchase will be dependent on your specific needs and wants, but equipped with this knowledge you will be better prepared to come to an accurate conclusion.

If you would like more information regarding a kayak adventure please contact us.  We provide kayaking vacations and expeditions to Patagonia (in Chile), Canada and New Zealand.

Also, here is some more information on having a kayak adventure, this time it’s in the sea!

In preparation for the 2009 expedition season, S2Si’s Dave Hills sea kayaks the River Thames.  Dave is well know in ‘our ranks’ for his rigid expedition training regimes – we hope he is ready for the season ahead.

In a fleet of 20 kayaks including his father Steve, Dave paddled the 80 km round trip from Putney Bridge to Greenwich and back. The team passed all of the major landmarks such as Westminster and played in the waves below the bridges.

Sea kayaking is one of many adventurous activities that S2Si offers on its expeditions and what a better way to combine city and expedition life than a mini-expedition through London!

Even for very experienced staff expedition traing is vital.  It keeps the body in peak physical condition, allowing the leader to be one step ahead of his group.  Also, the mind is prepared as well, as Dave was kayaking he was constantly thinking of the ‘expedition what-ifs’.  These are scenarios where you have to imagine the worst has happened, at the worst possible time and in the worst possible place – then make plans as to what you would do.

The kayak is an excellent means of expedition transport.

• It is 100% environmentally friendly with absolutley no emissions (apart from heavy breathing!).
• There is enough room onboard to be self sufficient for a short period of time.
• You can access areas unreachable by normal boats due to the depth of the water.
• When the expedition has finished your body will be in better physical condition.
• Due to the ‘green’ factor of the kayak you are more likely to be granted access to sensitive areas like national parks.
• Expedition training can be done in any body of water.

The only bad side to a kayak expedition is the fact you will have so much fun that you will want to come back for more and this could be an issue with your employer!