Do you have trouble ferrying or feel that you get pushed off-line a lot?  If so try paying more attention to the angle you're setting with your kayak before you make your move.  Setting the correct angle can mean the difference between a ferry that feels hard and sloppy and a ferry that feels easy and precise.  It can…

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It's been a solid 10 days of kayaking here in Cosa Rica the land of sunshine and amazing rivers.  While there are numerous opportunities to paddle all over the country my favorite run so far has been the Rio Pacuare.  The Pacuare has  a long history of kayaking and rafting in Costa Rica with some of the first companies setting up operations in the early 80's.  After spending several days running all the sections I can see why.  First off the Pacuare has an amazing amount of whitewater that…

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As kayakers we have the unique ability to spend a lot of time close to water and observe the qualities and energies of her currents firsthand.  The inspiration for this article comes from that intimate proximity to water and the lessons water has taught me throughout my kayaking career.  The word ‘yoga’ means ‘union’ and there are wonderful life lessons to be learned when we allow ourselves to feel ‘united’ with the waters that we paddle. That’s why I like to call what I’ve learned from…

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I'm about half way through my trip south of the border so it seemed like a good time for a bit of an update.  Mexico has been in the news a lot lately both in the paddling world and in general.  I figured maybe I would give a stab at presenting a bit of a different point of view.  My wife and I have been coming to Mexico to kayak in the winter for seven years in a row now.  It seems like every year we come it gets just a little bit cooler and this is without us kayaking a lot of the runs you…

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Eddy turns and peel outs are essential skills for whitewater

kayaking. Catching eddies allows us more control because we can stop,

scout, take a break and regroup. Peeling out of eddies allows us to

re-enter the current in control and gives us time to set up for our

next move. The key components to eddy turns and peel outs are:

1. Angle = 45 degrees relative to the…

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What a summer! The Girls at Play Summer Tour traveled up and down the East Coast visiting retailers and kayak schools in NC, PA, VT, Canada, VA, WI, GA and KY. Over one hundred women treated themselves

to a day, weekend or week of kayaking — some events even included yoga,

massage and wine and cheese! The energy and inspiration we received

from the women we met continues to fuel our passion for paddling and

adventure. Not to mention the personal growth, confidence and joy…

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In a recent yoga class the teacher encouraged us to roll up out of a side-bending pose with our heads as the last body part to come up. I had to giggle because she sounded just like a kayak instructor teaching

the roll! As she was giving her instructions she made the comment that

bringing our heads up last can be challenging because we tend to be a

society of 'head yankers.'

I see a lot of head yanking when I teach the roll and most of us have experienced the sensation…

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I never thought much about carrying my kayak because it was

something that my peers in the sport have always expected of me. My

understanding from the start was that I needed to be able to carry my

kayak by myself if I wanted to participate in the sport. When I first

started teaching women I held that same expectation for my students. I

remember feeling amazed at the fact that some women really struggled

with carrying their own kayaks. I wasn’t very aware… Continue

Our flight to Mexico City took off just before a major snowstorm hit Western North Carolina and buried the area under 15 inches of snow. Talk about good timing! Jalcomulco, Veracruz is one of my favorite places. The town of about 3000 residents is located in the Antigua River Valley surrounded by beautiful hillsides of Mango orchards. The riverís indigenous name is Huitzilpan which means river of the swallows. And there are lots of swallows that fly overhead and around you as you…

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I have to say that I’m not a hardcore winter paddler, obviously, since I run winter trips in Mexico! So, I can relate to those of you who hang up the paddle for other, dryer, sports in the winter. However, I do know paddlers who still motivate even with snow on the ground and icicles hanging from the brims of their helmets. And, I admit that when I do drag myself out when it’s 40 degrees or colder (what I consider cold weather paddling) I have a lot of fun. So, if you’re planning on getting out… Continue

Traveling and whitewater kayaking are two of my passions so I naturally get excited when I have the opportunity to combine both! As the regular paddling season comes to an end for most of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's a good time to start thinking about possible winter trips. There are two ways that you can approach international trips. You can choose to get a group of friends together and plan your own logistics and go on the fly. If you already know local paddlers in that country this… Continue

If you haven't experienced the Whitewater Symposium then you best put it on your calendar for 2010. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn, to share and to paddle with top padders, instructors, industry leaders and paddling enthusiasts. There are all types of presentations, speakers, panels, river running classes, playboating classes, rolling classes, stand up paddle board classes, kayak fitness... and the list could go on and on. Whether… Continue

Kayaking has directed and influenced the course of my life for many years because I love the way kayaking makes me feel: happy, exhilarated and passionate. In the beginning my happiness lay in learning new moves and being challenged by bigger rapids and better paddlers. Getting good and being sponsored were my goals. I was focused and did everything I could to spend as much time on the water as possible. I never imagined the lessons that rivers and kayaking had in store for me and how much they… Continue