This is a practical guide that will help the reader to master the skills needed to manoeuvre a sea kayak efficiently. For beginner and intermediate paddlers. Doug draws on his personal and coaching experience to help the reader master sea kayak handling skills and techniques. Accurate sequential photos and simple concise language make the descriptions easy to follow and understand. The foundation skills of posture, connectivity (how your body is connected to the kayak), power transfer and learning to 'feel' how the boat responds, are explored initially. The author then goes on to tackle forward paddling, keeping the kayak on course, reverse paddling, edging, turning on the spot, forward turns on the move, reverse turns on the move, stern rudders, moving sideways, support strokes, and the use of skegs and rudders. "Sea Kayak Handling" is recommended as support material for the British Canoe Union 3 and 4 Star (Sea) awards. (The 1 star is a novice 'encouragement' award, the 2 star covers basic generic kayak skills, the 3 star basic/intermediate sea specific skills and experience, and the 4 star covers intermediate sea specific skills and leadership in moderate conditions).

Offering lively currents, big woods, abundant wildlife, and plenty of solitude, the great number and variety of Mississippi's waterways debunk the stereotype of muddy, stagnant sloughs harboring clouds of mosquitoes and swarms of snakes. Outsiders-and even some native Mississippi paddlers-may not be acquainted with the pleasurable surprises of the Delta's lazy, slow-moving rivers or with the sandy streams of southwest Mississippi, the rock-walled creeks in the northeast, the blackwater brooks of the southeast, the gem-clear streams of the Gulf Coast, or central Mississippi's lustrous, meandering Pearl River and its sparkling tributaries and ox-bow lakes. This handy, instructive book showcasing them all is for armchair travelers as well as for paddlers planning an excursion. It includes history, folklore, geology, wildlife, ecology, fishing techniques, plus some rousing adventure stories. Focused on the Mississippi environment, it provides information on boats, paddle strokes, gear, camping, and navigation. Streams are described and charted, and at the end of each description quick references of essential facts are provided for those planning a float. Mississippi boasts well over 2000 miles of waterways, which range from tiny creeks and bayous to the mighty Mississippi River itself, not to mention vast swamps and countless lakes, many of which are profiled in this book. Although these waters are relished by those who bond with the out-of-doors, the ominous problems of erosion, litter, pollution, channelization, crowds, and lawsuits are of great significance. Canoeing Mississippi helps awaken the public to sensible use and preservation of this wonderful natural resource. Ernest Herndon is a staff writer and outdoors editor of the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He has written several books and has been published in such anthologies as The Magnolia Club: Fine Times with Nature's Finest and From Behind the Magnolia Curtain: Voices of Mississippi. See the author's Web site at www.ernestherndon.com.

True Stories of Outdoor Adventure and Inspiration All fans of whitewater sports have been impacted by the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) in one way or another. In 1972, the NOC was the outgrowth of an idea that friends working together to pursue their outdoor passions could change lives for the better. Today, the center is a seminal Southeastern paddling hub. Compiled by Payson Kennedy and edited by Greg Hlavaty, NOC Stories is a collection of 62 entertaining stories by NOC staff veterans-memories that describe the center's first 25 years. It approaches the story of the NOC's inception, a time of exponential growth in whitewater sports and instruction, a time when the NOC's contribution to paddling technique and instruction reverberated around the world. It is both a history of NOC's leading role in the evolution of commercial river running and an overview of when kayaking, as a sport, exploded in the United States. The remembrances presented here blend history with adventure as they document the NOC's singular vision.

From gentle streams to challenging rapids, the rivers of Vermont and New Hampshire flow through some of New England's most unspoiled countryside. The rivers featured here range from flatwater to class 3 rapids, and offer reliable water levels for paddlers from summer through fall. Here the touring paddler will find covered bridges, granite ledges, historic towns and villages, and a variety of places to fish and camp. Roioli Schweiker, an authority on the waters of New England, has distilled a lifetime of paddling experience into this friendly, no-nonsense guide. Features for this completely revised and updated third edition include maps denoting access points, rapids, bridges, and dams; tables showing mileage and river conditions; tips on trip planning, canoe touring, and camping; and information on picnic areas, short hikes, and historic sites along the way.

For some learners a picture is worth a thousand words--and this lavishly illustrated volume proves the rule. The expert advice and lively illustrations combine to offer serious how-to instruction in an entertaining fashion to sea kayakers of all levels.

Developed by an ACA-certified instructor over years of paddling and education, this complete program provides a visual tour of all that sea kayaking can offer, including ingenious tips on advanced paddling techniques, navigation and safety, and more.

BASIC ILLUSTRATED CANOE PADDLINGHarry Roberts and Steve Salins guide canoeists in everything they need to know, such as choosing the right paddle, safe launches, basic forward, turning and correction strokes, and working in wind, waves and moving water.

Award-winning journalist rafts down the Green River, revealing a multifaceted look at the present and future of water in the American West. The Green River, the most significant tributary of the Colorado River, runs 730 miles from the glaciers of Wyoming to the desert canyons of Utah. Over its course, it meanders through ranches, cities, national parks, endangered fish habitats, and some of the most significant natural gas fields in the country, as it provides water for 33 million people. Stopped up by dams, slaked off by irrigation, and dried up by cities, the Green is crucial, overused, and at-risk, now more than ever. Fights over the river's water, and what's going to happen to it in the future, are longstanding, intractable, and only getting worse as the West gets hotter and drier and more people depend on the river with each passing year. As a former raft guide and an environmental reporter, Heather Hansman knew these fights were happening, but she felt driven to see them from a different perspective-from the river itself. So she set out on a journey, in a one-person inflatable pack raft, to paddle the river from source to confluence and see what the experience might teach her. Mixing lyrical accounts of quiet paddling through breathtaking beauty with nights spent camping solo and lively discussions with farmers, city officials, and other people met along the way, Downriver is the story of that journey, a foray into the present-and future-of water in the West.

The remarkable eighty-five-day journey of the first two women to canoe the 2,000-mile route from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay Unrelenting winds, carnivorous polar bears, snake nests, sweltering heat, and constant hunger. Paddling from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay, following the 2,000-mile route made famous by Eric Sevareid in his 1935 classic Canoeing with the Cree, Natalie Warren and Ann Raiho faced unexpected trials, some harrowing, some simply odd. But for the two friends-the first women to make this expedition-there was one timeless challenge: the occasional pitfalls that test character and friendship. Warren's spellbinding account retraces the women's journey from inspiration to Arctic waters, giving readers an insider view from the practicalities of planning a three-month canoe expedition to the successful accomplishment of the adventure of a lifetime. Along the route we meet the people who live and work on the waterways, including denizens of a resort who supply much-needed sustenance; a solitary resident in the wilderness who helps plug a leak; and the people of the Cree First Nation at Norway House, where the canoeists acquire a furry companion. Describing the tensions that erupt between the women (who at one point communicate with each other only by note) and the natural and human-made phenomena they encounter-from islands of trash to waterfalls and a wolf pack-Warren brings us into her experience, and we join these modern women (and their dog) as they recreate this historic trip, including the pleasures and perils, the sexism, the social and environmental implications, and the enduring wonder of the wilderness.

Discover a sea-kayaking paradise with this popular guide. Trip ideas for a range of experience and skill levels; route descriptions including beaches, campsites and tamale vendors; hard-to-find information on trip preparation, safety, and health. The latest on environmental and camping regulations on the peninsula.

South-central Wisconsin provides an impressive array of opportunities for all types of paddling, including some of the very best day trips in the entire state and even Upper Midwest. Paddling South Central Wisconsin, by experienced paddler and author Timothy Bauer, guides all types of paddlers, whether veteran or novice, through whitewater adrenaline or flatwater calm routes near Madison, Rockford, Janesville, Waukesha, and Milwaukee. This paddling guide is the perfect companion for those seeking "the rowed less taken." It describes the best times to paddle 60 diverse routes, alerts readers to each paddle's difficulty level and estimated length, and suggests side trips, optional trip extensions, and alternate routes to paddle, depending on weather conditions. Easy-to-follow maps, complete with GPS coordinates and driving directions, add to this book's high value. In addition, the author provides contact information on local paddling clubs, outfitters, and Internet links.

Outward Bound Canoeing Handbook is a handy, illustrated resource on the fundamentals of canoeing, including solid, sound instruction on all aspects of canoeing, from types of canoes to equipment choices, paddle and on-the-water techniques, safety tips, and more. In partnership with outdoor leader Outward Bound, this book combines expert instruction with practical tips to ensure a fun and a satisfying canoe trip for your next outdoor adventure. About Outward Bound: Outward Bound is the premier provider of experience-based outdoor leadership programs for teens, adults and professionals. Outward Bound is a non-profit educational organization and expedition school that serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery and service both in and out of the classroom. Outward Bound excels in curricula developed for struggling teens, groups with specific health, social or educational needs and business and professional organizations.

Unlike many other Georgia rivers that begin their journeys to the sea along the flanks of ridges in the relatively pristine confines of national forest lands, the Ocmulgee-a name that means "where water boils up" in Muskogee-rises inside Atlanta's I-285 perimeter highway as the South River in a jungle of asphalt and concrete. In fact, its very headwaters are buried beneath a hazardous waste site. Its other main tributaries-the Yellow and Alcovy-rise in Atlanta's fast-growing northeast suburbs of Gwinnett County, and they too have not escaped the impacts of city life. Yet the Ocmulgee also hosts one hundred species of fish, eighty-five of which are native to the river, as well as eighteen native freshwater mussel species, including seven species found nowhere else on the planet. In the Ocmulgee River User's Guide, both novice and experienced water sports enthusiasts will fi nd all the information required to enjoy the full length of the river through Macon to its confluence with the Altamaha near Lumber City. Author Joe Cook includes detailed maps, put in and take out suggestions, fishing and camping locations, mile-by-mile points of interest, and an illustrated guide to the animals and plants commonly seen in and around the river. Day-trippers will enjoy the guide's fascinating description of the cultural and natural heritage of this richly diverse waterway. FEATURES: An introduction and overview of the river Chapters describing each river section with detailed maps and notes on river access and points of interest A compact natural history guide featuring species of interest Notes on safety and boating etiquette A fishing primer Notes on organizations working to protect the river

A new volume in the Handbook of Sports Medicine and Science series from the International Olympic Committee, this volume Canoeing provides an accessible and comprehensive summary of the topic. Provides a concise, authoritative overview of the science, medicine and psycho-social aspects of canoeing Offers guidance on medical aspects unique to the training and coaching of canoe athletes The only book on this subject endorsed by the Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Written and edited by global thought leaders in sports medicine

Laugh and learn kayaking skills, from basic to advanced, through detailed text and more than 400 humorous illustrations! If you want to learn how to paddle-and laugh out loud while doing so-William Nealy's classic illustrated kayaking-skills manual remains dead-on hilarious. Kayak demonstrates important paddling techniques through humorous illustrations, along with detailed explanations from the renowned kayaker. This book is perfect for beginners and more experienced paddlers, from hardcore hippy hairboaters who used to catch air in their block-long Dancers to insane youngsters clattering tiny plastic boats down steep creeks with more rocks than water. You'll get to know everything from kayak and rapids anatomy to paddling techniques to river rescue methods. Inside you'll find Over 400 illustrations that break down even the most complex kayaking skills Carefully crafted information to reflect the latest in paddling technology How-to descriptions that make even difficult whitewater techniques understandable William Nealy is back and more useful and entertaining than ever. You may break a rib laughing, but with him holding your hand, you'll be less likely to break a bone while boofing an insane rapid or even an entire waterfall!

"Outstanding. Its combination of historical material, maps, photos, and travelogue brings the fur trade era alive. Seldom has the past and the present been brought together so successfully." -George Melnyk, University of Calgary "The reader is exposed to hundreds of points of interest, historical rock paintings, landmarks, campsites, local histories, and folklore...[the book] will tell any canoeist or adventurer almost all they need to know." -James Winkel, Saskatchewan History An invaluable resource for paddlers preparing to face the challenges of Canada's old fur trade highway, Canoeing the Churchill is also an exhilarating trek into the past for the "armchair voyageur." With routes for both beginners and experts, Canoeing the Churchill provides practical "on the water advice" for the entire 1,100 km route--from Methy Portage to Cumberland House. Canoeing the Churchill "will introduce the beauty of the north and its rich cultural heritage to readers from all parts of the world." -Keith Goulet, Cumberland House Cree Nation

There are at least 31,460 freshwater lochs in Scotland, and hundreds of sea lochs. This stunning book showcases more than 50 of the most popular, interesting and beautiful, and is a perfect guide for anyone visiting or exploring Scotland, or wanting to find out about these iconic and breathtaking locations, sometimes sitting by spectacular coast and other times nestled in between towering mountains. Take in the classics such as Loch Ness and Loch Lomond, then meander round Loch Fyne (where red squirrels were first reintroduced to Scotland in 1847), the long Loch Long (20km and the straightest in Scotland), the fjord-like Loch Goil, and Scotland's oldest inhabited castle at Loch Sween. Discover the stunning Loch Awe (with its less attractive legend of the goddess who created it being transformed into an immortal hag), Loch Linnhe (bordered by the stunning railway line used for the filming of Harry Potter's Hogwart's Express) and Loch Nevis (Europe's deepest sea loch). This book is absolutely crammed with intriguing and surprising information. Packed with maps and information on local facilities, this book is the perfect guide for walkers, boaters and anyone wanting to know more about these iconic and breathtaking locations. Each chapter is beautifully illustrated with remarkable colour photography, as well as absorbing text on the landscape, wildlife and history.

From the Appalachian highlands to the Gulf Coast, this updated and revised guide offers opportunities for kayakers, canoers, rafters, rowers, and water-adventurers of every interest and ability-level. Each paddle destination is described in detail, with maps for specific routes, waterway overviews, and paddle descriptions to prepare paddlers for whatever is just beyond each river bend.

This is an illustrated guide to some of the finest tours of southern England's waterways, from the Grand Union Canal in the South Midlands to the River Tamar in the South West. Scenic lakes, placid canals and broad rivers, as they can only be seen from a canoe or kayak. Eddie and 'Wilf' have chosen the best inland touring routes. They are described in great detail and illustrated with numerous colour photos and maps. The selected routes are suitable for open canoes, sit-on-tops and touring kayaks. Many of them can be tackled as a single voyage or a series of day trips, with campsites en route. The journeys are all accessible but highly varied, taking place on lakes, sheltered coastline, rivers and canals. It is a wonderful book for planning voyages and inspiring dreams, or sharing your experiences with others.

Turreted fairytale peaks, glistening snowfields, waterfalls plunging over immense cliffs into the sea, a million tons of ice capsizing - this is the setting for "Fallen Pieces of the Moon", an account of a kayak trip along the west coast of Greenland, paddling about 150 miles of coastline in the Nuuk fjords area. Into the day-to-day account of contending with unsettled weather such as fog, unstable icebergs, midges and bugs by the billion, are woven insights into Inuit culture - their language, their shamanic practices, their hunting and navigation techniques and much more. On the way, the reader learns a great deal about the Arctic animals, pollution and the Arctic environment. Information on the early Arctic whalers, when whole fleets were beset and crushed by ice, is included; and an appreciation will be gained of the hardships endured by the Viking settlers and explorers such as Frobisher and Franklin who suffered scurvy, frostbite and starvation. Told with humour, the book is endlessly informative and entertaining on topics ranging from cannibalism, kayak rolling and Inuit string games to cargo cults or how the invention of bully beef influenced naval tactics." Fallen Pieces of the Moon" is a celebration of a sparse, billion-year-old landscape where the roots of things, both physical and human, seem less hidden. It conveys something of the wonder and awe that Greenland inspires in all who have been there. It describes days of absolute stillness, sliding though shoals of waxing suns; ephemeral cloudscapes on broad-winged breezes; a high corrie where jet black ravens float in a crystal bowl of Alpine air; and the ever-present icebergs like cathedrals of glass, like floating jewels, like fallen pieces of the moon.

Canoeing and Kayaking New York includes descriptions of 50 of the best trips on New York's dozens of rivers. Along with runs for both experienced paddlers and novices and profiles for both over-nighters and short, round-trip day paddles, this book contains all the information necessary for a safe, enjoyable trip. Kevin Stiegelmaier combines information about tides, river gauges, GPS waypoints, and maps with personal anecdotes, historical trivia, and descriptions of local plants and animals, sprinkled with a touch of humor.

Explore Hidden Kentucky in Your Kayak or Canoe Wet your paddle-and whet your paddling appetite-with the authoritative guide to the waterways of Kentucky. From the eastern coalfields to the Mighty Mississippi along the western border, this is your updated resource for paddling the creeks, rivers, and waterways of the Bluegrass State. Canoeing & Kayaking Kentucky covers thousands of miles of paddling, including almost all of the state's paddleable waterways, in 77 river profiles that range in difficulty from scenic floats down the Green to whitewater runs on the Russell Fork. Authors Bob Sehlinger and Johnny Molloy combine the latest technology with good old-fashioned paddling trips to make your paddling adventures even easier to execute with completely revised and improved maps, access points, river gauges, and mileages, as well as updated contact information and GPS coordinates for every put-in and takeout. Between them, Bob and Johnny have paddled thousands of miles. This combined experience makes Canoeing & Kayaking Kentucky useful for paddlers of all types. Paddling has never been better in Kentucky!

South-central Wisconsin provides an impressive array of opportunities for all types of paddling, including some of the very best day trips in the entire state and even Upper Midwest. Paddling South Central Wisconsin, by experienced paddler and author Timothy Bauer, guides all types of paddlers, whether veteran or novice, through whitewater adrenaline or flatwater calm routes near Madison, Rockford, Janesville, Waukesha, and Milwaukee. This paddling guide is the perfect companion for those seeking "the rowed less taken." It describes the best times to paddle 60 diverse routes, alerts readers to each paddle's difficulty level and estimated length, and suggests side trips, optional trip extensions, and alternate routes to paddle, depending on weather conditions. Easy-to-follow maps, complete with GPS coordinates and driving directions, add to this book's high value. In addition, the author provides contact information on local paddling clubs, outfitters, and Internet links.

NOC Stories describes the Nantahala Outdoor Center's first 25 years, a time of explosive growth in whitewater sports and instruction. NOC Stories by Payson Kennedy and Greg Hlavaty presents a history of the Nantahala Outdoor Center as seen through the eyes of early leaders and some of its dedicated staff. This history spans the years 1972-1997 and approaches the story of the NOC's inception and growth in conjunction with the explosive growth of paddlesports and paddle instruction; in a very real sense, the great strides in paddle instruction and the growth of whitewater sports parallels the growth of the NOC. Many people today see the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) for what it has become: a seminal Southeastern paddling hub and profitable business. What they don't know is that the NOC started with a semi-utopian vision, the idea that friends could work together at pursuits they were passionate about, and that this endeavor would not only be profitable for the company, but also life-changing for the individual. That's not something many businesses can say, but in the case of NOC, it's turned out to be true. If you asked current culture-makers and business owners in the whitewater industry about their formative years, you'd find many were previous staff members, clinic participants, and visitors at the NOC. You'd likely also hear that the NOC was instrumental in refining their skillset and in inspiring them to become pioneers in their field. From rafting to river rescue, paddling instruction to Olympic competition, the one thing this diverse group has in common is the NOC. These people are the stories that have become the NOC's legacy, and this book is an attempt to collect and make sense of them. But the book also features a very human element, a tinge of adventure that sets it apart from your standard history text. The stories in this book, in addition to their historical value, offer a testament to the experiential aspect of working at the NOC, that ineffable change that has affected so many staff and that forms the basis for outdoor adventure programs. The NOC was, and is, a dream; these are the stories of its dreamers.