Tactics for Long Distance Sea Kayaking is designed to provide mid to advanced level paddlers with proven techniques on how to plan and successfully execute a long distance sea kayaking trip. Topics covered include: How to research destinations and plan long distance trips Techniques for traveling solo and in groups Equipment and clothing checklist and evaluations Communications Weather Dangers and cautions Charts and navigation Camping and life on shore Food and water Wildlife encounters

Tired of an unfulfilling life in Kansas City, Missouri, Patrick Dobson left his job and set off on foot across the Great Plains. After two and a half months, 1,450 miles, and numerous encounters with the people of the heartland, Dobson arrived in Helena, Montana. He then set a canoe on the Missouri and asked the river to carry him safely back to Kansas City, hoping this enigmatic watercourse would help reconnect him with his life. In Canoeing the Great Plains, Dobson recounts his journey on the Missouri, the country's longest river. Dobson, a novice canoeist when he begins his trip, faces the Missouri at a time of dangerous flooding and must learn to trust himself to the powerful flows of the river and its stark and serenely beautiful countryside. He meets a cast of characters along the river who assist him both with the mundane tasks of canoeing-portaging around dams and reservoirs and finding campsites-and with his own personal transformation. Mishaps, mistakes, and misadventures plague his trip, but over time the river shifts from being a frightening adversary to a welcome companion. As the miles float by and the distinctions blur between himself and what he formerly called nature, Dobson comes to grips with his past, his fears, and his life beyond the river.

"With a naturalist's keen eye and the sense of adventure of an explorer, Doug Alderson reveals a compelling glimpse of Florida. Wild Florida Adventures proves that there's so much more to the Sunshine State than condos and theme parks." Conor Mihel, editor-at-large, Canoe & Kayak Magazine "Only consummate Florida outdoor writer Doug Alderson could have penned such a delightful - and practical - guide to exploring the state's natural wonders." Jennifer Portman, Tallahassee Democrat senior writer. "I've had a great time traipsing around the Florida rivers and trails with Doug Alderson, and as a Florida native, I learn something new every trip. I'm very excited about this book... so I can help unlock the secret places Doug knows about and I haven't been " Bryan Desloge, President, Florida Association of Counties On land or water, Florida is a wild playground because of its incredible beauty, diversity and vast stretches of public lands. In Wild Florida Adventures, author and photographer Doug Alderson will inspire you to pick up a paddle or lace up the hiking boots and start exploring the Sunshine State. From kayaking the length of the Florida Keys to searching for record-sized trees in a huge swamp to meeting the famous naked man of the Santa Fe River, this complementary sequel to Wild Florida Waters takes readers into Florida's unique places. A couple of favorite rivers such as the Suwannee and Wekiva are revisited with a different twist, and land adventures include a journey through the botanical wonderland of Torreya State Park, an exploration of a wild cave near Marianna, and a frigid campout in the Osceola National Forest with former Florida senator and governor Lawton Chiles. One out-of-state adventure-trying to tackle the mighty Mississippi River by canoe-has been added because it reveals the shortcomings of planning a long-distance trip a thousand miles away in Florida. The results are disastrous-and funny. Useful how-to information at the end of each chapter helps people plan their own adventures.

The Runyaker's Journey is a story of two journeys. The first, the Horseshoe-to-Horseshoe Runyaking Expedition, a solo adventure of paddling and running 1400 miles from Oxford, MI to Niagara Falls, ON. The journey took fifty-seven days over four summers, using a 9.5-ft kayak he calls Swiftee. Secondly, it's the vehicle used to tell the Runyaker's life journey, which is that of a true-to-life Forrest Gump-like character, a boy growing up in Little Chicago, a run-down rural area near Clio, MI. Despite having slim chances of succeeding he grows into a man that accomplished many remarkable things.

The importance of delivering the psychological fundamentals to achieve paddling success. What's the connection between what paddlers think and feel and how they perform? How does mental preparation help performance? What do paddlers and their coaches need to do, to ensure paddlers perform at their best when it counts? Former international paddler and now sport psychologist Jonathan Males combines his many years of experience working with successful competitors with recent research in this accessible book, designed to help paddlers and coaches understand the theory behind success and provide practical skills to improve performance. Relevant for competitors in all disciplines as well as for recreational paddlers, In the Flow features chapters on self-confidence, decision-making, teamwork, whitewater paddling, competition and the joys of wilderness paddling.

Making a Bent Shaft Laminated Canoe Paddle is all about the very enjoyable process of making your own paddle. Laminating is all about using epoxy to join weak wood strips into amazingly strong paddle shafts and blades. This book walks the reader through the setup, materials, tools, and the workflow to turn out your own wood canoe paddles. Hand tools, especially a spokeshave, but also a block plane and scrapers allow for even the beginning woodworker to turn out a beautiful paddle that is every bit as functional as it is art worthy. The setup portion includes a plan and materials list for a paddle form that simplifies adding the bend to the shaft and aligning the shaft pieces. The materials portion includes discussions of shaft, handle and blade as well as epoxy for shaft and blade and fiberglass for the blade. The tool segment discusses how spokeshave, block plane, scraper and an assortment of sandpaper are frequently used, as well as other optional tools like a Japanese pull saw, an Xacto knife, and other sanding tools. The workflow of paddle making is basically the whole book. Broadly speaking there is an assembly portion of a paddle project and a shaping portion. But in the garage during the reality of making a paddle both assembly and shaping are mixed together. Sometimes it is easier to do shaping prior to assembling something else. Sometimes it is easier to skip part of the shaping bit and go e.g., use the paddle to get a better sense of length and then come back to the shop and complete the shaft and the handle. Many options exist within the workflow of paddle making. It can be a flexible process. It's a great feeling to go paddling. It's even better when you are using one of your very own hand made paddles

Follow along as two unsuspecting adventurers face deadly rapids, unbearable bugs, polar bears, drunken Indians, inedible food, Arctic tundra, inaccurate route maps, and much more, on their summer vacation in the Canadian Wilderness.

It all begins just north of The Pas in Manitoba, Canada. The plan was to canoe 800 miles over 8 weeks, eventually heading down the Caribou River to Hudson Bay where they were scheduled to be picked up by a boat.

But things didn't go quite as planned.

After learning from Indians living in the area that they would very likely be killed by rapids going down the Caribou River, route changes were made to exit the area via the Seal River where they would only maybe get killed (one big problem... the canoe they rented was made for cruising big lakes with a motor, not negotiating intense rapids ).

Upon reaching Hudson Bay, after nearly being killed-by-rapids on the Seal River, the two canoers realized that their pre-scheduled boat pick up wasn't going to show up.

Instead, they found themselves surrounded by polar bears and faced with canoeing across the freezing-cold Arctic ocean, which is prone to sudden storms and has a tide that goes out as far as 12 miles twice a day.

You'll wonder how they lived to tell the story, but they did, and in this book, they bring you vivid descriptions of nearly canoeing over waterfalls, being covered with clouds of black flies and mosquitoes, getting caught on huge lakes during violent thunder storms, canoeing past dead whales, and coming within inches of being vaporized by rapids.

You'll find out how inaccurate government information led to under-preparation, a near drowning, and the loss of equipment and supplies literally in the "middle of nowhere."

You'll learn how a guitar peg saved their lives, the food that turned out to be indigestible, why they developed the "brute force" paddling technique, the problem with beavers and much more including some things that are probably better kept private, but were left in the story anyway

It's all told with a good sense humor and a "like you were there" writing style. It's an entertaining read for just about everyone, and a "must read" for anyone considering a canoe trip in northern Canada.

Illustrated with 133 photos and illustrations, this book also includes interesting tidbits about the land, plants, animals, and the people who live and canoe in Canada's Land of Little Sticks. It's not only a fun read, its educational... enjoy

In Sea Kayaking, comprehensive guide for those who travel the open waters in the Southern Hemisphere, Philip Woodhouse, Australian paddler and Royal Australian Air Force veteran, shares his years of experience, technical training, and military teaching skills.

What began as a personal reference was soon developed as a training manual, recommended by the Victorian Sea Kayak Club to its membersand East Coast Kayaking to their patrons and Australian Canoeing students.

Sea Kayaking covers boat design, kit requirements, paddling skills, health and well-being, meteorology, the ocean environment, navigation, communications, conservation andminimal-impact camping, conservation, seamanship, electrical bilge pumps, solar panels, light sources, boat repairs, leadership, risk management, basic safety and survival strategies, as well as a brief overview about the history and various types of canoeing.. There is also a comprehensive glossary to assist the reader in understanding the terms and concepts discussed in the main text.

Woodhouse's work differs from most manuals about sea kayaking in that it is written from the perspective of someone who paddles the Southern Hemisphere. As such, the major differences between the two hemispheres-weather patterns, navigation, laws, and terminology-are discussed, as well as compared to their Northern Hemisphere counterparts.

In the end, paddling skills are paddling skills, hypothermia is hypothermia, and twenty-five-knot winds are twenty-five-knot winds. A three-metre tidal range can still produce a long haul across mud flats when the tide is out-and landing through two-metre surf is still scary (though a lot of fun), no matter where you paddle.

Canoeing the Mountain transports the reader, bringing them along on a life-changing wilderness canoeing adventure on the wild and beautiful Mountain River in Canada's Northwest Territories. Only a few days into the 18 day trip, close calls and serious challenges begin for eight friends when one of their four canoes wraps around a rock. This true adventure campfire tale shares the many joys and trials of an unforgettable trip, while celebrating whitewater canoeing, the wonders of nature, and the paddler's inner journey.