The Kayak - Good for the Body, Good for the Soul

The year was 2001. I had never been on a kayak before. I was nervous. Nervous until the moment we slid, smooth and quiet, out onto the water. From that moment forward, I was hooked.

My first kayak adventure was hardly one to write home about. I went with a friend in a two-seat, sit on top kayak to a calm lagoon. There were no sharks, no waves, no rapids to navigate; just the fragrance of pine trees along the shore, the reflection of blue sky on the water's glassy surface, and the sound and sight of myriad birds.

Since then I've been back to that very spot many times, but in my own sit on top kayak, a "yak board", with room for just one person, and with stability and versatility of a wide, shallow hull and plastic construction.

I can float in as little as five inches of water. I can ride waves on the ocean. I can take a nap in the sun or explore coves alive with birds, deer, and coyote and, by night, raccoons and opossums. At eight feet long and forty pounds, I can get it in and out of my truck with little problem. With nothing more than a camera and some bottled water, I can stay entertained for hours.

Today's Kayaker

Kayaking used to be a sport for professionals and those with considerable income to dispose of, but in recent years manufacturers have recognized, and accommodated, the desires of a much wider audience.

Kayaking is for anyone who enjoys being outdoors and getting some healthy exercise. Kayaks come in every imaginable shape and color, from the traditional enclosed body, usually made with fiberglass and built for speed, to the yak board; a hybrid design that can be used for surfing as well as moderate river kayaking or sedate trips around a calm pond.

The History of the Vessel

The first kayaks belonged to indigenous people of Alaska, Canada, Siberia and the north coast of Washington and Oregon. Made of stretched skin over a wood or bone frame, they were made for hunting in the frigid waters of the northern seas. Sturdy and waterproof, they allowed people to hunt everything from small fish to whales.