Sea Kayaks and Sea Kayaking
One of the outdoor pursuits I hoped to pursue in retirement is sea kayaking. So I took the first step on this trip by purchasing a sea kayak in Arcata, CA, while on our CA trip. I originally thought I'd be buying a Current Designs Sirocco, which the shop had a great deal on last years model - new - but trying the kayak out I decided/determined that it was a bit too tippy for my level of kayaking expertise. Yes, I managed to flip it over within about 30 seconds of getting in it, and took a nice swim in the cold waters of Eureka Bay. Embarrassing to be sure, but I got back in and paddled it around for 15 minutes or so, but was kind of on edge the whole time not wanting to repeat my initial performance. Anyway, a few days later I tried out a Current Designs Storm (which is the plastic rotomould version of Current Designs best selling Solstice composite kayak - so basically the same kayak but plastic rather than composite, and is about half the cost). This is a "North American design with a rear rudder - the Sirocco is a "British Design" with a skeg) - it's two inches wider, which doesn't sound like much, but this felt way more comfortable.
So now I am the proud owner of a sea kayak. I went sea kayaking three times while in the Eureka area - on Big Lagoon, and Stone Lagoon - large salt water lagoons immediately next to the ocean, but no crashing waves, and in Eureka Bay. I love being on the water, and the generic plan/hope is for Don/Donna to spend chunks of upcoming summers in the Pacific NW (i.e Puget sound area/Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island area - one of the great Sea Kayaking "meccas"), and also in Maine and the Canadian maritimes (another great place to Sea Kayak in North America, and another of our favorite locales - in both areas we have only scratched the surface of exploring). So hopefully next summer will afford us an opportunity to begin that part of the retirement dream - also another purchase of a second sea kayak, probably a tandem for the Don/Donna sea kayaking days. We shall see.
Here are some pictures from sea kayaking in the Eureka area.
So now I am the proud owner of a sea kayak. I went sea kayaking three times while in the Eureka area - on Big Lagoon, and Stone Lagoon - large salt water lagoons immediately next to the ocean, but no crashing waves, and in Eureka Bay. I love being on the water, and the generic plan/hope is for Don/Donna to spend chunks of upcoming summers in the Pacific NW (i.e Puget sound area/Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island area - one of the great Sea Kayaking "meccas"), and also in Maine and the Canadian maritimes (another great place to Sea Kayak in North America, and another of our favorite locales - in both areas we have only scratched the surface of exploring). So hopefully next summer will afford us an opportunity to begin that part of the retirement dream - also another purchase of a second sea kayak, probably a tandem for the Don/Donna sea kayaking days. We shall see.
Here are some pictures from sea kayaking in the Eureka area.
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