Kayaking With Friends? Here Are A Few Things To Prepare

Kayaking is an exciting sport which you would want to do with your friends, especially when it’s a sunny day. However, you might not know that kayaking can be quite dangerous if you don’t prepare for it beforehand. Here are a few tips to follow before going out on the water.

woman in black bikini top and brown hat sitting on red kayak

Get a roof-rack for your kayak

Kayaking is a sport which requires specific equipment to make the experience enjoyable, and one of these pieces of equipment is your kayak. If you want to transport it easily without causing damage, making sure that the kayak doesn’t touch anything while in transit is important. It’s also significant so that other items on top of your car don’t get damaged by your kayak either. Investing in a roof-rack for your kayak will ensure that this happens, plus you won’t have to deal with coming up with ways to keep it steady when driving too. Also, roof racks are easy to attach and remove, so there won’t be any hassle when you take your kayak out.

Make sure that the river or lake is safe enough for kayaking

A lot of rivers and lakes have different water levels depending on the season. Rivers which are usually dry become swollen when it rains, so you should avoid going kayaking in these areas. In addition to that, some parts of a river might be too shallow for your kayak to pass through. It’s significant to check beforehand whether the water body is suitable for kayaking or not, because there will be no use going there only to end up getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a leaky boat. Safety should always be your primary concern when doing this sport, so thinking ahead is important.

Wear a life jacket at all times

This might seem like an obvious thing to do, but you wouldn’t believe how many people don’t actually wear life jackets when kayaking. Kayaking can be quite strenuous since it requires your strength and focus at all times. That’s why the last thing you would want to deal with is losing consciousness while on the boat, which could lead to drowning if there’s no one around to help. Always ensure that you’re wearing a life jacket while kayaking so that this doesn’t happen, even if your friends aren’t wearing them. A life jacket isn’t just a one-time investment either, since you can use them multiple times for different activities too.

Watch out for rocks and muddy banks 

As mentioned before, going through shallow parts of a river is not advisable because there might be hidden obstacles such as rocks in the water. Getting your kayak stuck on a rock is not only an inconvenience, but it could potentially damage your boat too. However, you can avoid this by checking beforehand what kind of area you are going to kayak in, which includes checking whether there are rocks hidden in the water. Muddy areas are another type of obstacle that should be avoided at all costs because they’re slippery and difficult to maneuver through. Always wear comfortable shoes when kayaking so that you have traction on any surface you step on, just in case there’s any mud around.

Practice your kayaking moves beforehand

It might be fun to jump straight into the action, but you would want to get the basics down before trying any advanced moves. You should practice paddling and different kayaking techniques in shallow waters before attempting them in deeper water. It’s also a good idea to ensure that your kayak is stuck on land while you’re practicing, so you don’t end up flipping the boat over when the current is strong. Kayaking isn’t something that can be done without prior experience, so knowing how to do it securely is important when going out into the water for the first time. The moves are not too difficult to learn either, so it shouldn’t be hard to pick them up especially if you already have experience doing other water sports.

Ensure that your cell phone has a waterproof case 

You might not be expecting any emergency to happen during your kayaking trip, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. It might not be sunny when you’re kayaking, so the weather could change without warning. In addition to that, there are a lot of difficulties associated with kayaking such as avoiding rocks and other obstacles in deeper water. That’s why having a waterproof case for your phone is essential because if the worst does happen and your boat sinks or flips over, then your phone can still work even when submerged underwater for a while. Most people would carry their cell phones with them when going kayaking anyway, so it won’t hurt to get a waterproof case before you start this sport. 

When it comes to kayaking, many people only think of the fun they’re going to have when doing this sport. However, safety should always be your top priority because it doesn’t matter how much fun you have if something goes wrong with your health or equipment. If you are planning on taking someone out kayaking with you, then it’s always better to be prepared!

Krystal | Sunny Sweet Days
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