“I grew up on the Hudson River and built my first kayak when I was a teenager," says 51-year-old Lt. Col. Tom Mulyca, USA-Ret. "This one I built after I came back to West Point.”

Kayakers like Mulyca know there's no feeling quite like being captain of your own ship. Nothing beats watching bald eagles sail the drafts and blue herons stalk the riverbank while skimming the waves. No matter whether you choose to ride the waves or beat upriver, kayaking can provide you with a quick getaway and a super workout. 

“Kayaking is a great cardiovascular workout,” says Eric L. Hanson, M.D., a former Navy medical officer and dermatologist at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Wash. “You can get your heart rate up, and sustain it as long as you want.”


Learning the basics

If you want to learn kayaking you can’t just jump in a boat, you 'll need to take lessons. Look for an outfitter whose instructors are members of the American Canoe Association (ACA) and are trained in all aspects of the sport. L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine, for example, requires their instructors to be registered Maine guides for sea kayaking, according to John Connelly, manager of the Outdoor Discovery Schools. They offer two entry-level paddling experiences; recreational and ocean kayaking.

Two-and-a-half hours is all you’ll need to be able to take off in a recreational, open-top kayak. These short, wide boats are very stable and are great for learning how to maneuver in calm waters. During the first hour of instruction, you'll review the equipment and the boat. You'll also practice paddling strokes before taking to the water.

If coastal waters catch your fancy, take a daylong class offering intensive instruction in a closed-deck kayak. You’ll learn basic strokes, review your equipment and your boat, and practice self-rescues and assisted rescues. You'll also practice "wet exits," where you tip your kayak over, crawl out while upside down, right the boat, and climb back in. 

“You’ll have all the basic skills necessary after this class,” says Connelly (see The Experts sidebar for links and contact information). 

Kate McClain, owner of Blue Waters Kayaking in Inverness, CA (see The Experts sidebar for links and contact information), echoes Connelly’s advice . 

“No reputable outfit in the Bay area will rent a closed-deck kayak to anyone who can’t describe the wet exit at the rental counter,” she says.

McClain’s instructors are ACA certified. Like L.L. Bean, Blue Waters also requires a six-hour course for those who want to go out on the ocean.

Fun in the sun

Blue Waters' headquarters is located on beautiful Tomales Bay at Point Reyes National Seashore. Although the bay is sheltered, Blue Waters conducts kayaking surf classes. 

Advanced outings offer the thrill of paddling out around San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge or surfing the breakers from Pierce Point. From Mendocino, you can explore the dripping mysteries of sea caves that are accessible only at low tide. 

“If you’re looking for a year-round experience, Bay area winters are calm, with no wind and more birds,” says McClain, who thinks it is the best time of year to go kayaking. 

On the East Coast, spring and summer are the big seasons. Autumn kayakers should visit the Northeast when the foliage turns, and coastal and inland waterways explode in yellow, orange, and crimson colors.

“The enjoyment these crafts brought me this past summer was beyond my wildest expectations,” says 58-year-old Lt. Col. George Philip, USMC-Ret., who is a Vietnam veteran. “In August, (my wife) Fran and I hosted a reunion for the Marines of my artillery battery when we were all lieutenants serving in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. It was our first time together in 34 years. Next to the lobster feeds, kayaking was the hit of the weekend!”

The workout you get in a kayak can help you improve your aerobic capacity and strength. The cross-training benefits also make it a superb compliment to running, hiking, and bicycling -- activities that emphasize lower body conditioning. 

“Paddling works the triceps and torso especially,” says Hanson, “and it doesn’t leave you sore like other activities when you kayak multiple days.” 

According to Hanson, paddling also helps prevent shoulder impingement problems such as tendonitis, which can result from overly strenuous upper body activities such as weight lifting.

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