Kayaking
From the Alaskan wilderness, to the Patagonian Mountains, to Australia, kayaking is something that adventurers find new twists and thrills to every time they paddle. According to Mike Blatt, “Kayaking is thought by many people to be insane and suicide! This is because the only videos that they have seen are where people drop off of 100 ft. waterfalls and race raging rivers.” Kayakers are known for taking on the biggest rapids and doing the most daring things in the river (Ford 6). Yet, the majority of kayakers do not even think of attempting something that extreme. They understand that the room for error would be very minimal and many injuries would result when attempting such dangerous stunts. Most kayakers go out on a weekend trip just to relax and enjoy the scenery. While tough and physical, kayaking is also very soothing and tranquil. The flow of the moving water on the river gives a sense of peace. Having proper equipment and learning the hazards of kayaking make this sport enjoyable for anyone. Proper equipment is a must to any good day on the river. Every beginning kayaker needs to be aware of the “Big Five” in the kayaking equipment (Kuhne 12). First of all, and probably the most important item in navig
There is no one way to avoid every hazard in the river. Yet, with the knowledge of hazards, the likelihood of encountering one greatly decreases. Kayaking can be a sport enjoyed by everyone. To get the most enjoyment and to be safe before starting kayaking, you must have the right education and truly understand the sport. Most accidents on the river are caused by lack of education and carelessness. Paddling is a serious sport and should not be taken lightly. River hazards commonly named holes or hydraulics are probably the most prevalent hazards in the river, according to Mike. There are two types of holes, friendly holes and bad holes. Friendly holes are a result of a rock or obstruction in the water. Behind the rock a slight drop off occurs. The resulting wave behind this rock will be smiling at the boater as he/she approaches the hazard. If the boater happens to flip upside down, the hole will flush him/her out. A bad hole arises when a flat obstruction is in the river. The wave-line of a bad hole will be frowning at the approaching boater. Bad holes usually occur at large drop offs and waterfalls (Ford 59). Kayakers becoming entangled in these holes are sometimes not so lucky. The waves crashing against them cause disorientation and are more difficult to get out of than friendly holes. Beginner paddlers should look for the shape of the wave lines to decide whether or not to go off the drop. Another river feature created by rocks are eddies. These features are very helpful to every paddler on the river. Eddies are the most important feature on the river to know and understand (Ford 59). An eddy is a calm section of water created just behind a rock or bend in the river. They let boaters stop and rest or to get out and scout the n
Some topics in this essay:
Mike Blatt,
Mountains Australia,
friendly holes,
,
piece equipment,
spray skirt,
hazards river,
bad hole,
holes friendly holes,
holes friendly,
bad holes,
included five,
ford 59,
boat boat,
Join now to see the rest of the essay!
Approximate Word count = 1191
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
CUSTOMER SERVICES
| |
|
Example Essays Home
