In my neck-of-the-woods one of the popular fashions is camouflage clothes because they are used so often by the hunting community here. And who doesn’t like blending with nature?! There is such a variety of clothing that feature different seasons. However, if there was any potential of becoming lost or injured and immovable, it would be more difficult to be spotted by rescuers. An exception might be if the hunter was wearing blaze-orange gear that increases their visibility to other hunters and could help rescuers as well.

When I go kayaking or canoeing I wear bright clothes so that in an emergency I can be spotted more easily by rescuers. In the worse case scenario, if I were to drown my body could be more easily spotted for recovery. For similar reasons outdoor tools are often marked or manufactured with bright colors so that they are easily seen when placed or dropped onto the ground (see Lost Or Found).

So, your clothing can serve a number of functions, whether for insulation, comfort, or style, but it can also be used for a measure of visual safety as well.

This is an eight foot entry level kayak in a market that offers differing purposes, qualities, and price ranges. On my inaugural voyage I noticed some significant differences: I sat straight-legged, it had a smaller draft line with less stability, gear space was limited, it used a dual paddle whose technique differed than a single paddle, it carried a single person, and it was light enough to carry in one hand. It weighs only 27 lbs. and I can easily load it by myself for transport which enables me to store it safely at home.

Initially I tried to apply my canoe paddling techniques to the kayak but wobbled all over. Subsequently a friend has helped me to learn the ways of kayak paddling and had great suggestions for various accessories to make a more safe and pleasant experience.

I realize that the pond is a peaceful environment and someday I may want to graduate to a placid stream or white water river but that will require additional safety gear and training. That endeavor may also lead to a higher grade of kayak but for now I am getting acquainted with the fundamentals and I’m looking forward to making new memories with this versatile and affordable water craft.

We are blessed in North Carolina to have small groves of bamboo that I refer to as an “abo hardware store”. Some of the stalks can get rather large. I had collected some stock for various projects and an idea hit me that by splitting a couple of segments at one end I could create a long curved “scoop”. Fortunately I was carrying my multi-tool that has a saw blade so I made a cut just below the second node half way through the shaft, then used a knife blade to split the shaft lengthwise from each side of the cut , out to the end.

I have to admit that bamboo may not be a common resource throughout the U.S. but for the regions that do have it, it works quite well. The bamboo paddle shown in the photo was made to illustrate this article. My original paddle was about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and was a little lighter and slightly easier to handle, but because the new one used fresh material, it should last a longer time.

If you are curious about this method and have no access to bamboo, you could make a replica using PVC or ABS pipe. It won’t split but would have to be cut lengthwise. A pressure test end-cap could be modified to glue in place to create a sealed node at the top of the paddle blade.