Common Misconceptions About Kayaking
Are you itching to get out on the Colorado River and bask in the beauty of its Black Canyon, but you’re hesitating because you’ve never kayaked before?
Well, here’s the good news right off the bat: Here at Blazin’ Paddles, we offer Colorado River kayaking adventures that even complete novices can enjoy.
Kayaking is the kind of accessible outdoor activity that can become a lifelong pleasure. So, let’s dispel a few common misconceptions that otherwise might prevent you from ever giving it a try.
Is Kayaking Difficult?
Even to a non-paddler, the operation of a canoe can seem pretty straightforward. A kayak, by contrast, may look intimidatingly narrow and low-riding, and the double-bladed paddle might appear unwieldy.
Actually, kayaking is a beautifully simple and efficient way to glide through water. Sure, you hone your skill and expand your techniques over time, but any reasonably fit person can quickly figure out how to propel themselves in a kayak. And at Blazin’ Paddles, you’ve got an expert guide along at all times who’s there to help out.
The Colorado River kayaking we lead is not hardcore or technically daunting: It’s more about communing with the river and taking in canyon scenery and wildlife while enjoying a low-grade workout. Our full-day tours can be aerobically demanding, especially when the wind kicks up, but you don’t need to be an expert to join by any means. (And meanwhile our half-day paddles are significantly less strenuous and nearly as fantastic.)
I Need to Know How to Swim…Right?
Knowing how to swim is an important life skill, for sure, but it’s not mandatory for kayaking with Blazin’ Paddles. You’ll be wearing a lifejacket during our Black Canyon journey (a common-sense safety measure, and also required by the National Park Service), and this river reach isn’t raging whitewater by any means, so you don’t need to know how to swim to join our tours.
But Kayaks Flip Easily, Don’t They?
No! Kayaks are much more stable in the water than they appear. That’s not to say flipping doesn’t happen in the Black Canyon, but your Blazin’ Paddles guide is here to attend to any and all upsets quickly. If you’re especially concerned, consider paddling in a double kayak, that much less likely to flip than a single one; you’ll always have a choice with Blazin’ Paddles.
More likely than not, your first time kayaking will not be your last: Once you experience the joy of paddling a kayak, it’s hard to go back. And what better way to try it out than with Blazin’ Paddles: guiding beginner, expert, and in-between paddlers alike through the utterly sublime Black Canyon of the Colorado River?
Book a Colorado River kayaking adventure with Blazin’ Paddles, and you’ll have the introduction of a lifetime to an ancient and supremely elegant form of on-the-water locomotion!