Mike Hammond
It’s been a challenging few of months. Some of us may still be in our homes dreaming of returning outdoors — and more importantly – paddling again and looking for positives and a way to maintain our mental well-being, I found several silver-linings paddlers can take advantage of during this time.
One silver lining is the huge online paddling community that has grown. Almost all your favorite paddling/angler magazines and brands with tons of articles, videos and blogs, among other content you can dive into are online. Beware though: you may begin looking for kayak angler PFD information and then find yourself reading articles on building outrigger canoes a few hours later. It happens.
YouTube is another popular rabbit hole. A search of “Kayaking Adventures” will have you virtually experiencing the biggest waterfall drop in the world, paddling the Inside Passage, catching sailfish from a kayak, and SUP surfing in Fiji. The possibilities are endless.
For those of you who want a break from screen time and prefer to relax with a book, there are some excellent choices to choose from: “Paddle to the Amazon,” by Don Starkell and “Inside,” by Susan Marie Conrad, are two paddler favorites. Another enjoyable paddling read is “Without a Paddle – Racing Twelve Hundred Miles Around Florida,” by Sea Kayak in which author Warren Richey takes the reader on a small-craft race around Florida named the “Ultimate Florida Challenge.” This book really opened my eyes to the psychological challenges of adventure racing with the waterways of Florida as the backdrop. Young readers will benefit from Florida’s local author, Randy Wayne White, who has his first young reader novel out, titled “Fins.” Readers of Randy’s book will say, “Hey, I’ve been there,” just like we do with White’s “Doc Ford” series of novels.
Finally, there are great groups to stay connected with. The Florida Paddling Trail Association is a wealth of local knowledge throughout Florida, including experienced and newbie paddlers. Find a group and ask questions, share knowledge, look at pretty paddling photos and stay connected.
If you still can’t get out there yet, hang in there. The Calusa Blueway and fellow paddlers will be here waiting for you when its time.