Spring 2008
Get Started: Kayaking
Spring? That's a great time to begin a new activity that you've always dreamed of doing. It's also a perfect time for us to launch our new series designed to open the door to fresh possibilities in Vermont's outdoor recreation scene. This issue, longtime Vermont Life photographer and avid paddler Alden Pellett tells you how to get started kayaking.
Day One
- Start with shallow water and calm weather; stay close to the shore. You'll learn balance, even in kiddie-pool depths.
- Keep the first outing short to avoid an aching grip; wear lightweight gloves.
- Leave valuables or keys on shore.
- Pack spare clothing and towels.
Where to go
- For an easy flat-water paddle, try the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Addison County.
- The shallows at Sandbar State Park near Milton are great for splitting a day between watching birds and catching fish.
- Other favorite spots: Lake St. Catherine near Poultney, Lake Bomoseen near Fair Haven, the Waterbury Reservoir, and, in good weather, the Champlain Islands.
Guides and classes
- Umiak Outdoor Outfitters in Stowe offers rentals, tours and beginner courses. www.umiak.com
- Smugglers' Notch Resort in Jeffersonville offers a range of packages, including an easy ride down the Lamoille River that ends at Boyden Valley Winery. www.smuggs.com
- Equipe Sport rents open cockpit kayaks out of two locations: the Mount Snow access road in West Dover, and at the junction of Routes 100 and 30 in Rawsonville. www.equipesport.com
- Stratton Mountain Resort has rentals and guided tours. www.stratton.com
Paddle with a friend
- Great experiences are always better with someone to relive them with. Also, having someone around to pull you out of a jam is great. And remember, as a friend once told me as we backpacked through a downpour in the Vermont mountains, "Underneath all these clothes? I'm waterproof."