From the Nose of Our Kayak Chapter 15: O-H-I-O

From the Nose of Our Kayak

Don & Janet Beasley

Chapter 15: "O-H-I-O"

Our New-Used 16'  #WildernessSystems Sealution

In less than a month we hit the road for Michigan again. This time we decided to stop off in Ohio and visit family and friends...and do a little bit of kayaking in our ol' stompin' grounds.

But we must warn you...yeah...the addiction continued. We added another kayak to the "fleet!"

We had been looking for and dreaming about a #WildernessSystems fiberglass tandem kayak. This is not an easy find when you're being as specific as we are. But low and behold we found a single, 16', SeaLution over on the Atlantic coast here in Florida. Yeah, it's a single, but it's fiberglass, and we learned to "share" early on...just like our parents taught us. 

So we loaded up the Sealution and the T145 and headed north. Our first stop to try it out came 16 hours later when we arrived in our hometown of #Beavercreek #Ohio. There we joined up with Don's brother and headed for the lake. It was a beautiful day. Sun was shining bright and the wind was minimal. 

Don Performing a Deep Water Entry

When we arrived at the launch sight we hooked the kayak to the back of Don's brother's sailboat and off we glided across the lake to a place that was a bit less crowded. 

Don, with his life vest on, hopped into the water to practice his first kayak entry from deep water. He was successful! 

Success on the Deep Water Entry

He also had a waterproof camera attached to a helmet for this adventure, but goodness knows what we ever did with those photos?!  

Don paddled around for quite a while, then it was time to sun on the sailboat. Before the day was done he hopped back in the water for one last excursion, nailing the deep water entry, and paddled for another hour or so before we called it a day.

Don Taking One Last Trip Before Calling It a Day

Ohio has plenty of places to kayak. If you're planning a trip to the #Buckeye state and are looking for information on where to kayak and what to expect in Ohio, we invite you to visit this Paddling.net website link http://www.paddling.net/places/OH/ to check out several Ohio kayaking options.

When in Ohio, sometimes getting the destination of where you're going to kayak is just as scenic as the kayak trip! 

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Doing a deep water entry sounds much more complicated than it truly is. It is a great skill to add to your list, just in case you decide to paddle around a lake and either on purpose, or accidentally, find yourself in the water in the middle of the lake, or out in the ocean a good ways from the shore.

Here's a super little video from Pratkis.com to show you how a deep water entry is achieved. 


 

So what are you waiting for? Autumn is coming, and Ohio is one of the best places to visit in the fall! It's rich colors, rolling hills, and mid-western charm make for some of the most beautiful road and kayak trips during that time of year.  

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Kayak Tip of the Week: Always be sure to plan ahead for lodging or camping during peak seasons such as autumn. Whether you're planning an entire weekend trip or you're just going to kayak to see the autumn leaves make certain your are dressed properly for the temperatures of the air and the water. 

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Welcome to the Kayaking Freaks blog, "From the Nose of Our Kayak:" authors/photographers Don & Janet Beasley. 

Hi, I'm Janet Beasley. My husband Don and I love to kayak. Don and I most enjoy kayaking the crystal clear, spring-fed rivers of Florida (weather permitting - it's Florida, we take lightning seriously), as well as other areas on our days off. Exploring nature and the outdoors has become an extreme passion for us.

When we're not on the water I am busy writing fiction, painting, creating BeaslePunk Steampunk Art, and serving as a KidMin Music Leader and Entertainer; I am the creator (and face) behind the children's ministry character, Lady Violet Adventures. Don on the other hand works in the entertainment industry as an audio visual specialist and planner at one of our local theme parks here in Orlando, Florida. When we're not on the water he's busy creating BeaslePunk Steampunk Art, serving as an audio visual minister at FUMC Tavares, Florida (our home church), and playing ping pong. 

We have always longed to co-author a book together about our kayaking adventures. We're happy to say that Don and I are eager to begin sharing our years of kayaking experiences with you, so that you too may discover a world filled with surprises, beauty, history, and peace right along with us From the Nose of Our Kayak.