what to wear kayaking

The wardrobe question we get most often: “What should I wear?” The honest answer depends on the month, the wind, and whether you’re going to commit to getting wet or fight it. After 23 years of watching guests show up in jeans and flip-flops at the launch, here’s the version that actually works, broken out by month. Universal rules first Five things that apply every month: No cotton. Cotton holds water, stays cold, and gets heavy. Synthetic athletic gear, polyester, nylon, merino wool, anything quick-dry. The cheap fast-dry shirt from a sporting goods store works fine. Skip jeans entirely. Shoes that won’t fall off. Paddling shoes, water sandals with heel straps, old running shoes you don’t mind getting wet, neoprene booties in cold months. Anything without a heel strap (flip-flops, slides, slip-ons) is wrong. Pre-applied sunscreen. The water reflects light…

If your last kayaking experience was a pool or no kayaking experience at all, congratulations, you’re in the company of most people we paddle with. After 23 years of running tours from the same Jacksonport shop, the math on first-timers is consistent: roughly 80 percent of the guests on any given day have never been in a kayak before. They tell us so in the parking lot. Ninety minutes later they’re paddling into a sea cave and asking if we run a sunset version. Here’s the version of “first-time kayaking” we’d want to read before booking, written from the side of the boat that’s been doing this for two decades. The fear we hear most: “I’m worried about tipping over” This is the number-one objection guests bring up at booking. It’s also the easiest one to answer, because the boat…