In kayaking the plan starts on the bank
The hard part isn't the paddling, it's everything before it: where you get in, how the gear gets there, and who has already done that stretch. It's a sport where local knowledge is worth more than fitness.
What to settle before setting off
- The put-in
- The same river or the same cove has places you can get in and places you can't. Whoever proposes the outing usually knows which, and that's half the value of going with someone.
- Not everyone has the gear
- Kayak, paddle, buoyancy aid. Worth making clear who brings what before anyone turns up on the bank, and it's the first thing asked on an open outing.