12 Tips For Mapping Out A Perfect Paddling Route When Traveling
Tips For Mapping Out A Perfect Paddling Route When Traveling
Embarking on the route less traveled is often a paddler’s idea of the perfect day on the water. An ideal route often involves wildlife viewing, iconic landmarks, sandy landing areas, and no boat traffic. When you visit a new paddling destination, however, planning the perfect paddling route poses some challenges, and a little extra effort is required to ensure your paddling journey is as complete and enjoyable as possible.
When you begin mapping a perfect paddling route in an unfamiliar location you should ask locals for some tips. Visit local tourism offices and reputable paddling shops to get advice on routes and landmarks you should visit. Make sure you factor in tides and currents into your route and scope out your launch area ahead of time. Consider taking a guided tour before venturing out on your own.
When preparing for a new paddling trip, there is much to plan and consider. If you are taking a paddling vacation soon make sure you take the time to learn these top tips to ensure you manifest the perfect paddling route in this unfamiliar location. These tips don’t require much effort but can have a profound and positive impact on how you enjoy your time on the water in a new destination.
Top 11 Tips For Mapping Out A Paddling Route When Traveling
1. Ask Locals For Inside Tips
One of the best ways to ensure you paddle in the perfect spots when traveling is to talk to locals. The water sports enthusiasts who live where you are visiting are often a wealth of knowledge. They can tell you intimate and nuanced information about the waterways you want to explore.
Notably, if you get to know a local or two you may get some privileged information, like secret spots that only locals know about. You can also learn about hidden hazards, tricky currents, and the best (and least crowded) paddling routes and launch spots.
Striking up conversations at water sports rental shops, popular launch locations, and even dive shops is a great way to meet interesting locals who can help you plan a great paddling route.
2. Use Your A Map To Identify Potential Hazards
When you paddle in a new area you need to remember that not all hazards are listed on a map. Even the most detailed map can’t account for fallen trees, a buildup of debris, newly formed sand bars, and certain tidal currents.
Once you get advice from locals and paddling professionals at rental shops, make sure you note all potential hazards on your map. This includes areas that may have looked like good landing locations on your maps app, but you later learned are not good places to park your paddling vessel. This will help keep you safe and on the right path as you navigate these unfamiliar waters.
3. Scope Out The Kayak Launch Area Ahead Of Time
While it is not realistic to do a dry run of your entire paddling route in advance, try to check out your potential launch location in advance. You can learn a lot by looking at the spot you plan to launch your paddling vessel.
First, you can see if there is a lot of paddling traffic. If so, you may want to venture out early to avoid crowds of paddlers. You can also see whether low or high tide is better to launch. Other important factors, including parking options and nearby facilities, are all very helpful to know about in advance.
4. Find A Few Safe Landing Areas Along Your Route
If you plan on embarking on a half-day or even a full-day paddling adventure, then you will want a few places to land so you can take a break. While you can always rest while floating, nothing beats dry land when you want to enjoy a picnic or rest your eyes.
Finding landing areas, however, is easier said than done. Locate potential landing areas on your map and through research. Before venturing out, confirm that these locations are not private property, and ensure they are safe landing zones. The last thing you want is to get chased off someone’s private property or arrested for trespassing while you are taking a break.
5. Take A Guided Tour Before Venturing On Your Own
If you are visiting a bucket-list-worthy paddling destination for a week or longer, then it’s a good idea to take a guided tour on one of the first days of your trip. Sure, guided tours can be pricey, and are less intimate than self-guided adventures. B guided tours are also quite informative.
A tour with a professional guide will help you learn more about the local landscape and wildlife, and you may even learn about some secret spots you would have never found on your own.
Your tour guide is also a wealth of knowledge, so make sure you paddle next to him or her and ask lots of questions about other great paddling routes in the area. If you choose the right tour company and ask the right questions, the tour will more than pay for itself with the information you collect.
6. Choose A Loop Based On The Top Points Of Interest
One of the most logical ways to plan an epic paddling route is to research and highlight all the top points of interest in the area. Once you have located all these spots, including beaches, historical landmarks, and bird and wildlife viewing hotspots, you may notice a natural loop or trail begin to form.
You may need to detour a few times to reach a few spots, but you should generally be able to create a route that hits the best locations. If you map it out right, this will also help you plan out natural stopping points for you to rest as well.
7. Understand How Tides And Currents Affect The Area
If you are paddling in salt water you must factor in tides. Areas where you plan to paddle may be unreachable during low tide, and some landing areas may disappear at high tide. See what tides are ideal for your specific journey.
Also, remember you want to avoid fighting the tide as it rises and falls. When possible, try to plan a journey where the tide is working in your favor. This way you can spend more time enjoying the new scenery and less time battling tidal forces.
8. Go To Tourism Offices For Advice
Another fantastic resource for traveling paddlers who are looking for a great paddling route is a tourism office. The people working at these official offices often speak English, which is fantastic when traveling in a distant land.
Furthermore, even if they don’t have all the answers, they can probably point you in the right direction. They also usually have complimentary paper maps with various landmarks highlighted, which can come in handy when you travel.
9. Visit Reputable Paddling Shops
If you are vacationing in a popular or up-and-coming paddling destination, then there are bound to be at least a couple of well-known paddling shops in the area. These shops are not only fantastic for renting gear and signing up for tours, but they can be a wealth of knowledge for those looking to map out a fantastic paddling route.
Remember that shops like these interact with thousands of people who are trying to do something similar to you. They are also locals. Go over your route with one of the paddling professionals and see if they offer any input. They may suggest some edits, or point out a few additional hazards you weren’t aware of.
10. Be Conservative With Your Distance
When you take a paddling-themed vacation it is very easy to be overly ambitious. You have been daydreaming about kayaking or SUP boarding in incredible new waterways, and you probably want to venture out all day, and every day.
It is great to be excited and eager, but remember to be conservative with your route. This is especially true on your first journey out. Less is more when it comes to paddling in a new location - especially when you are doing so without a guide. Consider breaking up a long route into two different paddles to ensure you have plenty of energy.
11. Use An App With GPS To Make Help Stay On Course
One great way to stay informed of tides, and currents, and to ensure you stay on your desired route is to use a kayak or nautical navigation app. There are many different apps available, and they vary in their capabilities. Look for one that highlights tides, depths, and current movement, and has quality tracking capabilities.
Technology is a great way to feel more familiar with your surroundings. This is particularly helpful when you are paddling in a foreign land for the first time.
12. Discuss Routes With Paddling Buddy And Finalize As A Team
If you are traveling with a friend or partner, then make sure you two work together to finalize your paddling routes. When you paddle with a partner or buddy, communication is critical. Working together will ensure both people are happy, and this teamwork will get everyone on the same page.
Once you two complete a final paddling route that makes both of you happy, then you are both ready to embark on this path together. Taking care of communication and navigation before you get in the water makes the experience of paddling a lot less taxing.
Summing Up Mapping A Perfect Paddling Route When Traveling
When you paddle in a foreign land the right route is crucial. You need to make sure you avoid hazards and stay safe with the changing tides and tricky currents. It’s also important you see all the incredible sights and wildlife that attracted you to this destination in the first place.
To help ensure you map the perfect route, talk to locals like the people operating reputable kayak rental shops, and locals at visitor centers. Scope out potential launch points the day before, and make sure you venture out when the tide is ideal for your specific journey. When in doubt opt for a guided tour before planning an independent route, and try to make your route conservative to ensure you have plenty of energy left over.