Tom Watson

It's 2004 and has been over ten years since testing began in Alaska on a device that is similar to the…

Several columns ago ("Sea Kayaking's True Colors"), I talked about signaling devices explaining that a…

It was just an hour before a full moon rise on the north Pacific. I was out kayaking beyond the town's…

Let's talk flashlights for sea kayaking. I want to share with you some thoughts on handheld flashlights…

Ever tried to really get a steady view through binoculars while on the water? Even on a calm surface,…

In a broad sense, mankind has always found a way to wet a line, so in that regard, fishing from a kayak…

Back in 1955, a building inspector named Fred Morrison sold the rights to a flying disc toy to…

Image you are outdoors with your family or friends – and your kids – when you realize that a child has…

Like a hooked marlin, twisting and trashing as it explodes through the frothy ocean surface trying…

Mark Twain once described the Mississippi River as being "too thick to swim it and too thin to plow!"…

My first encounter with tides came one afternoon in Alaska. We entered a bay in our kayaks and sought…

By Tom Watson I contend, and will steadfastly debate, that the knife is the second most vital tool…

Whether you are a seasoned summer canoe/kayak camper or a novice, weekend warrior, you may be ready to…

The Versatile Wine Box Liner Bag  Remember the old wine boxes that came with the silver…

Securing one's food from the critters of nature can be nothing more than putting the peanut butter back…

Without glasses, my entire mid to long-distance view is fuzzier than green bologna in the back of the…

In Kurasawa’s classic film Dersu Usala, the two principle characters, Usala, the Mongolian guide…

It was the perfect night on the water. The surface was the mirrored reflection of the cloudless,…

For those of us up in the 'north country' where you trade your paddle for a set of ski poles, I…

One of the most critical, and versatile pieces of kayaking gear is a workable length of line. Most…

I've managed to acquire quite a collection of books on outdoor wilderness skills. Some I've read from…

By Tom Watson Before you go gathering up your sketch pencils and drawing pad or firing up your CAD…

Can we talk? I need to vent. Back when I was guiding kayak day trips on Kodiak Island we'd stop for a…

"All day I've faced a barren waste without the taste of water, cool water.Old Dan and I with throats…