Tom Watson

Carrying a supply of water is a basic requirement most of us tend to do out of necessity when we paddle,…

In an ideal distress situation - if there can even possibly be such a thing - a kayaker unable to…

As a fish o'er whose head surge the waves of the sea, In our great sea of air, the fish becomes…

A kayaking buddy, we'll call him "Ben", is one heck of a paddler. He's got years of big, blue water…

One day, it's bound to happen: your attempted beach landing in the surf fails and your boat is swept…

Sometimes we eat to fuel up; sometimes we eat to warm up. And then there are times we eat just because…

Tom Watson details that for all its grandeur, the best part of the iconic Mississippi waterway may…

Wildlife viewing, particularly birding, is an extremely popular activity among paddlers. The shallow…

A tourist approached a charter pilot friend of mine one summer day on Kodiak Island. He was inquiring…

From the bow of the charter boat it appeared to be a clump of dirt motoring across the head of the bay -…

On land they are Jabba the Hutt impersonators from the Star Wars film sagas. When seen…

One of the great companion activities associated with paddling is photography. The quietness of the…

The bald eagle, appearing as big and stout as a fire hydrant, stood statuesque atop a kelp-covered rock…

Have you looked through an outdoor gear catalog recently? We are a highly specialized society – even…

I feel it’s very important that kayakers who tend to paddle in groups have at least one person who is…

A month before paddling on the surreal clarity of the Caribbean Sea just off the island of Roatan, I had…

I am a firm believer in the multiple utility of gear – getting the most out of each piece of equipment,…

Remember the ‘good old days’ when there were at least two or three places along the front and back of…

By Tom WatsonAs I watched the National Weather Channel the other night, I scanned the coasts and…

By Tom Watson Living within 600 miles of the Arctic Circle on an island in the North Pacific…

Whether you've ever had to portage a kayak any distance or merely move it up the beach from water's edge…

A critical step in narrowing down your choice of boat, for either a first-time buyer, or for a paddler…

Ask someone not yet savvy to all the nuances of handling a touring/recreational kayak what a rudder…

Lagging behind on a twilight paddle, I didn't notice whether my kayaking colleagues had continued down…