PADDLING: Lessons I Have Learned
The are numerous ways we can learn about a subject but, for many of us, there is nothing like first-hand experience to really drive a point home. However, some of those experiences are best avoided and we can learn by listening to the voice of experience whether it be in print, video or in person. There are a few paddling-oriented things that I do not think get enough attention and I will touch on some of them here. The Weather - There are several ways we can get a weather forecast these days and, thanks to the internet, it is possible to get a forecast for the exact location we are planning to paddle. Knowing that it will be warm and sunny is nice but it will be the strength and direction of the wind that will affect your paddling day the most. The wind (and resulting waves) will be a greater factor when paddling large lakes and less important when paddling small streams – I have changed plans from the former to the latter when I saw that moderate to high winds were in the fore...