PADDLING
(garduch.2004, revised Jul2009)
Intro
Splashing rage, gut-wrenching swells, hi-speed river descents, back-breaking boat-rolls, …gasp, sunburn and fun! All that, is Paddling! This is one outdoor sport that is now slowly gaining popularity, and currently enjoyed by a number of athletes and enthusiasts, who, unlike the majority of us hydro-phobiacs, had embraced the risk of drowning in various rivers and waterways or even the littered coastal waters of Manila Bay.
Paddling offers a variety of choices catering to different types of people… for the adrenalin-loaded extremists, or the weekend enthusiasts, endurance athletes, or even family groups, lost tourists and wannabes.
You just have to pick the right boat and place, match it with your mood and preference, and off you go for an exciting thrill of a ride.
THE BOATS
Kayaks
These small boats were popularized by the Arctic Eskimos. It’s a traveling tool they use to move from one place to another, to hunt for seals, birds and polar bears. Modern day expedition kayaks are now better-designed, sink-proof, light-weight, ice-sturdy but of course more expensive than their traditional counterpart. Small single-sit plastic river kayaks are in high demand for countries with grade 3 and up rapids, while the long fiberglass-made sea kayaks are more popular for inter-island tours or even multi-day expeditions. Inflatables are also gaining notice, as these versions come in relatively cheaper price and save a lot of carrying space in your SUVs.
Most resorts in the Philippines have these rigid sit-on-top models, used by the bored from-the-urban tourists who simply want to vent out their corporate frustrations in the form of slap-the-water-with-my-paddle.
The sit-in type kayaks are more popular among kayak experts, as these models are normally faster (-less drag, lighter in weight, better tracking), sleek in design – it’s like riding a water Ferrari! The downside, it’s more expensive, difficult to haul (in land) and for novices - re-uprighting procedure is a challenge. Sit-ins are those types where you hide your skinny legs inside the boat hull, and wear this funny skirt used to cover the hull lid to prevent water from filling in. Boat entry is a bit more difficult than sit-on-tops. In the latter, as the same suggests, you just “sit on top” of the boat. Of course you have to make sure that your footing distance is adjusted to your leg comfort level and that your back support offers the right lumbar resistance. But that’s basically it. Sit-ins on the other hand require you to, well..”sit inside” the hull of the boat, which seems to makes it difficult to balance since the boat sways at every inch move that you make. And there’s that bigger problem of re-entering the boat at mid-sea. Capsizing a sit-in kayak in a meter-high swell is not uncommon even among experts. As part of the kayaking lesson, you have to learn at least the basic recovery – on how to upright a capsized boat, and how to re-enter it. When I did this exercise with a friend, I thought it was easy, bringing in my yabang with me, only to be humbled when I was unable to clear the water from inside the boat, or even re-enter it with relative comfort. You don’t have all those nasties if you use a sit-on-top, but sit-ins, wah!
The not-so-basic method of capsize recovery is not to leave the sit-in, but just flip back over. Sounds easy? Well not quite, it needs a lot of practice and patience and a high tolerance to seawater gurgling. The method to re-upright the kayak was termed ‘eskimo-roll’, it’s a difficult maneuver that requires spine-breaking stretch and flip, as you roll about, submerged for a few seconds.
Kayaks have wide array of designs serving the broad spectrum of lunatics who ride the surfs (surf-kayaking), rivers (river kayaking), ocean swells (sea kayaking), and even snowed downhill slopes (ski-kayaking).
Inflatable Rafts
If you have seen the “Cast Away” movie of Tom Hanks, or the “River Wild” of Kevin Bacon, then you already know what a Raft is. I used to think that all rafts were made of yellow inflatable fabrics. Well, that’s all because of those old versions, built as survival rafts of sinking ships. Yellow because it’s easier to spot for rescue. Nowadays though, raft boats are also being used by the military, or even smugglers. Zodiac boats, as an example, are black/gray inflatables that allow outboard motor propelling. Very popular in maritime military operations. The same boat are being used by illegal immigrants chancing their way from Morocco to Spain, in the hope of getting that golden job somewhere in Europe.
Rafts are commonly used in, err...Rafting; river or white-water rafting as it’s called. The fabric design is abrasion-resistant which can withstand the bumps and skids as it hits the rocks of the shallow portion of river. The bladder also absorbs some amount of impact which a rigid canoe or kayak fully takes in as wear and tear. The boat would normally have several, so-called bladders, which are air-filled independently. Well you don’t want to sink when your one and only bladder whooshes out air, right?! Having multiple bladders will save your mother from worrying about her near-drowning son. When I was in Indonesia, paddling the rivers of Java on weekends, we normally bring this 8-man raft along with hand and foot pumps. During rest and breaks, we would occasionally re-inflate the boat, especially if it took a lot of punishment during the ride, or when the boat’s lids, seals and valves are not reliable as it should be.
Rafts are popular as you can carry tourists for some fun-filled sport. But very limited in terms of stability as capsizes are normal even in low grade rapids, especially if the rowers are novices. I’ve seen experts riding a 70-foot waterfall using rubber-plastic kayaks, but I haven’t seen a big raft riding a grade 6 river. Of course kayaking on grade 4 and above (ex. Waterfalls), are reserved for the experts. Unless you made it to the WWF finals and is used to heavy head butting, you can probably endure the beatings while you’re riding the boat upside down.
The Banca
More popular for small-time, by-the-night fishermen, than for the avid rower, this boat has been here since the Polynesian trading of the nth century. The boat normally comes in with 2 outriggers, the bottom hull is curved from a tree trunk, and the outrigger is normally made of buoyant bamboos. Small ones can ride 2 fishermen, and several kilos of Jack fish. Small to medium can fit in 3 or 4 people. Anything bigger than that would mean an onboard motor installed, normally cannibalized from an old jeepney or car.
The greatest advantage of a banca outrigger is its relative stability. The two extra arms slap the sea as it moves, as if treading water. In high swells and big storms, small bancas can be swallowed by the arcing water, and be pulled in and sank. (Plastic kayaks do not sink). In the Action Asia race in 1999, we were using this small 2-3man banca for the water section of the race, and we had assumed guaranteed strength and stability even on high-swell conditions. Later after the race, we heard that 7 bancas sank. So there you go, stable as it should, but it sinks nonetheless.
Canoe
I’ve seen some canoes introduced in our water system, but I don’t think it took off successfully. Canoes are normally flat-water boats, with big fat bottoms. It’s generally for conditions with no surfs, no swells, or no rapids, just flats. Think lake on a fine day. Bancas with outriggers are cheaper and a lot more common and available, so there’s no competition to speak of.
American Indians have used canoes in the past, and are still popular today not just in the great Pocahonta’s river, but in many river systems around the world. Some even use to ride high grade rapids. I’ve only used a canoe once, when I was snaking the jungle river of Ujungkulon in the Western side of Java in Indonesia. I remember seeing crocodiles bathing in the sandy banks, a 10-ft python snake sleep-snoring in one of the branches above me, a few Dory-looking types of fish (the auntie of Nemo), and the ever flat but moving water of a murky river. I always think canoeing equals sight-seeing because of this very experience. Of course I’m being too naïve…
Big Canoes (Dragon Rowing Boats)
If you want an all-muscle and cardio paddling activity – this is it. I’ve never joined a single Dragon Boat training due to a very inconvenient schedule, but a lot of friends from the outdoor club are rowers. This suits athletes who want to race with a big bunch of other rowers. I’m more into recreation-cum-adrenalin-cum-endurance. Not solid cardio and full-muscle-burn type of thing. Besides, I’m the loner type, so I’d prefer solo boat rides, or at least just share the row load with 1 or 2 other row-dudes. Boats used for team rowing are long, flat-bottom types. Good for straight line race, but not really suitable for high swells, surfs, and slaloms, or even long-distance rides.
GEAR AND FASHION
Paddles. Probably the most sophisticated paddle type is the one used for kayaks. Modern kayak paddles have 2 curved paddle blades, with 2 interconnected handle which can be set to linear or angled paddle blades (off-set). The angled model is designed to ‘cut thru’ wind and air drag. While one business end claws thru the water, the angled end cuts the wind preventing drag and resistance. Other paddle type is the famous oblong lolly pop model (wooden or plastic). Hi-tech types use carbon fiber shafts – sturdy and light-weight!
Personal Floatation Device (PFD). A friend had once asked me why not just call it ‘Life Vest’ as we used to call it, and I tried to explain that PFD is more appropriately generic because not all floatation devices are vest-type. It could be a buoyant hip-belt floatation, or neck-anchor type. These are made of buoyant filaments, like styropor materials or other closed-cell foams, and (rarely) some are the inflatable types. PFDs are life-savers especially in a high seas or bad weather conditions.
Others. Water bilge is normally part of a sit-in kayak set, use to pump out water from the inside. The banca equivalent is a ‘tabo’ or a cylindrical plastic container use to scoop out the water. Dry-bags are indispensable, to keep those mobile phones and money and food dry at all times. It’s just a piece of waterproof fabric-made, top-load cylindrical bags with roll-able, sealable flaps to keep water out. Not 100% fail safe though. In rafting, we normally use 2 bags, the smaller one inside the other. Sun hats? A must if you don’t want to smell like dried dilis, or if you hate the tanned, exotic-look. A pair of sunglasses is a must to protect your eyes from glare and UV.
Fashion
Ahh, Board-shorts! Gone are the days when swimming trunks are widely used in the beach (keep them for pool-use please!). Beach boys and divers have already acquired the fashion of the boarders or ‘Surfers’. The imported version is a bit expensive though, normally priced at 2500 pesos and up. You can actually buy 4-5 locally-branded shorts with the same amount. The material is ideally of synthetic fibers, since ‘cotton cuts when wet’. Plus synthetics dry up more quickly as water retention rating is low.
Rash-guards are also the ‘in’ nowadays. These are the fitting shirt that looks like the regular wetsuit, and in fact also used by divers during the summer months. It’s synthetic, non-wind drag, and quick-drying. Plus it helps to keep you from being tanned (say 100+SPF rating), or being tinged by a jellyfish. Some prefer white color to reflect back white light (-dark colors absorbs more light and heat).
THE PADDLING LIFE - What’s Next
Philippines is loaded with boating and paddling opportunities. We have thousands and thousands of small islands, and touring around an island or crossing small inter-island channel becomes a pull to paddling enthusiasts. Some resorts offer an expensive 300p/hour kayak ride. And of course there's always that option to whisper-deal a small-time fisherman for a banca rental for 100 bucks or so. And probably another 50 pesos for a quick 10-minute fisherman’s paddling lesson. I did rent a banca several times in Anilao when I found myself bored, just to put some variety in my weekend life. The good news is, most fishermen use their small outriggers during late afternoons and evenings, and the best riding time for us sea-tourists are early mornings - when the water is flat and wind is busy hissing some place else.
There's also that opportunity to raft and kayak in the rivers up North (Tugegarao vicinity). Chico river I heard, offers a good grade 2 rides, or even probably grade 3 on scary-weather conditions. It’s probably the nearest good quality rafting destination from Manila (around 10 hours away). CDO (Cagayan de Oro) also offers good rafting opportunity, but of course the distance and plane fare could be a challenge if you’re living in the Metro.
Rafting is a mixed adrenalin-&-endurance sport. Sometimes you may need to ride for 3 straight hours, or longer. The adrenalin component of course, is when the converging water starts to pull you in for its kill.
Training in rafting is fun, practices include capsizing and re-uprighting the boats, unassisted entry procedures, rescue techniques (tow rope skills), paddle-swimming, rapids swimming, and a lot more.
Formal Sit-in kayak training is also available in very few resorts. It pays to have formal lessons so you don't develop bad paddling habits, plus you learn the much needed survival skill on how to bail yourself out of problems.
There is also the Dragon Boat team, accepting enthusiasts for a much more challenging physical training. If you have the time and patience, this is a good investment in terms of skills and endurance development, not to mention the fun in partying with the group. If you’re lucky, you may even join a boat competition in Boracay, or even Hong Kong or Australia.
Once in a blue moon, you will also hear Regatta events either in Galera or Boracay (and other popular beach-bummers’ places). It’s a race-for-fun type of activity using highly decorated boats, or bits of scraps assembled to look like a boat.
If you are the masochist type, there’s always the adventure race (aka ‘eco-challenge’) which includes various disciplines such as hiking, trail running, swimming, biking.. and of course, paddling. The grueling multi-day race might include a plus-10km ride in open sea with big swells and strong winds, so you must have gained a bit of good experience before you venture out in such activity.
* *
Paddling may not be an athlete’s primary sports, but it certainly adds a lot of fun and flexibility to his or her outdoor life. Whether you simply want to stroll about and reflect on your recent BF-GF break-up... riding a tranquil and flat morning water of the Taal lake; Or, challenge your guts and known limits and ride 20+km open water distance in a 2-meter swell… Or you probably just want some variety? Solace? High-adrenalin rides? Endurance exercise? Or a test of fear? Mother Nature can give you all that, just find the right place, a good paddle, and a perfect boat …
_________________
Intro
Splashing rage, gut-wrenching swells, hi-speed river descents, back-breaking boat-rolls, …gasp, sunburn and fun! All that, is Paddling! This is one outdoor sport that is now slowly gaining popularity, and currently enjoyed by a number of athletes and enthusiasts, who, unlike the majority of us hydro-phobiacs, had embraced the risk of drowning in various rivers and waterways or even the littered coastal waters of Manila Bay.
Paddling offers a variety of choices catering to different types of people… for the adrenalin-loaded extremists, or the weekend enthusiasts, endurance athletes, or even family groups, lost tourists and wannabes.
You just have to pick the right boat and place, match it with your mood and preference, and off you go for an exciting thrill of a ride.
THE BOATS
Kayaks
These small boats were popularized by the Arctic Eskimos. It’s a traveling tool they use to move from one place to another, to hunt for seals, birds and polar bears. Modern day expedition kayaks are now better-designed, sink-proof, light-weight, ice-sturdy but of course more expensive than their traditional counterpart. Small single-sit plastic river kayaks are in high demand for countries with grade 3 and up rapids, while the long fiberglass-made sea kayaks are more popular for inter-island tours or even multi-day expeditions. Inflatables are also gaining notice, as these versions come in relatively cheaper price and save a lot of carrying space in your SUVs.
Most resorts in the Philippines have these rigid sit-on-top models, used by the bored from-the-urban tourists who simply want to vent out their corporate frustrations in the form of slap-the-water-with-my-paddle.
The sit-in type kayaks are more popular among kayak experts, as these models are normally faster (-less drag, lighter in weight, better tracking), sleek in design – it’s like riding a water Ferrari! The downside, it’s more expensive, difficult to haul (in land) and for novices - re-uprighting procedure is a challenge. Sit-ins are those types where you hide your skinny legs inside the boat hull, and wear this funny skirt used to cover the hull lid to prevent water from filling in. Boat entry is a bit more difficult than sit-on-tops. In the latter, as the same suggests, you just “sit on top” of the boat. Of course you have to make sure that your footing distance is adjusted to your leg comfort level and that your back support offers the right lumbar resistance. But that’s basically it. Sit-ins on the other hand require you to, well..”sit inside” the hull of the boat, which seems to makes it difficult to balance since the boat sways at every inch move that you make. And there’s that bigger problem of re-entering the boat at mid-sea. Capsizing a sit-in kayak in a meter-high swell is not uncommon even among experts. As part of the kayaking lesson, you have to learn at least the basic recovery – on how to upright a capsized boat, and how to re-enter it. When I did this exercise with a friend, I thought it was easy, bringing in my yabang with me, only to be humbled when I was unable to clear the water from inside the boat, or even re-enter it with relative comfort. You don’t have all those nasties if you use a sit-on-top, but sit-ins, wah!
The not-so-basic method of capsize recovery is not to leave the sit-in, but just flip back over. Sounds easy? Well not quite, it needs a lot of practice and patience and a high tolerance to seawater gurgling. The method to re-upright the kayak was termed ‘eskimo-roll’, it’s a difficult maneuver that requires spine-breaking stretch and flip, as you roll about, submerged for a few seconds.
Kayaks have wide array of designs serving the broad spectrum of lunatics who ride the surfs (surf-kayaking), rivers (river kayaking), ocean swells (sea kayaking), and even snowed downhill slopes (ski-kayaking).
Inflatable Rafts
If you have seen the “Cast Away” movie of Tom Hanks, or the “River Wild” of Kevin Bacon, then you already know what a Raft is. I used to think that all rafts were made of yellow inflatable fabrics. Well, that’s all because of those old versions, built as survival rafts of sinking ships. Yellow because it’s easier to spot for rescue. Nowadays though, raft boats are also being used by the military, or even smugglers. Zodiac boats, as an example, are black/gray inflatables that allow outboard motor propelling. Very popular in maritime military operations. The same boat are being used by illegal immigrants chancing their way from Morocco to Spain, in the hope of getting that golden job somewhere in Europe.
Rafts are commonly used in, err...Rafting; river or white-water rafting as it’s called. The fabric design is abrasion-resistant which can withstand the bumps and skids as it hits the rocks of the shallow portion of river. The bladder also absorbs some amount of impact which a rigid canoe or kayak fully takes in as wear and tear. The boat would normally have several, so-called bladders, which are air-filled independently. Well you don’t want to sink when your one and only bladder whooshes out air, right?! Having multiple bladders will save your mother from worrying about her near-drowning son. When I was in Indonesia, paddling the rivers of Java on weekends, we normally bring this 8-man raft along with hand and foot pumps. During rest and breaks, we would occasionally re-inflate the boat, especially if it took a lot of punishment during the ride, or when the boat’s lids, seals and valves are not reliable as it should be.
Rafts are popular as you can carry tourists for some fun-filled sport. But very limited in terms of stability as capsizes are normal even in low grade rapids, especially if the rowers are novices. I’ve seen experts riding a 70-foot waterfall using rubber-plastic kayaks, but I haven’t seen a big raft riding a grade 6 river. Of course kayaking on grade 4 and above (ex. Waterfalls), are reserved for the experts. Unless you made it to the WWF finals and is used to heavy head butting, you can probably endure the beatings while you’re riding the boat upside down.
The Banca
More popular for small-time, by-the-night fishermen, than for the avid rower, this boat has been here since the Polynesian trading of the nth century. The boat normally comes in with 2 outriggers, the bottom hull is curved from a tree trunk, and the outrigger is normally made of buoyant bamboos. Small ones can ride 2 fishermen, and several kilos of Jack fish. Small to medium can fit in 3 or 4 people. Anything bigger than that would mean an onboard motor installed, normally cannibalized from an old jeepney or car.
The greatest advantage of a banca outrigger is its relative stability. The two extra arms slap the sea as it moves, as if treading water. In high swells and big storms, small bancas can be swallowed by the arcing water, and be pulled in and sank. (Plastic kayaks do not sink). In the Action Asia race in 1999, we were using this small 2-3man banca for the water section of the race, and we had assumed guaranteed strength and stability even on high-swell conditions. Later after the race, we heard that 7 bancas sank. So there you go, stable as it should, but it sinks nonetheless.
Canoe
I’ve seen some canoes introduced in our water system, but I don’t think it took off successfully. Canoes are normally flat-water boats, with big fat bottoms. It’s generally for conditions with no surfs, no swells, or no rapids, just flats. Think lake on a fine day. Bancas with outriggers are cheaper and a lot more common and available, so there’s no competition to speak of.
American Indians have used canoes in the past, and are still popular today not just in the great Pocahonta’s river, but in many river systems around the world. Some even use to ride high grade rapids. I’ve only used a canoe once, when I was snaking the jungle river of Ujungkulon in the Western side of Java in Indonesia. I remember seeing crocodiles bathing in the sandy banks, a 10-ft python snake sleep-snoring in one of the branches above me, a few Dory-looking types of fish (the auntie of Nemo), and the ever flat but moving water of a murky river. I always think canoeing equals sight-seeing because of this very experience. Of course I’m being too naïve…
Big Canoes (Dragon Rowing Boats)
If you want an all-muscle and cardio paddling activity – this is it. I’ve never joined a single Dragon Boat training due to a very inconvenient schedule, but a lot of friends from the outdoor club are rowers. This suits athletes who want to race with a big bunch of other rowers. I’m more into recreation-cum-adrenalin-cum-endurance. Not solid cardio and full-muscle-burn type of thing. Besides, I’m the loner type, so I’d prefer solo boat rides, or at least just share the row load with 1 or 2 other row-dudes. Boats used for team rowing are long, flat-bottom types. Good for straight line race, but not really suitable for high swells, surfs, and slaloms, or even long-distance rides.
GEAR AND FASHION
Paddles. Probably the most sophisticated paddle type is the one used for kayaks. Modern kayak paddles have 2 curved paddle blades, with 2 interconnected handle which can be set to linear or angled paddle blades (off-set). The angled model is designed to ‘cut thru’ wind and air drag. While one business end claws thru the water, the angled end cuts the wind preventing drag and resistance. Other paddle type is the famous oblong lolly pop model (wooden or plastic). Hi-tech types use carbon fiber shafts – sturdy and light-weight!
Personal Floatation Device (PFD). A friend had once asked me why not just call it ‘Life Vest’ as we used to call it, and I tried to explain that PFD is more appropriately generic because not all floatation devices are vest-type. It could be a buoyant hip-belt floatation, or neck-anchor type. These are made of buoyant filaments, like styropor materials or other closed-cell foams, and (rarely) some are the inflatable types. PFDs are life-savers especially in a high seas or bad weather conditions.
Others. Water bilge is normally part of a sit-in kayak set, use to pump out water from the inside. The banca equivalent is a ‘tabo’ or a cylindrical plastic container use to scoop out the water. Dry-bags are indispensable, to keep those mobile phones and money and food dry at all times. It’s just a piece of waterproof fabric-made, top-load cylindrical bags with roll-able, sealable flaps to keep water out. Not 100% fail safe though. In rafting, we normally use 2 bags, the smaller one inside the other. Sun hats? A must if you don’t want to smell like dried dilis, or if you hate the tanned, exotic-look. A pair of sunglasses is a must to protect your eyes from glare and UV.
Fashion
Ahh, Board-shorts! Gone are the days when swimming trunks are widely used in the beach (keep them for pool-use please!). Beach boys and divers have already acquired the fashion of the boarders or ‘Surfers’. The imported version is a bit expensive though, normally priced at 2500 pesos and up. You can actually buy 4-5 locally-branded shorts with the same amount. The material is ideally of synthetic fibers, since ‘cotton cuts when wet’. Plus synthetics dry up more quickly as water retention rating is low.
Rash-guards are also the ‘in’ nowadays. These are the fitting shirt that looks like the regular wetsuit, and in fact also used by divers during the summer months. It’s synthetic, non-wind drag, and quick-drying. Plus it helps to keep you from being tanned (say 100+SPF rating), or being tinged by a jellyfish. Some prefer white color to reflect back white light (-dark colors absorbs more light and heat).
THE PADDLING LIFE - What’s Next
Philippines is loaded with boating and paddling opportunities. We have thousands and thousands of small islands, and touring around an island or crossing small inter-island channel becomes a pull to paddling enthusiasts. Some resorts offer an expensive 300p/hour kayak ride. And of course there's always that option to whisper-deal a small-time fisherman for a banca rental for 100 bucks or so. And probably another 50 pesos for a quick 10-minute fisherman’s paddling lesson. I did rent a banca several times in Anilao when I found myself bored, just to put some variety in my weekend life. The good news is, most fishermen use their small outriggers during late afternoons and evenings, and the best riding time for us sea-tourists are early mornings - when the water is flat and wind is busy hissing some place else.
There's also that opportunity to raft and kayak in the rivers up North (Tugegarao vicinity). Chico river I heard, offers a good grade 2 rides, or even probably grade 3 on scary-weather conditions. It’s probably the nearest good quality rafting destination from Manila (around 10 hours away). CDO (Cagayan de Oro) also offers good rafting opportunity, but of course the distance and plane fare could be a challenge if you’re living in the Metro.
Rafting is a mixed adrenalin-&-endurance sport. Sometimes you may need to ride for 3 straight hours, or longer. The adrenalin component of course, is when the converging water starts to pull you in for its kill.
Training in rafting is fun, practices include capsizing and re-uprighting the boats, unassisted entry procedures, rescue techniques (tow rope skills), paddle-swimming, rapids swimming, and a lot more.
Formal Sit-in kayak training is also available in very few resorts. It pays to have formal lessons so you don't develop bad paddling habits, plus you learn the much needed survival skill on how to bail yourself out of problems.
There is also the Dragon Boat team, accepting enthusiasts for a much more challenging physical training. If you have the time and patience, this is a good investment in terms of skills and endurance development, not to mention the fun in partying with the group. If you’re lucky, you may even join a boat competition in Boracay, or even Hong Kong or Australia.
Once in a blue moon, you will also hear Regatta events either in Galera or Boracay (and other popular beach-bummers’ places). It’s a race-for-fun type of activity using highly decorated boats, or bits of scraps assembled to look like a boat.
If you are the masochist type, there’s always the adventure race (aka ‘eco-challenge’) which includes various disciplines such as hiking, trail running, swimming, biking.. and of course, paddling. The grueling multi-day race might include a plus-10km ride in open sea with big swells and strong winds, so you must have gained a bit of good experience before you venture out in such activity.
* *
Paddling may not be an athlete’s primary sports, but it certainly adds a lot of fun and flexibility to his or her outdoor life. Whether you simply want to stroll about and reflect on your recent BF-GF break-up... riding a tranquil and flat morning water of the Taal lake; Or, challenge your guts and known limits and ride 20+km open water distance in a 2-meter swell… Or you probably just want some variety? Solace? High-adrenalin rides? Endurance exercise? Or a test of fear? Mother Nature can give you all that, just find the right place, a good paddle, and a perfect boat …
_________________
