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Experience Sea Kayaking

The Beginnings
The exact location of the first kayaks is lost in history but it is well known that these durable little vessels are a products of the far north Canada and Alaska in North America. The name kayak is an Inuit word meaning “hunter’s boat” and can be traced back at least 4000 years. It is an Arctic craft and has been utilised by tribes of Alaska, Canada and Greenland as a conveyance to pursue seals, walrus and even whales.

The Craft
The first kayaks were constructed on frames of driftwood that was shaped using crude stone tools of flint and obsidian. The frames were sheathed with animal skins of caribou, seals and sea lions, well oiled to render them waterproof and stitched together with sinew and tendons. The designs throughout their range were similar, but variations came about to extend their versatility.

Kayak Technology
The kayak evolved slowly and even the modern design is not too much different from that of its predecessors. As the crafts gained popularity in America and Europe the materials of their construction varied and frames were built from local woods and the boats were sheathed with fabrics. Today the kayak is constructed out of space age plastics, fibreglass, and resins.

Travel and Leisure
The kayak is used in both fresh and saltwater and many utilise the craft to navigate river rapids and to float lazy streams, but the kayak was born for the ocean and sea kayaking is rising, rapidly, in popularity and has a multitude of practitioners.

Coastal cruising in a kayak is an exceptional way to cavort with nature and there is a growing following of anglers who keep up the tradition of gaining sustenance from the sea.

The Future
The future of sea kayaking looks bright and it is apparent from the amount of cars in coastal areas that are adorned with these sleek little craft on roof racks. Kayakers can be found far from populated resorts, propelled with twin bladed paddles and gliding over rich seas. As a conveyance to search out ocean adventure, the sea kayak is an affordable and able craft for the masses.

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