Sea Kayak Chesapeake Bay Site Map

Site Map

Contains 373 pages. To open a page click on the underlined words.
To open or close a category, click on a blue triangle.

Sea Kayak Chesapeake Bay - A resource for individuals and groups interested in sea kayaking with a focus on the Chesapeake Bay.

01 - A Tour around the Chesapeake Bay - The Bay is often divided into three regions, the Upper Bay, from the Susquehanna River and the Flats to the Bay Bridge, the Middle Bay from the Bay Bridge to the mouth of the Potomac, and the Lower Bay, from the Potomac to the Atlantic Ocean. Each has its own unique character.

02 - Basics - Just getting started? Here are some basics.

03 - Intermediate Topics - Of interest to those with intermediate levels of kayak skills

04 - Advanced Topics - Specialized topics for advanced kayakers.

05 - Resources - Resources for weather forecasts, charts, etc.

06 - Safety - Kayaks are generally safe but present varied potential dangers. Use of the 6Ps of kayak safety - Planning, Partner, PFD, Preparation, Practice and Patience - can lessen these objective dangers.

08 - Kayak Trip Reports - Reports on sea kayak trips, including descriptions, pictures and resources.

Bahamas - Exuma Islands - 2008/03/05 to 2008/03/15 - Getting ready - Kayak in clear water of incredible shades of turquoise over sugar white sand. The Exuma Islands of the Bahamas have 365 different islands - one for each day of the year. Come see the Exumas and feel alright!

Bahamas - Exuma Islands - 2012/12/29 to 2013/01/09 - Given a long holiday break with few obligations, Peter and I pounced on the chance to travel someplace warm where we hadn't been before, to explore by kayak. We weighed several options then chose to ring in the new year of 2013 paddling around the Exuma Cays, a remote string of islands in the Bahamas.

BC - Vancouver Island - Part 1 - Anacortes, WA - Big tidal ranges, currents exceeding 10 knots, fog, big surf, sudden high winds, cold water - just the perfect place for kayaking, eh? We take two weeks introducing ourselves to the kayak mecca of British Columbia with day trips in Anacortes Washington and Ucluelet/Tofino in BC.

Chile - Patagonia - Jorge Montt Glacier - 2008/01/31 to 2008/02/16 - Remote, rugged, moody and unpredictable, sea kayaking in Patagonia Chile is for kayakers with developed skills and an adventurous spirit.

DE - Chesapeake & Delaware Canal - 2004/11/13 - 29.0 miles - Kayaking C& D Canal. The Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay are connected by a sea level canal constructed to pass shipping safely inside coastal waters. Used extensively by Liberty Ships avoiding possible dangerous submarine infested ocean waters, its present day commercial use is much reduced. Only fairly shallow draft vessels can pass through the 14 mile long canal.

DE - Dewey Beach - 2002/01/25 - Dewey Beach is a typical sea side resort community. But in the sound and canals just west of the "condo strip" are waterways and marshes that provide a great place to paddle.

DE - Three Forts - 2009/06/27 - 7.5 miles - A short paddle across the Delaware River visits three forts - Fort DuPont, Fort Delaware and Fort Mott.

FL - Alexander Springs - 2007/01/16 - 12.8 miles - Alexander Springs Florida is another of the numerous springs that have been developed as a state recreational park. The park is a place for swimmers. But downstream of the spring is a beautiful fourteen mile run of nearly untouched waterway of rushes, lilies, oaks and palms.

FL - Biscayne National Park - 2007/12/01 to 2007/12/04 - Just a few miles from the three part skyscape of Miami, the often overlooked Biscayne National Park is a wonderful destination for kayakers. With all the natural features of the Florida Keys and some history thrown in as well, a trip to Boca Chita and Elliott Key makes for a nice unhurried weekday experience.

FL - Cape Romano - 2012/02/22 to 2012/02/24 - 44 miles - Cape Romano is the first large wilderness area south of Marco Island at the top of the Ten Thousand Islands. There are a number of beaches available for camping north of the no trespasing area of Faxahatchee Wildlife Management Area.

FL - Cedar Keys - 2007/01/20 - 11.9 miles - Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuge on Florida Nature Coast is a 1929 addition to the National Wildlife Management system. With a long history of development in early Florida history, these islands are now reverting to a natural state. They make for an easy and safe place to paddle on a day trip.

FL - Econlockhatchee Water Trail - 2012/02/07 - 21.2 miles - The Econlockhatchee is a tributary of the St. Johns River south of Lake Mary. It is a blackwater river with white sand beaches, palmetto palms and a few cypress. The lower river flows through cleared land with grazing cattle.

FL - Everglades - 2001/01/15 to 2001/01/22 - Gliding over the backs of Alligators, watching dolphins herd fish, seeing sea turtles and exotic birds, sitting next to tailing tarpon are just a few of the extraordinary things about an Everglades kayak trip.

FL - Everglades - 2003/02/02 - 13 miles - Turner River is one of many rivers that transition the slow moving, shallow river of grass in the Everglades to the mangrove islands lying along the southwest coast of southern Florida Gulf of Mexico. This narrow twisting stream of clear water moves beneath the wiry entwined limbs of low overhead red mangroves forming a tunnel of green waxy leaves arching completely across the waterway. Between the intermittent tunnels, the sawgrass of the fresh water grass prairie that stretches southward from the shore of Lake Okeechobee slowly loses its battle to the salt tolerant mangroves. Myriads of large birds hunt along the shores in the tall sawgrass and fly overhead in large flocks. This river makes a wonderful day trip and an great introduction to the ecology of the Everglades itself.

FL - Everglades - 2011/02/27 to 2011/03/03 - 73 miles - A quick solo trip to the Florida Everglades includes a first time paddle through the mangrove tunnels of Hell's Bay and then a four day paddle around Cape Sable.

FL - Everglades City Ten Thousand Islands - 2003/02/03 to 2003/02/06 - 50 Miles - Florida's Ten Thousand Islands area lies southeast of Naples and northwest of the Everglades National Park. The many islands form a transition from the freshwater marsh of the "river of grass" to the open salt water of the Gulf of Mexico. Heavily commercialized and visited by novice kayakers and canoeist, this readily accessible piece of Florida is still worth seeing.

FL - Everglades Wilderness Waterway Day 1 - 2004/12/01 to 2004/12/12 - Carl Ross key on the edge of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico is everyone's image of an island paradise. Sea grape trees, coconut palms and black mangrove stud this fantasy island of white sand beaches, cactus, egrets, ibis and pelicans. What's not to like? What a way to start a ten day trip along the Wilderness Waterway.

FL - Florida Bay and Cape Sable - 2003/02/08 to 2003/02/14 - 65.5 Miles -
Florida Bay lies between the Florida Keys to the south and east and the Everglades to the north. Many islands dot the bay but only a few allow overnight stays. Carl Ross, the most beautiful isle my kayak as ever seen, is one of those keys. Only this slice of heaven could top the magnificent beaches of Cape Sable.

FL - Florida Keys - 2004/03/03 to 2004/03/13 - Bahia Honda State Park in the lower Florida Keys is a beautiful base for kayaking the islands of the Great White Heron Wildlife Refuge. Usually sold out a year in advance, I snagged a cancelled reservation for a campsite for 10 days, loaded up the kayaks on a trailer and took off for three weeks of Florida sun. From there we took several day trips to various nearby locations.

FL - Fort Lauderdale - Bill Keith Park to Dania Canal - 2011/02/25 - 8.0 miles - From a neighborhood pocket park I paddled up New River then over to connect with the Dania canal, returning to the park after a four hour paddle among mega yachts and a surprise encounter with a manatee.

FL - Fort Lauderdale New River - 2011/02/26 - 12 miles - Fort Lauderdale, the Venice of America, is the winter port for the uber rich and their mega yachts. One of the deepest ports on the east coast it is a major hub for cruise ships plying the Carribean. I paddled through the harbor and up New River through the heart of the city.

FL - Hillsborough River - 2003/01/25 - 19.5 Miles - Hillsborough River flows through the heart of Tampa. Outside of the city, the river runs southwest through preserved swamp area, a chain of parks and the challenge of the "Seventeen Runs".

FL - John Pennekamp State Park - 2007/12/04 to 2007/12/09 - John Pennekamp State Park is best known as a snorkeling and dive area. But with a kayak vendor and a set of marked trails plus quick access to the Florida Bay, it is a good kayaking destination as well.

FL - Juniper Springs - 2003/01/18 - 14 miles - This 7 mile upstream route in the run-off channel of an enormous spring will amaze you with its beautiful crystal clear waters twisting in and out of live oak and sable palms. At its head you will see volcanos of sand erupting from the shallow bottom and a deep pool of blue water. This magnificent trip ends with a blazing ride back to the starting point.

FL - Lake Kissimmee - 2003/01/23 - Lake Kissimmee is a name more known for development than outdoor recreation. However, it is Florida's third biggest lake a haven for serious bass fishermen. The Lake Kissimmee State Park is little known and not heavily visited.

FL - Little Manatee River Alafia River - 2003/01/26 - There are official Florida Canoe Trails on both the Alafia and Little Manatee Rivers southeast of Tampa Florida. The rivers are small and the distances short with moderate development on the banks.

FL - Loxahatchee River Jonathan Dickinson State Park - 2011/02/21 - 8.5 miles - Northwest of Jupiter Inlet, the Loxahatchee river flows past isles of expensive homes to Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The park protects the rest of the river as it meanders west through untouched cypress and scrub palm forest.

FL - Myakka River - 2003/01/29 - 9 miles - Myakka River State Park is a large and diverse natural area with brooding and dark palmetto palm swamps, pine land prairie, tree canopy walkways and bright lakes rampant with birds and alligators. Many, many alligators.

FL - Peace River - 2003/01/27 to 2003/01/28 - 65.1 miles - The Peace River flows south from east of Tampa to empty in a large bay near Port Charlotte. Between Ft. Meade and Gardner the river provides beautiful paddling through undeveloped Southern Florida with some good overnight camp spots for this two day trip.

FL - Rainbow Springs, Withlacoochee River - 2007/01/23 - 16.5 miles - Rainbow Springs has exceptionally clear water in a deep run with partially developed banks. With cypress, lilies and fish everywhere it makes an interesting day paddle.

FL - Shired Island - 2007/01/22 - 10.9 miles - Shired Island is a small county campground at the end of CR 357 right on a small beach. I launched at an even smaller bird observation platform and paddled south out of the shallow creek into an even shallower near shore coast. Stopping at a lovely beach, I feasted on oysters collected and eaten one at a time.

FL - St. Johns River - 2003/01/19 - 17 miles - The St. Johns River flows northward for over half the length of Florida, more than 200 miles, before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Jacksonville. Through lakes, canals, development and wild area, the St. Johns is a reflection of the conflicting demands placed upon it by the burgeoning populations around it.

FL - St. Mary's River - 2003/01/11 to 2003/01/12 - 54 miles - From out of the Southeast corner of the Okefenokee swamp, the St. Mary's River drains the clear tannin stained water to the Atlantic ocean, once coveted as a water source for long ocean voyages.

FL - Suwannee River - 2003/01/15 to 2003/01/17 - 58.2 miles - The Suwannee River originates in the heart of the Okefenokee Swamp, a shallow bowl of an ancient sea now filled with peat, cypress, tupelo and gum trees. The clean but tannin stained waters of the swamp flow southwest from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge to empty into the Gulf of Mexico over two hundred miles away. Along the way it experiences Florida's largest white water, meanders along banks unchanged since the mid 1800s, receives fresh water form many springs and carves its way through limestone cliffs exposed at periods of low water.

FL - Suwannee River, Lower - 2007/01/21 - 16.0 miles - A two part paddle on the Lower Suwannee River provides a great day with wide variety: from straight river banks along a big a famous river to twisting streams on a new water trail.

FL - Tomoka River - 2003/01/21 - 22 miles - This Tomoka River trip begins in a marsh just off the intracostal waterway on the developed east coast of Florida and heads southwest into a swampy cypress area punctuated with development and houses. Sable palms, pines and marsh grass line the banks.

GA - Crooked River - 2003/01/10 - 29.7 miles - On the Georgia seacoast, just north of the Florida border, the Crooked River deserves its name. The tight loops of the river meander among the low marsh grasses emptying into the Intracoastal Waterway.

GA - Okefenokee Swamp - 2003/01/13 to 2003/01/14 - 33 Miles - From sandhill cranes stalking through grassy swamp prairies to twisting channels through cypress boles, Okefenokee swamp provides a unique and varied experience perfect for kayaks and canoes.

GA - Okefenokee Swamp - 2004/03/14 to 2004/03/15 - A second trip to this famous Okefenokee Swamp revisits some old territory and pushes into new territory. Later in the year and much warmer, there are many more alligators about. However, the winter birds have left and the spring ones have not yet arrived.

GA - Tybee Island - 2005/04/29 to 2004/04/30 - 34 Miles - Tybee Island is the home of Sea Kayak Georgia and a great place to paddle. Large tidal ranges and strong currents along the northern Georgia Coast make for some wild paddling.

GN - 2004/07/16 to 2004/07/27 - Paddling East Greenland - Ultima Thule roughly means “exploration at the outer limits” and, in terms of the place, if not the difficulty of the paddling itself, our trip met that definition. There are few people, fewer buildings, no roads. It is remote and rugged: just water, mountains and ice. As far as you can see.

KayakaQuebec - Iles de la Madeleine Magdalene Islands - 2002/06/29 to 2002/07/05 - The Magdalene Islands ( Iles de la Madeleine) are spectacular and it’s people are for the most part a joy and testament to the fortitude that is required for survival on small northern islands.

MA - Martha's Vineyard - 1998/07/08 to 1998/07/09 - Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard and return - 19 miles

MD - Betterton to Rock Hall/Gratitude - 2003/06/08 to 2003/06/09 - 40 miles - Bald Eagles? Why go all the way to Alaska to see bald eagles? You can see dozens of these magnificent birds and an amazing collection of other wildlife on a paddle between Betterton and Rock Hall on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

MD - Bird River - 2003/03/30 season opener - The season opener had water levels in the Gunpowder River that were at an all time low due to a new spring moon and the build up of silt from the run off from the melting record snowfalls this winter. We paddled the Bird River after grounding repeatedly in the Gunpowder.

MD - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge - 2003/05/14 - 34.6 miles - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge includes almost 26,000 acres, composed mainly of rich tidal marsh characterized by fluctuating water levels and varying salinity. Other habitat types include freshwater ponds, mixed evergreen and deciduous forests, and small amounts of crop land and managed impoundments that are seasonally flooded for waterfowl use.

MD - Blackwater River - 2007/05/12 to 2007/05/13 - 26.2 miles - If you go to Blackwater NWR make sure you have a good map or even better a satellite photo if you are going to venture off the marked trails. The intricate channels and shallow water provide plenty of excitement even for the skilled navigator.

MD - Bohemia River - 2009/07/11 - 12 miles - The Bohemia River is a beautiful place in the fall - quiet with a riot of colorful foliage. In mid summer it is quiet in the morning but awash in jet skis by midday. Stay in the shallow water of the little creeks north of the bridge and you will still find peace.

MD - Cedar Creek - 2008/05/30 to 2008/06/01 - 11.9 miles, 9.1 miles - Follow the twisting leads of Cedar Creek in a circuit ramble through the deep eastern shore marsh in Maryland. Another creek heads west into the marsh from Toddville - watch out for the low bridge however.

MD - Chesapeake Main Channel - 2001/11/14 to 2001/11/15 - 65.9 miles - For those who like big mileage days, a two day trip from Havre de Grace to Annapolis down the spine of the upper Chesapeake Bay is sure to please.

MD - Choptank River - 2001/06/11 - Martinak State Park to Greensboro - 19.5 miles roundtrip

MD - Choptank River - 2002/05/03 to 2002/05/04 - Choptank River (21 miles) and Tuckahoe River State Park and the upper Tuckahoe (26.3 Miles)

MD - Choptank River & Tuckahoe Creek - 2001/06/12 - 30.2 mile roundtrip - The Choptank River near Denton, MD is several hundred yards across with 50 to 100 feet of lillies lining the banks. Five miles south of Martinak State Park, the serpentine lower Tuckahoe Creek joins the Choptank.

MD - Conowingo Dam pool - 2003/06/16 - The Susquehanna River breaks through the Piedmont plateau just before Havre de Grace and the Susquehanna Flats at the head of Chesapeake Bay. This created the high banks and narrow channel for hydroelectric power plants to be built in the depression of the 1930's. Now there is a beautiful lake for kayaking along the laurel studded green wooded hills of northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania.

MD - Conowingo Dam pool - 2006/04/30 - 25.2 miles - Another spring brings a return trip to the Conowingo Dam pool with flowering plum and dogwoods and a romp at the falls under Holtwood Dam.

MD - Crisfield to Cambridge - 2003/07/28 to 02003/08/01- 5 day tour - 130 miles - Crisfield, Tangier Island, Smith Island and the Honga River are areas of the Chesapeake Bay that still retain the flavor of old time Maryland. Here making a living from the Bay waters has not changed in the last 75 years. Under pressure from over fishing and water pollution caused by burgeoning populations in affluent communities on the Western shore, these people hang on to a way of life that is probably doomed.

MD - Dundee Creek to Pooles Island - 2005/06/05 - 18 miles - Dundee Creek is one of the prettiest creeks on the upper western shore of Chesapeake Bay. Filled with lots of submerged aquatic vegetation, its water quality is good when the rest of the bay stinks.

MD - Eastern Neck - 2006/11/26 - A Chesapeake Paddlers Association trip to Eastern Neck draws 14 paddlers on a quiet warm day in late November for a 12 mile circumnavigation of the Wildlife Management Area on the Chester River.

MD - Eastern Shore - 2002/09/17 to 2002/09/21 - A five day tour of various paddling locations on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland. Assateague Island, Pocomoke River, Janes Island/Tangier Sound and the Choptank River

MD - Elk River - 2001/10/13 - 20.3 Miles - Elk Neck State Park is located on a high spit of land between the Northeast and Elk Rivers with a launch site on the Elk River opposite the Bohemia River. Crossing the river requires care due to the large ship traffic traversing the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Painted orange and red by the fall foliage, the Bohemia River shines on a bright and sunny fall day.

MD - Foundry Bay - 2009/03/29 - 8 miles - An early spring Sunday starts out with fog and dripping rain. Skies clear in the afternoon for a nice paddle back to Havre de Grace from Foundry Bay.

MD - Gratitude - 2009/06/05 - 10.8 miles - Gratitude is a quiet protected harbor filled with yachts of Pennsylvanian owners. It makes a nice quiet paddle with a little wild marsh at the end of Swan Creek for variety.

MD - Gunpowder River - 2007/01/01 - A year opening tradition starts off a new paddling season with a foggy day of calm. You don;t need a weatherman to tell which way the wind is blowing. SOmetimes it is better not to listen.

MD - Gunpowder River and Pooles Island - 2003/7/01 - 17.75 miles - Sometimes a simple day trip can be very pleasurable. An amiable group of five spend a warm summer's day paddling out the Gunpowder River and around Pooles Island. We stopped to practice a few rolls.

MD - Half Delmarva - 2004/06/16 to 2004/06/27 - 316 miles - Great Chesapeake Bay "Trail" from Havre de Grace, where the Susquehanna births the Bay, around Cape Charles, at the mouth of the Bay, and back north along the Virginia Sea Isles to Assateague Island National Seashore. For those interested in a trip with big mileage, this is it.

MD - Havre de Grace - Swan Creek - 2002/08/13 - 12.0 miles - Swan Creek provides a good destination for a pleasant day paddle along the edge of the Susquehanna Flats from Havre de Grace MD.

MD - Havre de Grace channel night paddle - 2003/07/22 - 10 miles - A moonlight paddle down the Havre de Grace channel provides for a wild return ride. Night paddling provides it own challenges.

MD - Havre de Grace overnight - 2007/04/28 - Weather stopped a more ambitious trip to Blackwater. With a full Saturday and only a Sunday morning free, we went out for an overnighter camp on a spoil island south of Havre de Grace.

MD - Havre de Grace to Joppatown - 2007/05/06 - 34.5 miles - North winds make this trip easier and exciting. From Havre de Grace out around the unapproachable shores of Aberdeen Proving Ground and then northwest up the Gunpowder to Mariner Point Park, this long Chesapeake Bay sleigh ride provides an opportunity to handle strong winds and 3 foot wind waves.

MD - Honga River - 2009/10/25 to 2009/10/26 - 42 miles - The Honga River is so sparsely developed that it is one place of the Chesapeake Bay where you can easily imagine that you are seeing the water and land as it looked when John Smith wandered up the bay. A three day trip is shortened by a rainy forecast to two long nice days with a spectacular sunset in between.

MD - Janes Island to Shelltown - 2007/09/23 - 20.1 miles - Janes Island has a number of marked water trails through the marsh near Crisfield. But there also a number of longer trips that can be made from the state park to launch areas on the Pocomoke River that are short distances from the park.

MD - Kent Island - 2002/08/19 - Lower half - 20.3 miles - From Matapeake just south of the Bay Bridge to Thompson Creek

MD - Langford Creek - 2003/07/07 - 27.2 miles - Langford Creek is lined with large remodeled farm estates on its eastern branch. Many small creeks provide a nice extended paddle in the region between Rock Hall and Chestertown in Kent county, Maryland.

MD - Mallows Bay - 2009/10/02 - 20.5 miles - Pulled up into a shallow bay off the Potomac River, an abandoned fleet of wooden World War I steamers lies rotting in the mud. With 20 tons of iron bolts above and below the water, the three hundred foot wrecks make for an interesting and very careful paddle.

MD - Mattawoman Creek - 2009/10/01 - 14.6 miles - Mattawoman Creek off the Potomac River is a seven mile long creek full of aquatic vegetation, fish, birds and few people. With much of the shoreline owned by federal military research sites and state parks, the shores are remarkably light on development.

MD - Nanjemoy Creek - 2009/08/15 0 8.0 miles - Nanjemoy Creek off the Potomac has enjoyable fresh and brackish marsh and interesting oak forested banks with a surprising lack of development this close to Washington D.C.

MD - Nanticoke River - 2010/10/07 - Just north of Vienna, MD on the Nanticoke are several small creeks and a marshy area that make a great half day paddle on my way to the Virginia Barrier Island for Columbus Day weekend.

MD - Nanticoke River - 2013/04/27 to 2013/04/28 - 32.0 miles - The Nanticoke River valley is the most undeveloped in the entire state of Maryland and boasts the largest unbroken pine forest in the state. We traverse Broadcreek and Marshyhope Creek in two day paddles.

MD - Northeast River - 2002/05/23 - 15.6 miles - The town of Northeast, MD lies at the head of the tidal portion of Northeast River. An interesting and unique community park provides access to the river. Following the long spit of high cliffs between the Northeast River and the Elk River is the kayak race course of the annual Northeast Regatta.

MD - Northeast River - 2003/09/01 - 15.0 miles - Northeast River marshes bloom with a riot of color in late August and early September. When summer's flowers are fading on land, the marsh comes alive with a dazzling display of shapes and colors.

MD - Patapsco River - 2001/10/27 - 18.0 Miles - Bear Creek is a tributary of the Patapsco River just before the serious traffic of Baltimore Harbor really starts. Across the Potapsco is Curtis Bay where the largest coast guard station on the East Coast is located. Home to the repair dry docks for the Coast Guard, enhanced security in the wake of 911 almost gets us arrested.

MD - Patapsco River - 2010/05/30 - Middle Fork - A short paddle starts on the Baltimore harbor amidst the floating garbage of a mega city but soon transitions to a surprisingly wild and life filled paddled up a pleasant river.

MD - Patapsco River - North Point to Key Bridge and Return -16.0 Miles - North Point is the location of the British troop landing during the war of 1812 for the attack on Baltimore. We launched from where the British landed and head up the Patapsco as did the British fleet. We pass the Civil War era Ft. Carroll and pass under Francis Scott Key Bridge, all in view of Ft. McHenry, site of the penning of our national anthem.

MD - Patuxent - Hallowing Point south - 2006/12/19 - 11.0 miles - After a series of extremely warm days a front brings normal winter weather. A paddle on the Patuxent and a visit to the east coast's northernmost cypress swamp fills up a day short on time and daylight.

MD - Patuxent - Jug Bay - 2006/12/17 - Off season, the park no longer charges an entrance fee. We take advantage and do a little bird watching on a short day paddle.

MD - Patuxent River - Jug Bay - 2006/06/15 - The Patuxent River is the only major river with its entire watershed within the state of Maryland. It begins west of Baltimore and flows mostly south to empty into the Chesapeake Bay just north of the Potomac. Along its length strung like pearls on a necklace are a series of state and county parks.

MD - Pocomoke River - 2001/06/13 - Shad Landing to Porter's Crossing -16.5 miles round trip

MD - Pocomoke River - 2001/06/14 - Shad Landing & Nassawango Creek - 15.4 miles round trip

MD - Pocomoke River - 2001/06/15 - Pocomoke City to Cedar Hall Wharf Road - 22.4 miles round trip

MD - Pocomoke River - 2009/05/15 to 2009/05/17 - 36 miles - Three day weekend on the Pocomoke among the pond lilies and the cypress.

MD - Rhode River - Carrs Wharf - 2006/12/23 - 9.6 miles - A Christmas Eve eve paddle in continued warm weather yields a simple afternoon paddle in a remarkably undeveloped creek in the heart of Anne Arundel County.

MD - Rock Hall to Chestertown - 2003/07/09 - 27.3 miles - Along the Chester River are large farms converted to estates sitting on relatively high banks for an Eastern shore river. The creeks along the river are long and can provide a destination paddle themselves. The broad river was once a major route for commercial traffic based in Chestertown.

MD - Sandy Point Lighthouse - 2008/08/03 - Sandy Point Lighthouse is only a kilometer off the shore of Sandy point Lighthouse. It is still used as a navigation aid although it no longer has a lighthouse keeper. Just a few miles to the north another lighthouse of similar design marks the entrance to Baltimore harbor. So from the state park it is an easy paddle to two lighthouses.

MD - Sassafras River - 2002/04/20 to 2002/04/21 - Sassafras River - 45 miles - Overnight camping

MD - Severn River - 2001/11/10 - Round Bay 17.4 miles - High banks and luxury homes line Severn River, home to those determined to keep it to themselves.

MD - Severn River - 2008/01/18 - Snow Paddle is No Paddle: Aborted solo trip, Snow Paddle in Annearundel Counry

MD - Severn River - 2008/02/24 - A solo training paddle on a cold winter day is an exercise in focus.

MD - Severn River - 2009/05/09 - 6 miles - After a week of rain, a rookie gets out on the water in Annapolis.

MD - Sinepuxent Chincoteague Bay - 2001/06/26 - Near Assateague - 25.6 Miles roundtrip

MD - Smith Island - 2009/07/31 to 2009/08/03 - 28.0 miles - Smith Island has a long and interesting history of watermen making a living from the once abundant waters of the Chesapeake Bay. We visited the newly designated water trails surrounding the town of Ewell, a hope for increased tourism.

MD - Stemmers Run - 2011/06/25 - 8.2 miles - Three miles south of the Stemmers Run boat ramp is a beautiful shallow creek full of heron, bald eagles, ducks, red wing blackbirds, tuckahoe, pickerel and American lotus.

MD - Susquehanna Flats - 2002/08/25 - Three Lighthouse Tour - 18.0 miles - Concord Lighthouse, Turkey Point Lighthouse and Fishing Battery Lighthouse can be visited in this 18 mile tour across the Susquehanna Flats.

MD - Susquehanna River- 2002/04/12 - Havre de Grace to Rock Run and return 14.0 miles - Starting from historic Havre de Grace, a city with many museums of its own, a 5.5 mile up stream paddle in the Susquehanna River beside a long abandoned barge canal will bring you to the Rock Run museum.

MD - Susquehanna River - 2001/07/22 - Between Conowingo and Holtwood dam - 21.5 miles round trip

MD - Tangier Sound - 2007/10/20 to 2007/10/22 - 44 miles - Tangier Sound is steeped in Chesapeake Bay history. Here the British set up a base for their blockade during the War of 1812. Here over 600 skipjacks crowded the waters harvesting the lucrative oyster. Now a diminishing population hangs on to a way of life that may soon disappear. Here you may see the way it used to be.

MD - Thomas Point Lighthouse - 2008/08/10 - 12.4 miles - Thomas Point lighthouse is the one remaining unique Chesapeake Bay style lighthouse actually out n the bay. The others are all at museums, so this is the last one you can actually paddle to.

MD - Transquaking River, Fishing Bay WMA - 2003/05/07 -13 miles - The Transquaking River is a winding river with marsh grass banks, pines and lots of birds. On a windy and cool late spring day, a short round trip paddle fills a day of exploration in Dorchester County.

MD - Transquaking River, Fishing Bay WMA - 2006/06/16 to 2006/06/17 -36 miles - Fishing Bay and the Transquaking River are deep in the Eastern Shore marshes of Chesapeake Bay. A two day return trip to this marvelous place provides a experience for a new paddler.

MD - Wachapreague - 2008/07/18 - With Bertha making tracks to the North Atlantic and dying swell rolling in from Bermuda, it was our chance to get some west coast surf conditions in Virginia.

MD - Wicomico River Deal island - 2004/11/12 to 2004/11/14 - When the cold comes, the bugs leave. Fall frost makes the lower Eastern Shore a great place to paddle. Two days based in Salisbury allow a half day trip down the Wicomico River and a circumnavigation of Deal Island.

MD - Wye River - 2005/10/29 - 15 miles - Wye River has a big island in the middle of it. Paddle past huge estates, the state park and flocks of Canada geese. Wave to Dick Cheney who has a house here.

MI - Lake Superior - Keweenaw Peninsula - 2005/09/01 - "The KP offers a wonderful paddling environment. Its west and north sides are exposed to the full force of Lake Superior."

MX - Espiritu Santo - 2003/04/12 - Dances with Squid - Espiritu Santo and La Partida circumnavigation in 4 days by kayak.

MX - Espiritu Santo Circumnavigation - 2007/04/07 to 2007/04/12 - Espiritu Santo, La Paz, Mexico is the main island in a group just four miles from the mainland. With many protected campsites, the beautiful island is easy to paddle around in less than a week. Cactus, fish, birds, sun, sand all await the adventurous. Just don't forget the Tequila!

MX - Loreto to La Paz - 2007/03/30 to 2007/04/05 - 110 Miles - From Loreto to La Paz, Baja's backbone lies against the deep blue water of the Sea of Cortez. A string of islands with familiar names, San Franciso, San Juan, San Jose, Santa Catalina lie a few miles off the rugged shore. In between, we paddle with the whales.

MX - San Felipe to Mulege - 2008/10/13 to 2008/11/17 - 500 miles - We were headed to a land of stark contrast – a giant crack in the crust of the world where a dynamic earth challenges our perception of an unchanging continent. On one side of a great geologic gash, high mountains and searing desert force life to scratch out a harsh, reserved existence. On the other side, deep cool seas offer a cornucopia of boisterous, abundant life. For seven hundred and fifty kilometers, we would be travelers on that knife edge between two opposing realities. We were going to paddle down the coast of Baja on the Sea of Cortez.

MX - Sea of Cortez - 2002/03/26 to 2002/04/06 - Want to swim with sea lions, listen to whales spout at midnight, explore desert environments and relax under clear blue skies on a beautiful beach lapped by calm azure seas? A kayak trip from La Paz to Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, guided by Baja Expeditions is an unforgetable experience.

MX - Sea of Cortez - 2006/03/15 to 2006/03/30 - Bahia Conception to Loreto - Arrival - Baja Sea Kayak trip from Bahia Conception to Loreto and the islands around Loreto.

NJ - Cape May - 2005/09/25 to 2005/09/29 - Kayak trip from Havre De Grace, Maryland to Cape May, New Jersey along the shores of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay.

NJ - Cape May to Tuckerton - 2006/07/10 to 2006/07/13 - The final leg of a multi year journey down the Susquehanna across the upper Chesapeake Bay and lower Delaware Bay to Tuckerton, N.J.

NY - Erie Canal - 2009/09/08 to 2009/09/16 - 166 miles - The Erie canal was the major transportation route from the Hudson River and New York to the Great Lakes for commerce west of the Appalachians. A week on the Erie canal in a kayak brings new perspective about the backwater that once played such an important role in the development of America.

NY - Erie Canal - 2010/09/27 to 2010/09/30 - 45 miles - Plans to paddle the second half of the Erie Canal by J1 and J2 is shortened by a fast moving hurricane remnant sweeping up the east coast.

NY - Erie Canal - 2012/08/29 to 2012/09/03 - 130 miles - The final section of the Erie canal by J1 and J2 Lake Oneida to the Hudson River.

ON - Georgian Bay - 2007/07/24 to 2007/08/03 - 164 miles - Kayaking in Georgian Bay is pleasant and easy. Good weather, low winds, no tides, no currents. Just lots and lots of pink granite rocks. In over a week I paddled from Bayfield Inlet to Killarney and back in the wake of the Voyageurs.

PA - Lake Aldred - 2009/04/18 - 9.8 Miles - Mid April paddle on the pool between Safe Harbor and Holtwood dams on the Susquehanna River on an overcast day.

SC - Congaree National Park - 2010/04/01 - 2010/04/03 - Congaree National Park contains the largest old growth flood plain forest on the continent. Here are the second tallest deciduous trees in the world. Sweet gum, tupelo and cypress as high as a 14 story building tower over the moist soil of the frequently inundated forest floor. Loblolly pines go even higher, reaching 165 feet.

UT - Green River - 2004/05/01 to 2004/05/06 - Ruby Ranch to Spanish Bottom - 99.9 miles - Kayaking on Green River Utah is one of the best flat water stretches in the West. From Moab, we put in at Ruby Ranch and spend 5 wonderful days paddling through high canyon walls, past the Confluence with the Colorado and take out at Spanish Bottom.

UT - Lake Powell - 2003/09/07 to 2003/10/14 - Paddling in the Desert - 28 days - 700 miles - Kayak Lake Powell, where varnished red rock, sapphire skies, emerald water, contrast and controversy meet in a great fresh water lake in the arid Utah desert. Come along on a one month journey to explore the lake and its canyons.

VA - Chickahominy River - 2010/11/11 to 2010/11/14 - An aborted trip to False Cape Virginia is turned into a marvelous weekend on the Chickahominy River near Jamestown, Virginia. Beautiful fall colors and stately cypress fill four days with beauty.

VA - Chincoteague - 2002/06/23 - 26.5 miles - Famous for its wild ponies, Chincoteague is a low marshy island along the Atlantic Coast. Beset by high temperatures and clouds of insects in summer, a circumnavigation of the island provides an opportunity to see the famous equine inhabitants and enjoy a challenging paddle. Tides and currents are big factors in any trip in this area.

VA - Chincoteague Sea Kayak Skills Weekend - KayakTraining.com held ACA Level 3/4 training in Chincoteague over Columbus Day weekend. Our base was a really nice 4 bedroom, 3 bath house with great views and a launch onto Little Oyster Bay about 50 yards away.

VA - Mattaponi Water Trail from Aylett - 2011/05/13 - 9 miles - A misty day in a green world, we paddled upstream from Aylett on the Mattaponi river.

VA - Nassawadox - 2007/07/19 to 2007/07/22 - Nassawadox on the Virginia Cape and just inland of the Virginia Barrier Islands is a quaint small town still retaining the look and feel of the old Eastern shore. On an unusually cool weekend in July, we get an opportunity to play in very small surf off Smith Island and paddled out to Wachapreague Inlet.

VA - Virginia Barrier Islands - 2002/10/19 to 2002/10/21 - The Virginia Barrier Islands is an interesting area. We spent three days and two nights exploring Hog Island by kayak from Oyster

VA - Wachapreague - 2007/05/25 - 37 miles - Wachapreague, VA is a small commercial waterman's town that is being transformed into a launching place for weekend beach walkers, recreational crabbers, fishermen and tourists. On the coast of the Atlantic, the Virginia barrier Islands provide an introduction to a newbie to surf and some bigger waves.

VT - Lake Champlain - 2003/08/19 Kingsland Bay to Chimney Point - 20 miles - Lake Champlain's central portion lies to the east of the beautiful Adirondack mountains. This deep, cold portion of the lake lies between high banks of well concealed cottages and mansions. I enjoyed two paddling days in the middle of a ten day tour of the Champlain Valley.

09 - Training topics for instructors - Training topics for those interested in teaching kayaking to others.

10 - Miscellaneous Topics - Miscellaneous information of use or interest to kayakers

11 - Equipment of Interest - Down to earth information on various kayaking equipment as used by avid kayakers on a regular basis.

12 - History of the Chesapeake Bay - The Chesapeake Bay was an important region in the European settlement of North America and the early development of the United States of America

13 - Media - Movies, picture themes, etc.

14 - Land adventures - Even gonzo kayakers get out and stretch their legs now and then. This section contains some of our land based adventures.

EVEN THE BEST BOATERS CAN FIND THEMSELVES IN SERIOUS TROUBLE ON THE MILDEST OF DAYS IN THE OCEAN. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT EACH BOATER TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS OR HER OWN SAFETY, AND IS TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE DANGER LEVEL AND ACCEPTING THE CONSEQUENCES OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS SPORT .