October... best time to paddle

Ah... It's finally October. The best time of year to paddle on the area lakes and rivers. The skies are turning to a deeper blue, the winds have picked up, and the temperature is at a reasonable 70 degrees. The water seems to be crystal clear, and there's a spring in my step as I load the boat onto the truck.

I think that I always look forward to paddling in October because it was late September/early October when I first started paddling in 1995. I started with a nice little boat that I could "piddlefart" around in -- a Wilderness Systems Rascal. I took that little boat everywhere. I spent most of my time in it on Town Lake and on the San Marcos River. For a wide, stable boat, it could make the turns it needed to as the river curved.

The Rascal took me to places I'd never been before to see things that I'd never seen or felt before. I explored around Red Bud Island and discovered turtles, ducks, and other wildlife. I sat in a cool spring that I found nestled in the rocks on the south shore. I saw my first nutria, and was chased by swans. I found my river guide -- the great blue heron -- on almost every journey down the river. The majestic bird would flap its wings, and show me the way.

Paddling introduced me to so many new people, so many close friends. I love being able to paddle quietly with someone, each of us in our own world, yet together. I learned to trust and depend on others, and to have them trust and depend on me. I found spirituality in being one with the water and a part of creation.

What a world paddling has opened for me.

Origins of Konyag Kayaking

What is "Konyag" you ask? And how does it relate to kayaking?

Konyag (pronounced kan ya'g, with a hard "g") is an early reference to the area now known as Kodiak, on Kodiak Island, Alaska, where I was born. Kodiak Island is located south and west of Anchorage, in the Gulf of Alaska. The island is over 3,500 square miles, and is home to the king crab, Kodiak bear, and salmon. Early inhabitants of the island hunted whales, sea otters, seals, and birds from baidarkas. (Baidarkas were what the Russians called a skin-covered, decked kayak.) They also traveled the rivers, bays, and seas in the boats.

So, you might say, that Konyag and kayaking go together.

New put-in

There seem to be so many blogs out there... but are any of them focused on kayaking and canoeing? Do any of them talk about places to paddle, sights to see, paddling equipment, and tips for folks just starting out in a boat? Well, this one is and will.

Welcome to the Konyag Kayaking blog. I'm an American Canoe Association (ACA) certified kayak instructor who lives in Austin, Texas. I set up this blog to accompany my website, www.konyagkayaking.com. I've wanted to talk about the great places to paddle in and around Austin, the state, and the country. I've also wanted to share teaching tips and talk about boats. So, what better opportunity than to set up a blog.

Hope you'll enjoy it!