Kayaking with Oliver the Adventure Corgi by kylethomas | Apr 21, 2018 | Karma RG, Karma Rock Garden, Recreational/TouringI recently adopted my first dog (in my entire life) and dubbed him Oliver the Adventure Corgi. Prior to adopting him, I had a lot of concerns about being able to continue my lifestyle as a frequent paddler. Others shared similar concerns that I would have to “quit...
Deception Pass Dash by kylethomas | Feb 7, 2018 | Event Coverage, Events, Journey, Recreational/Touring, rivers, Wrap UpsThe Deception Pass Dash, an incredible competition hosted annually at Deception Pass State Park in Oak Harbor, Washington. Paddlers from all disciplines travel to the Pacific Northwest to compete in this 6+ mile tidal race in December. Kayaks, tandem kayaks, canoes,...
ACA Swiftwater Rescue Conference by kylethomas | Dec 20, 2017 | Creeking, River Running, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesIn October, I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the 2017 ACA Swiftwater Rescue Conference in Mill City, Oregon. This was my first time attending the SWR conference, and it surely will not be my last. The best and brightest in Swiftwater Rescue education...
Reflections on the Jackson Kayak Zen by kylethomas | Oct 19, 2017 | 2015 Zen, Creeking, Reviews, River Running, rivers, Trip Reports, Trips, Video, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesI know, I know. People often want to hear about the new stuff. But I figured I’d spend this blog post reflecting on 2015 Jackson Kayak’s Zen whitewater kayak. This kayak changed me as a paddler, my relationship with Jackson Kayak, and how I thought about sizing with...
Sparkleberry Swamp in the Karma RG by kylethomas | Aug 21, 2017 | Karma RG, Recreational/Touring, rivers, Trip Reports, TripsSince my early days of learning to kayak, I can often recall a mentor in the sport recommending that I visit Sparkleberry Swamp. Honestly, I had never heard of the place nor even knew which state it was in. But at every sea kayaking event I attended, someone would...
Antix from a Class III Point-of-View by kylethomas | Aug 17, 2017 | Antix, Creeking, Media, Reviews, River Running, rivers, Video, Whitewater, WW DisciplinesFor the past six months, I have been paddling Jackson Kayak’s Antix in the southeast and recently the Pacific Northwest. I learned to paddle on rivers like the Chattooga and Ocoee, and as I progress in the sport, I continue to have a lot of fun on class III rivers....
Kayaking with Iguanas in Puerto Rico by kylethomas | May 31, 2017 | Recreational/Touring, Trip Reports, TripsThe kayak is such an inspiring catalyst of exploration in my life. A kayak has transported me through numerous once-in-a-lifetime experiences including traversing mesmerizing sea caves off the Isle of Skye in Scotland, paddling with porpoises around Tybee Island in...
Sight-sea-kayak-ing: Baja Mexico by kylethomas | Jan 16, 2017 | Karma Rock Garden, Recreational/TouringSight-sea-kayak-ing: Baja Mexico Why do you sea kayak? Do you just enjoy paddling flatwater? These are questions that I often get when unloading my brightly colored sea kayak from the roof of my SUV. These are the reasons that I load up that long boat and explore:...
