I finally got to try kayaking yesterday! It’s something I’ve wanted to try since last summer.
My brother Anthony and his wife Amber were in town, and we were looking for something local (and inexpensive!) to do, so kayaking it was! It was everyone’s first experience with kayaking.
We went to the Independence Grove Forest Preserve, where you can rent sit-in single person kayaks for $10 an hour and double person kayaks for $12 an hour. Steven and I both got our own kayak (I think he was worried I would tip him if we shared) and Anthony and Amber shared.
Independence Grove has a 115-acre lake, so that is where we did our kayaking (the red line below shows where we kayaked – about 2 miles in 1 hour). 
I often run around this lake, so it was neat to be on the water, experiencing new views!
We didn’t get any instructions on kayaking, so we all just got in and went for it. I didn’t find it to be tiring, and thought it was pretty easy – but we were on a lake with no current! I’m sure it’s much harder on a river. And I was not that great at turning and getting close to other kayaks without hitting them (ha ha). And I kept getting water all over my legs when I paddled. But! No one tipped. I think it would be hard to tip these.
Kayaking was really fun and I would like to do it again – even at the same place, since there were parts of the lake we didn’t explore (we forgot about the back half). And I would like to try it on a river someday (or some place with a current). I think I might get to this weekend, when we go to Guttenberg, IA!
I love kayaking! Although I’ve only done it in a lake and in the ocean (though not in any rough part – once in Hawaii and once in Mexico). The lake that I live on allows kayaks and you can rent them there too. I need to get out there this year! I usually go out for 3 hours at a time and we check out all the little coves. I’ll have to take my garmin if I go again.
You should just BUY a kayak since you live on a lake! Maybe put it on your registry! 😛
I would love to do this – I didn’t know they rented them there! I used to be a really good canoer, but I’ve never tried to kayak before…
You’d probably rock at it. I thought it was really easy and I had no idea what I was doing, so with your canoeing experience…
I love kayaking, but really don’t get to do it much here in the city. On lake Michigan they are now renting kayaks, but I don’t think that they are $10…it’s probably at least twice that because the city likes to rip people off. Have you ever been white water rafting? It’s kinda like kayaking, but with a little twist.
I haven’t been rafting! I really want to try it! Where did you try it?
How fun! I love all the fun things you find to do.
I hope we get to try kayaking this weekend. I’ve never done it. Just canoeing. And white water rafting.
Thanks! 🙂
I hope we get to try the kayaking too! And you have to try skiing… muah ha ha.
I really want to go white water rafting!
My husband would make me get my own. I tipped us over on my one (and only) canoe adventure.
I would love to go kayaking – that looks like so much fun.
I immediately went and looked up where I can kayak in my city after reading this post. I really want to go kayaking now! It looks like so much fun. 🙂
Cool! What did you find out?!
Oh how fun! I have taken a kayaking class where we learned how to roll and get out of the kayaks if we flipped, but never actually took the kayak to the open water. Looks like tons of fun!
Oooh, kayaking is great! I’ve never river kayaked – just lake and ocean. It’s one of my favorite ways to be on the water, however. My favorite experience was in the San Juan Islands (off the coast of Washington) – we saw orcas, or killer whales. They were so awesome and it was fun to experience them so close to us.
If you go again, have fun!
yeahhh I love kayaking!! i think we are going to do a moonlight trip for my birthday this weekend
I’ve gone canoeing before and enjoyed it.
You are so adventurous! I admire that about you.
Thanks 🙂
Schweet! I’m glad you liked kayaking! Looks like you guys had a lot of fun! Will and I thought it would be more fun on a river and maybe even a little easier because the current would help guide you along. 🙂
I am excited to try it on the river this weekend! I will let you know if you are right! 🙂
That’s awesome. I’ve only been kayaking a few times in my life, the last time being in Hawaii. It is a lot of fun and a lot of work.