3 Steps When Bringing Your Kayak on a Camping Trip

We live on the coast and when we go camping, it usually means that we take the kayak and paddle to some remote island or remote area to set up camp. And that involves having everything prepared with the kayak.

Our kayak part of the trip usually entails going 3 or more miles…it’s really not that bad. But when going that distance and at times facing some dangerous currents, you have to be prepared.

Step 1: Make absolute sure you have life jackets.
I like to think that I’m just a pretty manly guy. And manly guys like me don’t need to wear a life jacket when they go out on the water. Too bad that is so wrong. Let’s just be clear as well… I mean actually wearing the life jacket as opposed to just having one onboard. The reason being… when crossing large bodies of water (especially in the ocean) you will see some huge wakes. I remember we also capsized big time. That would have been disaster.

Step 2: Make sure you have whistles
This is usually the law, but it is always a really good idea to have whistles tied to the zipper part of your life jacket. Why? Because if you fall off the kayak and start to move because of a strong current you can get noticed quickly. Not to mention this really helps if you ever get in trouble and need the grab the attention of other people… boats… or whatever.

Step 3: Make sure you carry two drybags.
You are probably going to laugh when I bring this one out, but I personally think this is vital. Especially if you are as anal as me when it comes to your electronics. To start, who doesn’t like to bring a camera or a video camera on a camping trip? That’s what I figured… nobody. And if you are kayaking, and there’s a chance that you can capsize… then you need a dry bag. First to keep things like towels and clothes and some other items dry. But let’s face it. Water will probably get in the bag. Maybe not a lot but enough where it could potentially hurt your electronics. And that is why you want a second dry bag. Not to mention… just a little bit of water makes the bag prone to massive amounts of moisture. Moisture kills electronics.

So remember these three must have steps when you are going to be taking your kayak on your next camping trip. They will save you time, possibly save your life, and definitely save your electronics.