Summer is the perfect time to be canoeing, and for a good reason, you get to watch beautiful scenery, coastlines, and mountain views, all while enjoying the perfect weather! And what better place to enjoy them than from the center of a river in your canoe? It really doesn't get any better than this. Canoeing has often been quoted as a gateway to water sports, so grab your paddle, and let's get started with the reasons you should do it too!
It’s affordable
This comes with an asterisk; it's cheap if you plan on renting! Buying your own canoe and adopting kayaking as a full-time routine or hobby will certainly cost more, but renting is extremely cheap. Most piers and coastal shops will have the canoes and gear ready for rent, with $15-20 being as much as you'll have to pay for it. Apart from the canoe, you'll need safety gear, which includes a lifejacket.
It's short, and it’s fun!
There's no need to plan a whole day just for a canoeing trip; you can literally do it as an afternoon or morning outing and still have the entire day to yourself! Realistically, you'll only be canoeing for anywhere between 20 and 60 minutes, with 30 minutes total of prep time and ending the ride at a pier. So, if you're on a busy schedule, you can still make time for some canoeing fun and not worry about missing that 4 pm appointment with your boss!
It can be a community thing
Don't get me wrong, I love the solidarity and peace of a solo paddling session, but that's not the only fun part of kayaking! I've participated in several tours that involve following a guide around the region or city and have seen my hometown in ways I never would've imagined! Add to that a bunch of other kayakers that are paddling in tandem with you, and it becomes an amazing retreat for families and friends alike!
It expands your knowledge
When you learn canoeing, you also learn kayaking and a few other water sports at the same time since they all involve paddling, so that's a bunch of life skills learned altogether! Moreover, though it may not be a requirement, you should also know how to swim if you're going canoeing. Apart from canoeing, knowing how to swim is a crucial life skill, and this could be your way of getting two birds with one stone! And that's not all; you also learn more about your city as seen from the rivers and lakes and how climate issues may have affected it.
You can bring your pet!
Seriously, this is a thing, and most places will allow you to do it! It's better that they're out there with you enjoying the canoeing instead of home tearing stuff up anyway, right? So, when you're planning your trip, consider bringing your cat or dog or any other pet with you, and you'll be in great company the whole time you're out on the water.