adventure magazine adventure magazine Starter Kit
LUCIANO, THE OWNER of the Argentine kayak rental company, greeted us with an incredulous stare at the youngest member of our expedition: eight- month-old Bodie. “Who exactly is going on the trip?” he asked, glanc-
ing from Bodie to his parents, Bruce and Christine Kirkby, to us for an answer he did not want to hear. “We all are,” replied Bruce with a mischievous
grin. “But, the baby,” started Luciano with a look that
questioned his sanity and ours. We had to drop every name and credential we
knew to convince him to rent us the boats. Even then, he pulled each of us aside to implore that we be extra careful with the baby. Luciano’s reticence exemplifies many people’s attitudes about paddling with kids. Luckily for the kids, and for the future of paddling, paddling life doesn’t stop when children enter the picture. In Patagonia, we had one of the loveliest trips on
record, eight days on Lago Nahuel Huapi. A trip so exciting that young Bodie slept, like a baby, through most of it. It was proof that with a bit of planning—and a
shift in priorities from paddling with a destination to paddling purely for its own sake—there is room in the boat for paddlers of all ages.
Attitude adjustment: slow down and see the world through the eyes of a child.
1: Family Planning HOW TO GET YOUR WHOLE FAMILY ON THE WATER IN A WAY THAT’S SAFE AND FUN FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES.
AGES 0–2: There is no such thing as too young. However, the safety considerations you would use on your own trips are magnified when a baby is involved. Small people are far more susceptible to hypo- and hyperthermia. All decisions revolve around keeping the baby warm (but not too warm) and dry. Put the baby in a sling to keep it close, or in your lap or on a foam pad on the cockpit floor. Use a large towel or umbrella for sun or drizzle protection. Capsizing is not an option. Plan routes to minimize risk: no large crossings, close to shore, lots of spots to land and camp.
AGES 3–9: Michael Pardy, owner/operator of SKILS kayak and leadership school, saw the birth of his son Rowan not as the end of his paddling career, but as the addition of a new paddling partner. “I never wanted Rowan to remember
32 ADVENTURE KAYAK | SPRING 2009
his first time in a kayak. I wanted paddling to just simply be a part of his life”, explains Pardy. “So we have been paddling with Rowan since he could sit in our laps.” Today, Rowan Jones-Pardy has spent
more time in a kayak than just about any 11-year-old. The centre hatch of a tandem is where Rowan spent much of his time on the water. Pardy tries to include other families and
friends in his and Rowan’s kayaking experi- ences, both for company for Rowan and to help share the workload. The right boat helps, too. “The Current Designs Libra has a huge center hatch that allows kids room to move around, entertain themselves and be more comfortable.” Pardy stresses the need to choose trips
appropriate to this setup, keeping in mind that there is no spray skirt on the center
hatch. “Obviously you can’t go out into conditions with large waves or exposed waters, but at this age the point is simply to get out on the water with your kids.”
AGES 9 AND UP: Once they’ve developed basic paddling skills, as well as some strength and confidence, it’s time to get them into their own cockpit: the bow of a tandem or a small, properly fitted solo boat. Plan routes with many options to keep beach playtime long and paddling time short—an hour max on the water before and after lunch. Consider a water taxi. If they don’t want to paddle, head for camp, hook up a tow, or take over in the stern. You may cover less ground than when they were just a toddler along for the ride. Have patience, and you may hear the words every paddling parent dreams of: “Where are we going next year?”
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