10 of the Best Kayaking Books of All Time
Last Updated on September 3, 2020
Kayaking is one of the most popular favorite pastimes to a significant number of water lovers. It has kept its popularity among a lot of kayak lovers for a long time. Inuit, formerly called Eskimos, introduced kayaking thousands of years ago.
Generally, we can tell those kayakers who usually want to go kayaking. Also, kayakers have to use a kayak boat to complete their kayaking activities, moving across the water.
Seemingly, kayaking is the same as canoeing considering the sitting position and the number of blades on the paddle of a canoe boat. Besides that, kayak lovers prefer kayaking on a peaceful day out for fishing and hunting or a long-term camping trip.
So, if you are one of those whose favorite sport is kayaking, you probably have to provide an amount of quality time to know about kayaking techniques and adventures.
Here we are going to share a list of the best kayaking books, including some adventure narratives and instructional readings so that they can help you to know how to spend a lot of enjoyable moments in your holidays. You will be able to develop your kayaking skills and become an expert kayaker by reading these books.
The Art of Kayaking: Everything You Need to Know About Paddling
The Art of Kayaking, written by Nigel Foster, is the essence of kayak instructions with the added insights of designing kayaks, kayaking tools, and paddles. This great kayaking instructional book provides the most commonly used techniques and essential information that no one has published before in a single volume.
Colored photo sequences show how to acquire perfect skills and how to utilize them. Also, maps, diagrams, and tables help the readers to do complete planning for kayaking. Overall, this book clearly describes proper techniques, and it is easier to start as a beginner.
The Complete Sea Kayaker’s Handbook, Second Edition
Shelly Johnson published the Complete Sea Kayaker’s Handbook, second edition in 2001. Generally, this book is helpful for those who are beginners and looking for a way to gather essential knowledge about kayaking. By reading the book, you can have your first move to get adventure on the water.
Again, you will be able to know how to get ready for kayaking, use accessories and clothing, control your kayak and real-life padding, and take care of your staff. This book also includes photos of new boats, tools, and repair techniques.
Boat materials sections have some newer features such as a new kayak buying guides, GPS usage for navigation, etc. Finally, you can easily plan your dream trip.
Whitewater Safety and Rescue: Essential Knowledge for Canoeists, Kayakers, and Raft Guides (Paddling Series)
‘Whitewater Safety and Rescue’ is one of the essential books to know proper kayaking skills. Franco Ferrero, qualified level 5 coach of British Canoe Union, is the author of this book. He addresses all relevant topics of kayaking such as from downwards moving strategies to one-handed river signals.
This book provides clear and comprehensive ideas, with over 400 diagrams and photos. It is one of the best books that every kayaker should possess and study regularly.
AMC’s Best Sea Kayaking in New England: 50 Coastal Paddling Adventures from Maine to Connecticut
This comprehensive guide, written by Michael Daugherty, provides 50 best sea kayaking adventures alongside the New England Coast. This book is perfect for beginners looking for exploring over 6,000 miles of coastline of Connecticut, including Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
It features day trips near New York City and Boston. Each tour provides a complete description and the route map. Also, this updated guidebook expresses essential and comprehensive information for perfect trip planning, risk avoidance, optional routes, and nearby attractions. Overall, this book offers a sudden trip planner nature and history essays.
How to Paddle a Kayak: The 90 Minute Guide to Master Kayaking and Learn to Paddle like a Pro
‘How to paddle a kayak’ is one of the instructional books to learn expert techniques for keeping yourself safe and kayaking like a professional in just 90 minutes. Kayaker Scott Parsons is the author of this book and his experiences all the water-based adventures.
Besides, you will be able to learn all the techniques you require to feel comfortable on your kayaking trip. You can also know how to avoid risk and hazards and stay safe on the water. You will know how to enter into advanced, whitewater, and extreme kayaking continuously.
Quiet Water New Hampshire and Vermont: AMC’s Canoe and Kayak Guide to the Best Ponds, Lakes, and Easy Rivers (AMC Quiet Water Series)
This book is helpful for those who want to enjoy the calm-water lakes, ponds, and the rivers. It features 90 trips, including the best flat water paddling in Vermont and New Hampshire. Each tour includes comprehensive descriptions of each lake, pond, and river with maps and diagrams.
The GPS helps the drivers to reach the aimed point of the trip. You will also find resources of safety and equipment, and clear instructions for kayaking. If you are looking for a detailed, comprehensive guideline, you should own this book to get experiences.
Paddling Pacific Northwest Whitewater
Paddling Pacific Northwest Whitewater is one of the comprehensive guides to the best creeks and rivers for kayaking in Washington and Oregon. Over 90 authors and photographers contribute to this book.
Besides, it includes over 240 detailed descriptions of kayaking trips, providing clear and comprehensive features such as run descriptions, shuttle directions, detailed maps, scouting advice, awesome photos, and more.
It also describes the local area of paddlers who know better than anyone else. After all, it is the book that you may require for a lifetime paddling in the Pacific Northwest.
Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddling Guide from Olympia, Washington to Muir Glacier, Alaska
The Inside Passage describes the most scenic and challenging kayaking trips in North America, providing a completely natural and historical background of kayaking. Besides, it is a complete trip guide for sea kayaking, covering the 1300-mile length of the inside passage in a selected route with some alternatives.
This route starts from Olympia, Washington beyond Vancouver Island and ends up through Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. No other kayaking guide covers the whole length as the Inside Passage.
It will also help the kayakers both in planning and preparing kayaking trips on the Pacific western edge of North America. It also includes 33 maps and 50 photos describing in-depth instructions on kayaking.
Sea Kayaker’s Deep Trouble: True Stories and Their Lessons from Sea Kayaker Magazine
This exciting book offers 20 real-life accidents of sea kayaking. It tells the true story of what happened, then finds out what went wrong and why, and what could be done to avoid those accidents.
As the saying goes, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” every kayaker should read this book to make sure they will be free from troubles when they are in sea kayaking. This will not only put readers on the edge of their seats but also teach life-saving lessons.
The River of Kings: A Novel
The River of Kings is an evident and hypnotic epic which composes three stories into a clear portrait of Georgia. Taylor Brown, the author of the book, tells the story of two brothers whose lonely stretch of river to the sea, carrying their father’s ashes with themselves.
As the author goes the story by describing the 1564 French expedition and searching for their father’s mysterious death, you have to be prepared to spend some sleepless nights when you have this on your next kayaking trip.
Final Words
However, reading books always opens up new worlds before you. In this case, you will find how the handbooks, destination guides, non-fiction, and fiction novels help you to develop skills and techniques into yourself and acquire knowledge for your dream trip of kayaking.
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