I just returned from my Costa Rica vacation. I spent most of the time in the highlands, but I did get on the water for a short paddle, about an hour on the water. If you go to COSTA RICA for kayaking make sure you ask lots of questions before you go. The Pacific ocean is warm where I was, Drake Bay, and I was told it is also warm on the rest of the coast. The disappointment for me was in the equipment. The boat was a SOT, OK for a short paddle, but not my first choice if I were paddling all day. The paddle left a lot to be desired, it looked like a metal and molded plastic canoe paddle, weighted a ton and was too long for the boat. The lodge we were at claims to offer daytrips in the mangroves and along the coast for sight seeing and bird watching. If I were to do it again, I'd bring my own paddle. I was told that the coast 50 meters up from the high tide line is public property in CR. If this is true coastal tripping might be an interesting and feasible prospect. Lodge to lodge trips might be another feasible option. Dana *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 03:57 PM 2/28/00 -0600, Dickson, Dana A. wrote: >I just returned from my Costa Rica vacation. I spent most of the time in >the highlands, but I did get on the water for a short paddle, about an hour >on the water. If you go to COSTA RICA for kayaking make sure you ask lots >of questions before you go. The Pacific ocean is warm where I was, Drake >Bay, and I was told it is also warm on the rest of the coast. The >disappointment for me was in the equipment. The boat was a SOT, OK for a >short paddle, but not my first choice if I were paddling all day. I just got back from a week in Kauai and found the same equipment restrictions. From what I saw probably 95% of those renting kayaks on the island probably never paddled before so the SOT boats were good for rentals and no outfitter attempted to cater to the experienced paddler. I did find one place (Kayak Kauai) that had a plastic Sealution but they wouldn't rent it. I ended up renting a Ocean Kayak "Sprinter" from them, just so I could paddle something with a little more performance, but even that didn't come with thigh straps until I asked for them (one was broken so I never did get to try it with the straps). Still, it was fun, especially seeing the look on other kayakers faces as I wizzed by them like they were standing still. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
John Fereira wrote: > > I just got back from a week in Kauai and found the same equipment > restrictions. From what I saw probably 95% of those renting kayaks on the > island probably never paddled before so the SOT boats were good for rentals > and no outfitter attempted to cater to the experienced paddler. I did find > one place (Kayak Kauai) that had a plastic Sealution but they wouldn't rent > it. I ended up renting a Ocean Kayak "Sprinter" from them, just so I could > paddle something with a little more performance, but even that didn't come > with thigh straps until I asked for them This best policy for vacations in which you think you may do some paddling is BYO, bring your own. At a minimum, bring your own paddle if it is a takeapart. The odds of finding a paddle that isn't an ugly useless aluminum broom are zilch. Most of us have a reasonably light paddle in our quiver. We know how that paddle feels and what I call its sweet spot, i.e. the best way to have its blade hit the water and the pressure to apply at various points of the paddle stroke. I also recommend that you bring your own emergency kit, sans flares of course since you can't fly with them. Some of the basic 10 to 30 essentials one should carry. Put them in a fanny pack and protect any of its water susceptible items in ziplock bags. I think if you show up with your own paddle, emergency gear and seem savvy, you may be able to rent any kayak they may have that is over and above the run of the mill ones they may be renting to the great unwash. Now, I bet you all thought I was going to mention folding kayaks, those wonderful take anywhere boats that will serve you as a faithful magic carpet for adventures far and wide. That pack down small and are accepted as airline baggage on nearly every flight. That have been paddled in both polar regions and every waterway in between. But I am not going to mention all that. :-) ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 09:46 AM 2/29/00 -0800, ralph diaz wrote: >John Fereira wrote: >> >> I just got back from a week in Kauai and found the same equipment >> restrictions. From what I saw probably 95% of those renting kayaks on the >> island probably never paddled before so the SOT boats were good for rentals >> and no outfitter attempted to cater to the experienced paddler. I did find >> one place (Kayak Kauai) that had a plastic Sealution but they wouldn't rent >> it. I ended up renting a Ocean Kayak "Sprinter" from them, just so I could >> paddle something with a little more performance, but even that didn't come >> with thigh straps until I asked for them > >This best policy for vacations in which you think you may do some >paddling is BYO, bring your own. At a minimum, bring your own paddle if >it is a takeapart. The odds of finding a paddle that isn't an ugly >useless aluminum broom are zilch. Their paddles actually weren't all that bad (Aquabound) but they had a Werner Camano they let me use. I considered bringing a foldable but I spent five days in Northern California before going to Hawaii and had enough luggage as it was (had to pack for two different climates). I do bring my own paddle, PFD, etc. when I go to symposiums though. >I also recommend that you bring your own emergency kit, sans flares of >course since you can't fly with them. Some of the basic 10 to 30 >essentials one should carry. Put them in a fanny pack and protect any >of its water susceptible items in ziplock bags. I wasn't paddling any sort of condition that required an emergency kit. The Na Pali coast was much too rough for any of the outfitters to allow their boats to go there. I'd love to go back some time in the summer and paddle the Na Pali coast, and if I do I'll probably rent a Feathercraft for a week and bring my own paddle and gear. >I think if you show up with your own paddle, emergency gear and seem >savvy, you may be able to rent any kayak they may have that is over and >above the run of the mill ones they may be renting to the great unwash. They told me that they wouldn't rent the closed cockpit boat because "if it tipped over it would swamp the cockpit and nobody would be with you to do a T-rescue". When I told them I'd be happy to demonstrate a roll in it or a paddlefloat reentry they said that they didn't have any paddlefloats and that there were probably only four people on the island that could roll. In any case, their final answer was "the sealution was not available for rent". >Now, I bet you all thought I was going to mention folding kayaks, those >wonderful take anywhere boats that will serve you as a faithful magic >carpet for adventures far and wide. That pack down small and are >accepted as airline baggage on nearly every flight. That have been >paddled in both polar regions and every waterway in between. But I am >not going to mention all that. :-) And I won't mention that almost every boat I saw in Kauai was plastic. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 02/29/2000 9:55:51 AM Eastern Standard Time, rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com writes: << Now, I bet you all thought I was going to mention folding kayaks, those wonderful take anywhere boats that will serve you as a faithful magic carpet for adventures far and wide. That pack down small and are accepted as airline baggage on nearly every flight. That have been paddled in both polar regions and every waterway in between. But I am not going to mention all that. :-) >> I LOVE YOU!!! Sandy Kramer who is still lusting after a K-Light. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Ralf Diaz wrote: > I also recommend that you bring your own emergency kit, sans > flares of course since you can't fly with them. Hi Ralf, We have just come back from 4 weeks paddling in the Caribbean (Islands of St.Lucia and Dominica) and found that it is no problem to take emergency flares on international flights. They won't let you take them in your hand luggage, but let us pack them in our checked luggage without problems. (I know that the conditions on the back of every ticket say something else, but this is what we found). And while we are at it: They would not let us take the CO2 for our life jackets anywhere, we had to leave them behind. Btw. we were flying Deutsche Lufthansa's charter-carrier Condor. Ferdinand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
F.SOETHE_at_oln.comlink.apc.org wrote: > > > Ralf Diaz wrote: > > > I also recommend that you bring your own emergency kit, sans > > flares of course since you can't fly with them. > > Hi Ralf, > > We have just come back from 4 weeks paddling in the Caribbean > (Islands of St.Lucia and Dominica) and found that it is no problem > to take emergency flares on international flights. Out of curiosity, what kind of kayaks were you using and how did you get them there if they weren't foldables or inflatables? Also I agree with what others indicated about the BYO on flares. It really is against the law no matter what the attendants may have said. Their laxity is worrisome. ralph -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Zur Nachricht vom 5. Mär 00 1:30 Ralph > > We have just come back from 4 weeks paddling in the Caribbean > > (Islands of St.Lucia and Dominica) and found that it is no problem > > to take emergency flares on international flights. > > Out of curiosity, what kind of kayaks were you using and how did you get > them there if they weren't foldables or inflatables? We took our Nautiraid Grand Raid folding double along with us on the plane. And I'm glad we did because all throughout our trip we didn't come across one kajak that we could have used instead. Mostly just plastic sit-on-tops although we met one Britisch guy who actually used one to do several Islands with it. > > Also I agree with what others indicated about the BYO on flares. It > really is against the law no matter what the attendants may have said. > Their laxity is worrisome. Thanks to all your detailed responses I'm beginning to understand that I probably shouldn't rely on crew to determine what is save and what isn't on a plane. I certainly didn't realize that conditions in our hand luggage could trigger our flares. Since I'm also one of the Trangia Stove users, is there agreement that taking an alkohol stove is save? And what about the fuel. Is there a save way to take it with us on the plane? This list is really a must for all new kajakers .... Regards, Ferdinand ------------------------------------------------------------------ Ferdinand Soethe o, o__ o_/| o_. Wollkaemmerei 8 </ [\/ [\_| [\_\ D-30519 Hannover (`-/-------/----') (`----|-------\- ph +49-511-9845437 mobile +49-171-1403591 email f.soethe_at_apc.de ------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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