Tag Archives: Adventure

Adventure

Choosing the Best Inflatable Kayaks for a Thrilling Watery Adventure

The traditional hard shell kayaks were expensive. To add, they brought along concerns of storage and portability. Modern-day kayaks, the inflatable ones, are specially designed keeping in the mind the constraints of space. Nevertheless, they do not put a dent to your experience.

If you are an adventure sports aficionado, you understand the importance of being equipped with the right gear. It not only guarantees an exciting experience, but also keeps you safe. Looking for the best inflatable kayak includes comparing various makes and models for different features. We’ve mentioned a few of them right here.

Inflatable Kayak Design –

The style of inflatable kayak that is most ideal for you depends on the type of conditions you perform in and your comfort level.

· Sit-on-top – The seat in this type of kayak is slightly raised. These are created for recreational purposes. It is suited for lakes, whitewater, and rivers that don’t see much turbulence in the water. Beginners can opt for the sit-on-top kayaks as being easy to maneuver and control, the learning curve is less.

· Sit-in – The seating area is a hollow cockpit enclosed on all sides; so when you sit in you feel snug. These are designed for competitive performances and conditions that see a lot of wind, waves and currents.

· Self-bailing – This design features tiny holes to allow water that has accidentally entered the kayak to drain out. It is best for whitewater situations, but not calmer waters (as it might cause the kayak to fill up).

Solo or Tandem

This depends on what trips you take. Do you prefer to go alone or do you enjoy paddling with a companion? A single seater can be your choice for solo trips; however, if you travel in multiples, go for a tandem. By paying a little more, you can settle for a convertible that doubles up for solo and tandem. It allows you to alter the position of the seats.

Cost

The price of an inflatable kayak varies depending on the features you want. You can get your hands on a good quality inflatable kayak starting as a low as $100. While there are cheaper ones on the market, they are not as durable.

Portability

Inflatable kayaks have a foldable design. Thus, they can be folded and put away into a backpack or suitcase. You should know the weight of the Kayak when it is packed and also when it is inflated. The latter is important especially if you travel alone, and need to get the inflated kayak out into the waters.

Size and carrying capacity

For the best inflatable kayak, choose one that confirms to your size and height. If you are tall, you will need more leg room. In addition to this, you need to consider the weight capacity of the kayak. If you plan to carry paddling gear, you need space to store it, either within the kayak or as attachment options (clip-on).

Materials –

The earlier models were made of Hypalon, a highly-durable synthetic rubber and Neoprene. PVC offers the same strength and durability as Hypalon; however, this plastic variant works out as a cheaper option. Whichever fabric you choose, check the thickness. It should also have features such weather resistance especially protection against UV rays and damage-proof against fungus and chemicals.

Along with the features mentioned above, the best inflatable kayak is also one that is easy to maintain and repair, whenever the need be.

Adventure

An Alaskan Cruise Vacation – Beauty, Adventure, and a Shoppers Dream Come True

Maybe it’s seeing icebergs and glaciers. Perhaps it’s watching whales and polar bears. Whatever it is, if you’re going on an Alaskan cruise vacation, there’s a good chance that it’s one of the most anticipated events of your life.

The dream of being able to see things with your own eyes that you’ve only read about in travel magazines or seen on a television screen makes just being on an Alaskan cruise ship a joyous event.

You can stay on the boat and gaze at the majestic views and abundant wildlife or venture ashore and visit local villages. Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy a much more fulfilled experience than people who go to the same touristy attraction year-after-year-after-year.

Rugged Beauty And Adventure

Since your ship can come across whales, bears, and sea lions at pretty much every port, you’ll experience a very real sense of adventure aboard any Alaskan cruise ship that you won’t find sunning yourself poolside at some resort in the Caribbean.

But if you do want to be pampered and have a bit more of an adventure you can disembark and take a bus or train to the luxurious accommodations that are owned and operated by the cruse company. From there you’ll get an even closer look at the Alaskan lifestyles.

And if you get aboard Alaskan cruise ship that goes to the state capital of Juneau you can either trek into the wilderness or stay put and enjoy some of the most unique shopping experiences anywhere.

Shopping Like Nowhere Else

Some people love Alaska for its beauty. Others dream about it for the shopping.

Whatever camp you fall into, I think you’ll agree that going shopping sure beats coming face-to-face with a wild grizzly bear.

When you shop, for one thing, you’ll appreciate how important salmon is to the state and to tourism.

  • Visit Taku Smokeries near the waterfront (just south of Mt. Roberts Tramway) and you can buy all types of smoked seafood like cooked King Crab legs and halibut, as well as salmon. And if you don’t like it smoked ask them to flash freeze it for you, put it in insulated containers and ship it to your home.

    • Some of your potentially more interesting purchases aren’t even made in Alaska.

  • It seems that there are more shops selling Russian lacquerware , Faberge jewelry, amber and religious icons in Juneau than anywhere outside of Russia and Europe.

    • If you’re thinking of making a major investment in these particulars, it would be a good idea to do some research before you go so you’ll be able to separate the quality items from what looks good on the surface but is considerably overpriced.

  • And if you want affordable, quality gifts and souvenirs that are actually made by Alaskans, head over to Local Craft on Franklin Street, across from the tram. There you’ll find breath-taking Alaskan art, photographs, hand-made Eskimo dolls, hand-made jewelry and more there.

    • Going North To The Arctic Circle

    Another alternative is to take a smaller ship on your Alaskan cruise vacation. Smaller vessels can take you on an inner passage cruise. You’ll be able to creep into the inland waterways and see majestic snow-capped mountain peaks and even glaciers in the middle of the summer.

    Far from shopping, in the northern part of the state, you can venture into the Arctic Circle and traverse Prudhoe Bay during some parts of the year. If you have the time (and the money) you can even enjoy a 16-day Alaskan cruise adventure that combines your cruise, motorized tours and aerial treks in an untamed world.