100 Reasons to Paddle
1. early mornings on the river by yourself
2. the feeling you get the first time you manage to paddle in a straight line
3. your first “live” roll
4. enders and pirouettes and the feeling of grace they impart
5. spray skirts that work the first time you put them on – without help from your paddling buddies
6. running a river for the first time, when every drop is new and creates that feeling of butterflies in your belly
7. the first time you run a big drop and stay up the right way
8. running your first race
9. winning your first race
10. paddling with friends simply because they want to have you along
11. river trips
12. warm and dry clothes at the end of a river trip
13. a good sweep stroke
14. your first surf
15. discovering new horizons
16. side surfing for the first time
17. Canoeing with your dog
18. planning a trip
19. getting vertical
20. busting a move
21. the feeling of wilderness and exploration on a river trip
22. campfires at the end of a long session
23. touring in the early morning mist
24. great photo opportunities
25. the first push away from shore, when your nose catches the current and you realize you are about to spend another day on the river.
26. notching a first descent
27. paddling in a foreign country
28. deserted beaches that look as if you are the first person to set foot on land
29. sea kayak rudders that actually keep you pointed in the right direction
30. mystery moves
31. the perfect boof
32. the shuttle from hell – just to get to the best paddling spot
33. slipping back down the face of a wave or hole, and knowing you’re toast.
34. teaching the next generation of paddlers
35.sharing your favourite river with your friends
36. seeing a sunset or sunrise from a sea kayak
37. seeing that horizon line but not what is beyond it
38. dressing in the rain
39. riding an ocean wave
40. getting a new boat
41. dreaming of the ultimate river run or ocean trip
42. the grand canyon
43. camping in remote areas underneath the stars
44. dry bags that live up to their name
45. big, clean, glassy waves
46. the proper ferry angle
47. the queasy feeling that comes with scouting a drop
48. a good dry top, with neck gaskets that work
49. flipping a raft in a really big wave, with a team that really doesn’t have a clue
50. building your own boat
51. finally getting the outfitting comfortable in your kayak
52. drop – pool river runs
53. clean, clear, deep pools, where you can see the bottom
54. comfortable paddling shorts
55. a great, lightweight, paddle
56. self-supported paddling trips
57. waterfalls
58. buddies who watch you get worked
59. the way your hair looks, sticking out of your helmet after a swimming session
60. the feeling of getting away from it all on a multiday trip
61. the buzz that comes from ACE-ing the kayak leg on that adventure race
62. paddling with seals
63. storage hatches that keep gear dry and the water out
64. seeing a whale from the cockpit of your sea kayak
65. paddling tandem with a friend
66. drip guards on your touring paddle
67. the stroke that saves you at the last minute and turns the boat just in time
68. wave trains
69. the feeling of accomplishment when you run you first grade IV drop
70. the first cup of tea at camp
71. extreme whitewater movies
72. all the kit you can buy to outfit your paddling obsession
73. the thrill of owning your first new boat
74. the smell of your first new slalom boat
75. planning the perfect paddling trip
76. remembering to tie your kayak on the roof properly
77. gain experiences that no one else does
78. meet new people
79. get fit and live longer
80. the adrenaline rush
81. well placed throw rope throws
82. paddling with someone who has rescue know-how
83. catching your first fish from a kayak – without falling in
84. kayak designers that keep coming up with new ideas
85. kayaking the coast of alaska
86. your first rock slide
87. not getting anxious when you lose sight of shore
88. deck-mounted compasses that show you the way home
89. the point you realize you cant imagine anywhere elseyou would rather be
90. waiting for the water to rise on a river that is dam– release
91. seeing your first platypus playing in the eddy with you
92. being outdoors, whatever the weather
93. sticking the hard line
94. launching into rough sea
95. picking the ultimate beach camping spot
96. learning how to sail a sea kayak
97. your first Bass Strait crossing
98. finally paddling an opencanoe on whitewater
99. getting your dog a PFD,so he can come along on the river trips
100. realizing that this is when you feel alive.
