I recently had the privilege of serving as a kayak support paddler for the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim. This was a 3.1 mile (5k) swim across Tampa Bay to raise money for the Navy SEAL Foundation. As I paddled out to stage for the start, a twinge from an old shoulder injury reminded me that I had forgotten to take my usual couple of aspirin to cut down on the discomfort that follows even a shorter day of paddling. My thoughts of a leisurely trip across the Bay went out the window when “my” swimmer, 14-year-old Becca Mann, pulled out the stops and set a blistering 56-minute pace that earned her first place in the women’s division and third overall.

Have you ever been bewildered by not finding fish where they should be, only to realize later, with a resounding “Duh!” where you went wrong?

I purchased my Skwoosh Pro Angler Seat almost a year ago (March 2010) from Austin Kayak. It listed then for $135.00, but with some cool discounts I got it for just under $115.00 with shipping.  It now lists for $119.00 on the Skwoosh website without shipping or handling.

See if this scares you into being a bit more serious about your safety on the water:
RUSKIN — The Coast Guard ended its search for a missing kayaker Sunday afternoon when officials found his body near E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin.

 

This was taken from a post by Jim Dolan on the Heroes on the Water site, which he admints he took from another site....  Anyway check it out it's pretty funny!

I know that this isn’t the topic of conversation at every social gathering but... Being an outdoors kind of woman and being in the military I am envious of how convenient it is for a man to just pee. They don’t have to expose themselves to their knees or further. Then they don’t squat and hope that there isn’t a curious insect wanting to investigate this hovering fleshy mass. The whole process takes perhaps two min's for a guy with minimal coverage required due to the total lack of exposure and maintaining an upright posture...

The power of water can be intimidating, especially fast moving whitewater. Humans tend to fear what we don’t understand and when we first come to a swiftly flowing river it appears chaotic and scary because we don’t yet understand the flow of the currents. Once we begin to learn and recognize that currents are made up of certain staple features such as eddies, eddy lines, downstream Vs, rocks, waves and hydraulics pathways begin to open up amid the chaos. Even the scariest rapids are made up of these staple features. Recognizing the best path through a rapid boosts your confidence and helps you discern if your skills are up to running the line.

If you ever plan to fish in water that’s deeper than you are tall, you’ll want to be comfortable re-entering your kayak in the event you fall out. The summer is a perfect time to give it a shot.

Be sure to watch the entire video below!

 

Fishing the inshore saltwater grass flats and passes of the Tampa Bay area may seem easy and harmless, which it can be. Of course I've never been one to just settle for the easy things so I sometimes find myself at the mouth of the Bay grouper fishing in deep water, around Johns Pass or Clearwater Pass, or the always popular Fort Desoto...all of which offers the opportunity to find yourself swept out to sea by an outgoing tide, storm or wind.

The PADDLER'S RACK is a pickup truck rack that carries kayaks, canoes or other cargo weighing up to 300 lbs. It mounts in 5 minutes with NO DRILLING, and it easily adjusts to fit all trucks with ordinary beds as well as truck beds with track systems such as the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. Its extruded aluminum crossbar with exterior dimensions similar to the Thule crossbar is supported by steel legs and bases that are first zinc plated and then powder-coated to resist rust. Multiple tie-downs help anchor kayaks and canoes with straps or ropes.