Water Trails - What? Where? How?

I love a water trail, but they aren't always what you might expect.
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[@craigtupper103]

Looks like you were on the Northumberland strait, but i cant quite place where. Thanks for showcasing the Maritime provinces, I only found your channel a couple of weeks ago after coming back to kayaking after a long hiatus. Great content! I can't wait to see more of your trip here.

[@AdventureOtaku]

This was actually (mostly) shot on the northern end of Cape Bretton. Thanks for watching!

[@soihavetoplay]

So true, I started checking on the Lake Michigan water trail, there are signs for access points which are just the beach… and maybe a train close enough… but no help for parking or camping areas. I am North of Chicago.

[@AdventureOtaku]

mmm.... yeah. not surprised.

[@brentsieling2815]

I have 2 thoughts. First most of the longer multi day trips that I have gone on we have tried to use a local livery service, If posable. otherwise we have to do the caravan to the pull out an drop off a car then headed to the starting point. This works but is very time consuming an not very practical. So am with you that more infrastructure is needed. But it also feels like the park services tend to over look the kayaker, an especially the kayakers that want to camp and or do multi day trips. Second NSRs app Paddle Ways is a good start. it is starting to get user revues, witch is helping. But does not really have real time tracking , or a mileage counter.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yeah, I have done the multi car drop a couple of times, it takes A LOT of time…. On the App front, I just downloaded zen kayak, which has put ins but not a lot of data. I saw that there are other apps as well. I may do a review. Though I will say I have zero interest in a mileage counter or real time tracking….not a feature I need, but I may be in the minority.

[@Simon_W74]

I couldn't say if we have it is any different over this side of the Pond. I would expect there is very little way of trails or support, there are Fellow Kayakers on Facebook that share information of put ins and places to stop over night. So a World Wide App would be a great thing to be brought about. A lot of work too. Going by my own affords with Club and Ranges that cover Airgunners. I used Google Maps and I have Clubs and Ranges around the Globe. But an APP would be much better especially with offline features for when your have no signal. Another very interesting topic

[@AdventureOtaku]

Ive said this a few times in these comments (and I think I mentioned it in the video) but iOverlander is a great example of what could be user driven in terms of data.

[@Simon_W74]

​@@AdventureOtaku I have Just downloaded iOverland to see if it covers us here in the UK. It sort of does. Very limited in what has been added for here in the UK, but I would imagine that it is fantastic for yourself over there. I used to have an App call Boat Launch, but it didn't get updated to continue to work IOS updates for a good few years now. Again limited in use for Paddle Sport Users as it mainly catered for Boats ramps rather the Portage points. We do have GoPaddling app that does have launch points. I had forgotten about that until I was typing this reply. Just checking via the map on the app it give numbers over land, and zooming in it covers Launching points. Probably worth a look yourself to see if it is any good. I honesty haven't used it yet as I had forgotten about it.

[@kevinharding2099]

You are absolutely correct. I live in Maine and there is a profound shortage of access to the water WITH adequate parking in the summer season for kayakers. There are local put ins, but often parking is restricted to town residents. I sometimes use some Marinas, but they often discourage or forbid kayakers using their ramps because they often do not have enough parking. Parts of the southern coast (Casco Bay) have put ins that are only functional from mid to high tide. You have obviously hit one of my pet peeves!

[@AdventureOtaku]

Well Kevin, talk to Nick (another commenter) who feels parking is too big of an ask. Im not knocking MITA - and went out of my to talk about how great the app was - But apparently asking for kayaking - sorry, "small boat user" parking, because the trail isn't a kayaking trail its a small boat trail - is too much.

[@KennethStacey]

Absolutely true! We just experienced similar logistics issues with a trip we were planning here in PA. There is little to no support for kayakers along some of these longer river stretches.

[@AdventureOtaku]

But there are places you can rent kayaks for the rivers. It would be so easy for them to run a shuttle service. that is what I saw on rivers in the south when I lived in NC.

[@tommycheshire5508]

A very informative conversation. I had no idea the state of water trails and the neglect of the needs of the the paddler. What’s even I had the pleasure of a conversation with my good friend.

[@bluesideup007]

As primarily a canoe paddler and living in the mid-west (WI) we are fortunate to have many opportunities to access water trails here and nearby in Minnesota, Michigan and Canada. Many are rivers, but more are lake country wilderness area which require many portages. Therefore a canoe is a better vehicle. (I have done the Boundary Waters Canoe Area four times with my young son in a small kayak and me portaging both boats. But as he grew older and required bigger boats the task became near impossible). I spent last winter watching kayak videos and discovered your channel (which I've been binging on since). This inspired me to get my only kayak out earlier this year and have been using it almost exclusively. (my six canoes are looking at me jealously). I now dream of someday paddling the Great Lakes (basically inland seas) which I could never do in an open boat.🛶

[@AdventureOtaku]

And I was AMAZED at how many water trails there are on Lake Michigan. Great paddling there. Thanks for watching

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

We're used to this sort of thing for all modes of self propelled transport (kayaking/cycling/tramping/hiking) everywhere. We typically go as a group and someone does the drop off/pick up where ever you want to be. On my bucket list is to paddle Cook Strait, roughly 90km. This is way down under in Kiwiland.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Cook strait is serious. let me know how it goes.

[@lenjanssen9600]

How much of the lack of support is a function of the demand? i.e. How many people today actually want to do a point to point multi day kayak trip?

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yeah, I am sure if there was more demand this would be easy, but it is also a relatively easy service to set up particularly if you are already renting kayaks. But here is the thing. Just overnight parking would be easy, and we don't even have that.

[@roastawk]

I did it again! Viewed and liked!

[@AdventureOtaku]

Thanks brother! Have a great day!

[@deborahblick13]

"The point of a Water Trail is to go from point to point. It's not to go 5 miles, it's to go 500 miles." For me, to be designated a "Water Trail" one should be able to do both long AND short distances. Like the AT, a "trail" should be set up to accommodate both day paddlers and long-distance paddlers and everyone in between. Let's face it, for every 1 500-mile paddler there will be 1000 day paddlers and weekenders - and THEY are the ones who will drive the local economies to provide support services along the trail. That means: 1) access points available 24/7 (here we have many local boat ramps but about 2/3 of them do not allow overnight parking - enforced day use only) 2) access points for hand launched craft should be free or a small fee (kayakers don't need a lot of infrastructure like power boats yet in many cases we are forced to use expensive boat ramps and marinas with concrete ramps, picnic pavilions, restrooms, paved & lighted & patroled parking lots, etc. just to get to the water on a piece of public property) 3) legal primitive campsites that you don't have to reserve in advance (Europe and Canada have it much easier than we here in the US since much of the property along our rivers, lakes, and coasts is privately owned with no right of public passage and many public agencies want you to reserve your campsite 3 months to a year in advance to track usage to justify keeping them open and/or protect from over-crowding the few designated sites that ARE made available) 4) campsites spaced at most 10-15 miles apart to accommodate both short- and long-distance paddlers and periods of bad weather 5) a decent on-line map which is updated at least annually - and a way for users to send in/post updates which are then checked out by a second party To me, these are the things that make the difference between a river or coastline that anyone can go paddle and a "Water Trail". And if the trail is laid out with these things in mind then more people will paddle it and user demand will spur local economies to provide support services along the trail.

[@AdventureOtaku]

And I 100% agree. I was explaining MY use. Admittedly I am in the minority. But all of those things are important. The one thing I would disagree with is the 1 (500 miler) to 1000 day paddlers… it’s probably more like 1 to 100, maybe 250. Thanks for such a great comment!

[@keithbarnden2498]

I'm finding the same problem! Kayaking water trails alone is almost impossible. Maybe there is a business opportunity here!

[@AdventureOtaku]

If I lived in Maine, I would start this business.... you need a vehicle and a trailer....

[@keithbarnden2498]

I have both but I'm in California. I travel the country though in search of water trails I can paddle by myself. It is something I've been thinking about quite a bit this year.