4. Lessons and Tips

It was indeed a great trip and well worth the calculated risks we took.
It did rain more than we could have imagined, but at least that kept
the crowds down and made amazing waterfalls. We weren’t really fit
enough for the distances we were paddling, but we took it slow, got
through it and recovered in time. And you just cannot compare the
intensity of having a humpback surface within 100 meters, or paddling
up to the face of a mile wide glacier while in a kayak to
being on land or a boat. Plus the bears, otters, puffins and seals seem
less wary and so our encounters were startlingly immediate.

To summarize some of my biggest lessons learned:

• Kayaking is not scary. I am the first one to admit I was
  completely
  intimidated before I tried it. Even as an experienced canoe
  paddler, I was convinced it was a completely different sport where you
  spent half your time upside down or being pummelled by waves.
  The
  truth is that while you are closer to the water level, that actually
  improves your stability, especially in a touring-loaded tandem. Now,
  perching in a canoe seems much tipsier than having my center of gravity
  below the surface. And the sheer peacefullness further put me at ease.
• Kayaking is easy to learn. I
  had refused to believe the people who had said you learn the balancing
  almost instinctively and it’s far more efficient and thus less work
  than a canoe. Well, they are right. To
  enjoy using a tandem in fairly
  calm water doesn’t require you to train for eskimo rolling in white
  water. In fact, we didn’t have to practice capsizing and re-entry at
  all. Even paddling through
  moderate waves and managing the beach landings and launches required
  less skill than
  expected. Plus I found the fast and easy steering control absolutely
  addictive
  from the start.
• A good local guide is well worth the cost. Our main reason
  for wanting
  a guide (learning to use the kayaks) wasn’t the half of what we got. We
  set out at the same time as a couple who had minimal experience but
  were going it alone in a rental, and if Dave hadn’t provided them extra
  guidance
  and support they would have risked serious troubles. Not only did he
  know the weather and tide patterns, but he also had excellent insights
  on navigation and map reading. Further, he knew all the camping low
  down and even had special access to restricted beaches for us. By the
  end, we had gained skills far beyond packing and paddling a kayak, and
  could realistically assess our skill level for picking and planning our
  next adventure.
• Kayaking should be easy. Proper kayak paddling takes far
  less
  work than canoe paddling, so when it was too hard, it was a reminder
  that I was doing it wrong. I had to keep working on proper form and
  stop myself clenching and digging. So, though I still wished I
  had done some
  pushups and arm exercises in the weeks before the trip, Dave wasn’t
  crazy to take us 10 miles our first day.

If you are going to try this, especially in Alaska, here are a few more
tips:

• Kayaking is a watersport, so you do get wet. Even the rare
  periods when it wasn’t raining water was flying at us from our
  partner’s and our own paddles or spraying from waves. The best
  plan is to expect to be
  wet, wearing layers of light wool or polypro clothing under rain gear.
  At times we were freezing sitting in glacial cold water with gusting
  winds, and soon after we were sweating from paddling, so we were
  constantly donning and doffing, opening and closing our layers.
• To ensure a warm dry sleep, Wendy taught us to keep a
  separate
  set of “sacred” clothes- they never leave the tent except in a separate
  dry bag, so you always have something comfy to go to bed in. It is so
  tempting to change into them when you climb dripping out of the boat,
  but if they get rained on, then what?
• Tall people might not be able to fit the rudders properly,
  and
  should let a shorter partner steer. F settled for “close enough” but
  went so numb after our first 4 hour outing, that he couldn’t stand when
  exiting. (Yes, this means he had the delight of falling into the ice
  cold water.)
• Have light gloves even if it’s warm- the paddle
  will rub
  hot-spots on various parts of your hands until you build some calluses
• Bring multiple head coverings- we used hoods, rain hats and
  knit
  caps
  depending on the temperature. Hoods sometimes impeded communication,
  but were invaluable in blowing rain. A separate dry knit cap for
  sleeping
  would have been great.
• You don’t need to bear-proof your first day’s
  food
  (snacks, lunch and dinner), so if you are short on room put that stuff
  in a separate watertight bag.

We are now strong proponents of kayak adventuring for novices.
Certainly if you have the time, money and commitment to start with
lessons and build yourself up to a big adventure you might get even
more out of a trip like ours. But if doing it that way is too big a
barrier to getting started, then jumping right in to a
well-guided
trip is not completely crazy. In fact, it’s a suprisingly fast and
economical way to learn. And if you happen to be in Alaska, then there
is no reason to hold out for learning in a more temperate climate.

Resources

• Lonely Planet Alaska online.
• More Misty Fjords info.