NATURAL RESOURCES.BOOK REVIEW The Kayak kayak (kī`ăk), Eskimo canoe, originally made of sealskin stretched over a framework of whalebone or driftwood. It is completely covered except for the opening in which the paddler sits. Companion By Joe Glickman (Storey Publishing), $9.95 This is a get-you-into paddling book for beginning kayakers who are patient readers. The author mixes in a lot of personal anecdotes. Not all of them are that interesting, like the one that begins, ``When I was growing up in Rockland County.'' If you just want the facts, Derek Hutchinson (the Brit who thinks he invented sea kayaking) is a better resource. This book is about sea and flat-water river kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is differentiated from canoeing by the fact that a kayak has a closed cockpit and a canoe has an open cockpit. They also use a two bladed paddle. Another major difference is in the way the paddler sits in the boat. , there's not much on whitewater. Chapters touch on types of kayaks, gear choices, paddling technique, safety and navigation, without going into much detail. Glickman doesn't seem to have heard about hand-held marine band VHF (Very High Frequency) The range of electromagnetic frequencies from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. transceivers, a good safety item for sea kayakers. If you are an experienced kayaker, look elsewhere, perhaps to David Burch's ``Fundamentals of Kayak Navigation,'' an essential primer in kayakmanship as well as navigation, or Johan Dowd's ``Sea Kayking,'' a good book for long distance touring. But if you're new to the sport and like the ``whitefish whitefish: see salmon. whitefish Any of several silvery food fishes (family Salmonidae, or Coregonidae), inhabiting cold northern lakes of Europe, Asia, and North America. were nipping nip·ping adj. 1. Sharp and biting, as the cold. 2. Bitingly sarcastic. nip  ping·ly adv.Adj. at my paddle'' school of writing, this is your book. - Bill Becher ON THE INTERNET ``California, off the beaten path'' is totalescape.com's motto, and with so many recreational activities to choose from, chances are you will end up somewhere just like that. Totalescape.com is a well-designed, incredibly informative Web site that has just about everything from horseback riding horseback riding: see equestrianism. to hang gliding hang gliding Sport of flying in unpowered aircraft that are light enough to be carried by the pilot. Takeoff is usually achieved by launching into the air from a cliff or hill. Hang gliders were developed by the pioneers of practical flight. . If it is done outdoors, it is going to be here. The main categories on the home page include mercantile, destinations, lodging, recreation and journey (for extended trips). Destinations is a good place to start. Here, viewers can choose coastal, city, desert, mountain or country destinations. Each destination is loaded with activities and links to get there, including accommodations. Gear is also in abundance at totalescape.com for the do-it-yourself adventurer. This Web site will not disappoint even the slightest outdoor enthusiast and at the very least, it's nice to see how many things there are to do in California. - Nathan Brown Nathan Brown may refer to:
CAPTION(S): photo, 2 boxes Photo: (color) no caption (book: ``Kayak Companion'') Box: (1) TUNE IN (2) CHECK IT OUT |
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