Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sea Kayaking, Kayak Fishing Cape Cod: Minimoy and Monomoy Islands at Chatham

Launch Your Kayak into These Warm Waters for Good Birding, Sea Kayaking, Kayak Fishing

Monomoy Island off Chatham, Massachusetts (Cape Cod) is a worthwhile destination for any New England sea kayaking or kayak fishing enthusiast who has strong kayak navigation skills, savvy in fog and quality saltwater fishing gear.
The waters of the islands and nearby Nantucket Sound, off Chatham, are filled with challenges: shifting channels, sandbars, frequent fogs and a prevailing southwesterly wind that kicks up lively chop during the summer.

The area is also home to a large gray seal population and numerous species of migratory sea and shorebirds, making the area a likewise fine area for birdwatching during the spring and fall migrations.
Recently grey seals, some in excess of 550 pounds, have taken up residence on the shores of South Monomoy Island, having abandoned the inner channels of the Southway, at North Monomoy Island, after a late autumn gale shifted the sands of Chatham's South Beach to the southwest. Great white sharks frequent the area, sometimes feeding on the seals.

Monomoy's watery environs are also seasonal feeding grounds for numerous migratory fish: striped bass (stripers), bonito, bluefish, bluefin tuna and other pelagic sport fish that settle in to feed in the area's warm summer waters after arriving via the Gulf Stream.

The Monomoy Islands have a tortuous geomorphic history, like most of Cape Cod, including Billingsgate Island and Shoals, the Peaked Hill Bar off Provincetown and the barrier beaches of Chatham's Nauset Beach.
Once a lengthy spit attached to the mainland, the peninsula split off from the mainland, was broken in half, and two islands, reaching toward Nantucket and close to the Pollock Rip, Stone Horse and Handkerchief Shoals familiar to saltwater fishing enthusiasts.

The two islands have since become three islands: nascent Minimoy Island, forming in the sandflats on the northwestern side of North Monomoy, off Morris Island and Hardings Beach, gains increased viability every year.
It has since been protected by signage and buttressed by snow fencing brought in the National Fish and Wildlife Service unit that overlooks the refuge from the bluffs of nearby Morris Island.

Most recently, South Monomoy Island reattached itself, indirectly to the mainland at Chatham, by way of a land bridge formed by a heavy gale.
One can now walk barrier South Beach from Chatham to South Monomoy. That outlying beach, likewise, attached itself to the mainland about twenty years ago.

To launch a kayak to go sea kayaking or kayak fishing in the area, try the shores of Hardings Beach in the off season. Likewise during offseason you can launch from the boat ramp at the Chatham Harbormaster's shack. Mid-summer visitors in kayaks will do best to launch from Morris Island, where limited parking is available an a hand-carry of about 100 yards is required. Bring plenty of bug repellent if you plan on returning to your car near dusk or after sundown.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Mountain Bike, Sea Kayak or Hike on the Rimu Tour

Planning a vacation to New Zealand for the first time can be challenging, especially if you are not familiar with all of the great sites, attractions and activities that this island nation has to offer.
One way to get around this problem is to book a sightseeing tour with a local tourist organization.
Active New Zealand is a great company to work with if you are a novice globe traveler in search for a real adventure, and their Rimu tour is perfect for people interested in sea kayaking, hiking or mountain biking tours of the South Island of New Zealand.

The Logistics of the Rimu Tour

The Rimu tour is a 12 to 14 day guided tour that starts out from Christchurch, New Zealand. While there is a general day by day itinerary for this tour, there are several points in the tour where you can select from a variety of activities. For example, when you book your Rimu tour you will be able to choose between a backpacking option, a sea-kayaking option and a biking option. The cost of this tour is going to vary depending on some of the options that you choose, however, the price is going to start around U.S.$2699, excluding airfare and taxes.

The Rimu tour is very popular and it is common for two tours to be held simultaneously. Some groups will run the tour from north to south, while other will run the tour from south to north. The following is how the tour will run if you are in the northbound group. If you happen to be in the southbound group then your tour with begin and end in Queenstown instead of Christchurch.

The Start of Your Tour

The first day of your tour will start on a Monday. On this day you will need to be in Christchurch by 10 a.m. to be picked up by Active New Zealand. You will then be transported to the quaint village of Kaikoura for snorkeling and your first night's lodging. This is a relaxed day that is designed to help you adjust to the new time zone and recover from jet lag.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

kayak tours in chicago



  • Kayaking may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Chicago, but the city's proximity to Lake Michigan and several rivers makes it an ideal place to go kayaking. Several companies in the Chicago area offer guided and self-guided kayak tours that allow people to see the city in a unique and exciting way.



  • Classic Tour


  • Offered by several tour companies, the classic Chicago tour is a guided experience that will emphasize historical aspects of the city, while providing background information on some of Chicago's most notable landmarks. For instance, kayak tourists will learn how the Sears Tower is actually four buildings in one and also which landmark building contains floors that are uneven, causing pencils to roll across tables.



    The tour follows the same water routes taken by explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet in 1673. Most Chicago kayak tour companies include a kayak in the price of the tour, but do allow visitors to bring their own kayak, as long as it is at least 12 feet long.



  • Architectural Tour


  • Chicago architectural tours offer tourists the opportunity to paddle the Chicago River loop, which meanders through canyons created by the city's skyscrapers. This tour also offers historical information about Chicago's storied past, including Al Capone's hideout and where the first settlers lived.



    As with most kayak tours in the area, visitors are advised to dress appropriately for the weather and to wear lightweight synthetic material. Sunblock, sunglasses and a hat are also recommended for daytime tours. Cameras are allowed but are likely to get wet, as are the tourists, so bring a waterproof bag. Kayak tour companies reserves the right to cancel any tour if there is inclimate weather, but will gladly reschedule the tour for a future date.



  • Fireworks Tour


  • Obviously, this tour is held at night and allows visitors to paddle through downtown Chicago to Navy Pier, where they will enjoy a spectacular fireworks show. This tour is offered during the late spring, summer and early fall months on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.



  • Ghosts and Gangsters


  • Wateriders, a Chicago-based tour company, advertises a unique kayak tour that travels the Chicago River in pursuit of lakefront sites believed to be haunted. Tourists will learn how Chicago newspapers helped create the city's infamous reputation for mayhem and violence. The company has slapped a PG-13 rating on this tour because of its mature theme and recommends children not take the tour.



  • Wildlife Tour


  • Wildlife kayak tours are offered at Skokie Lagoons, located 20 miles north of Chicago. Tours along this waterway make frequent stops to observe the region's wildlife, including deer, turtles and heron.




  • Emotion Glide Kayak, Yellow