My name is Wendy Hedrick. I am a novice kayaker and this blog is written from a novice's perspective. Most of my kayak experience is limited to the time I have spent paddling on the Arkansas River.
People often raise an eyebrow when I tell them that I kayak on the Arkansas River. Its reputation as a dangerous river proceeds it. Indeed, in the 27 years I have resided in Arkansas, I have been warned numerous times about the Arkansas' menacing undertow. That may well be the case when the water is high, but my experience on the river has so far been limited to the lazy, slow moving waters of summer. To that end, I can say that the river does not seem to present anymore dangers than any other deep body of water. Sometimes you are aware of the current; other times,... well... it takes a minute to determine whether you are actually drifting up stream or down.
Through this blog, I hope to share with other kayakers what I am learning about the Arkansas River - good routes to take, points of interest to see, and of course, things of which to be cautious. I also hope to share some of the awkard moments I encounter as a novice kayaker, as I am sure there will be many. I hope that by sharing my experiences, it will make it easier for other novices to break out on the Arkansas as well.
Blog entries are about a month to two months behind real time. I post at least once a week. I would love to hear from other kayakers. If you have an interesting story about the Arkansas River, I would love to post it too. Thank-you for your interest!
People often raise an eyebrow when I tell them that I kayak on the Arkansas River. Its reputation as a dangerous river proceeds it. Indeed, in the 27 years I have resided in Arkansas, I have been warned numerous times about the Arkansas' menacing undertow. That may well be the case when the water is high, but my experience on the river has so far been limited to the lazy, slow moving waters of summer. To that end, I can say that the river does not seem to present anymore dangers than any other deep body of water. Sometimes you are aware of the current; other times,... well... it takes a minute to determine whether you are actually drifting up stream or down.
Through this blog, I hope to share with other kayakers what I am learning about the Arkansas River - good routes to take, points of interest to see, and of course, things of which to be cautious. I also hope to share some of the awkard moments I encounter as a novice kayaker, as I am sure there will be many. I hope that by sharing my experiences, it will make it easier for other novices to break out on the Arkansas as well.
Blog entries are about a month to two months behind real time. I post at least once a week. I would love to hear from other kayakers. If you have an interesting story about the Arkansas River, I would love to post it too. Thank-you for your interest!