If you don’t know your knots, tie a lot…

or learn a few go-to knots for securing things… securely!

We like Animated Knots for its interactive website and clear, animated images for tying numerous knots. Each knot has a dedicated page with info on uses, safety, pros and cons, variations, and more. There are also sections on safety, ropes, and terminology and a knot-of-the-day feature.

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NDK Explorer

NDK Explorer Review

Maine Island Kayak Co. delivered a new NDK Explorer to Canada for Paddling Magazine to write this review.

By Virginia Marshall. Originally published in Paddling Magazine.

When the going gets tough, the tough get this SKUK Classic.

If modern expedition kayaks have a phenotype—that is, a distinctive appearance and characteristics based on a combination of genetic traits and environmental factors—the Explorer may exemplify it best.

The fine lines of the upswept bow and stern, the narrow beam and the clean, functional deck layout are informed by the classic British interpretation of traditional Greenlandic kayaks. From this base DNA, designer and renowned expedition paddler, Nigel Dennis, refined the shape and layup to address the unique challenges of extended journeys on remote, exposed coastlines.

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Morning on Kayak Beach

Maine Greenland Kayak Festival

by Liz Johnson

This article appeared in the October issue of Atlantic Coastal Kayaker online magazine.

Kayakers around the world are drawn to the simplicity and grace of the Greenland paddle. It's the perfect tool for rolling, but its application goes far beyond rolling and paddling in protected waters. Some of the world’s outstanding paddlers today use Greenland paddles for extensive expeditions and rough water paddling.

Maine, home to the world’s first island trail, has a particular historical connection to Greenland. It seemed natural to celebrate that heritage, while helping Greenland paddlers develop the knowledge, skills and experience for exploring Maine’s unique coastal environment. So the idea for the Maine Greenland Kayak Festival was born.

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Sea kayaking coaches paddling back from Ram Light in Casco Bay

The Power of Blue

With excerpts from Blue spaces: why time spent near water is the secret of happiness, by Elle Hunt, published in The Guardian, November 3, 2019.

In recent years, stressed-out urbanites have been seeking refuge in green spaces, for which the proven positive impacts on physical and mental health are often cited in arguments for more inner-city parks and accessible woodlands. The benefits of “blue space” – the sea and coastline, but also rivers, lakes, canals, waterfalls, even fountains – are less well publicized, yet the science has been consistent for at least a decade: being by water is good for body and mind.

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