Kayaking Apps, welcome to tomorrow, kind of.

Tomorrow I am off on a new kayak adventure. I have a new launch site, I have a new Launch Site app, that gives me multiple choices. It was a second choice, I was looking for Paddle Ready from the American Canoe Association. I watch a lot of their "how to paddle" videos on YouTube. I have watched so many of their videos I have become an expert at watching YouTube videos. Really, an accomplished video watcher, almost a journeyman video watcher. 

In many ways their videos are perfect. They are short, less than three minutes normally, focused, (paddling for dummies) and feature a pleasant, friendly person with a reassuring voice. All together it makes me feel comfortable. They say things like "kayaking is very safe." Now I can breath again.  But, they have an app, and I can't find it.

I did find this app, though. It lists all off the sites to launch a canoe, kayak or paddle board. I was pretty happy to find it, even though it might not really add much to my already legendary app collection and feeble kayaking knowledge. 

My barber, the inestimable Ted, is an avid kayaker. Much more avid than I, he tries to be on the water by 7:00 in the morning. Many times he is, what we in the nautical world, call a destination boater. He launches, paddles to a spot with a restaurant and has a meal. He is dedicated to kayaking. He has a fishing app, though as far as I know he doesn't fish. It gives him the water temperature and wind conditions on lakes. When we were going to Lake Superior, and I was getting my pre-vacation hair cut he told me the water temperature was 56 degrees Fahrenheit. Knowledge I did not need. It was cold, but wonderful.

On the ACA app you can diagram a "float plan" to give to a loved one. If you don't come back they can send somebody looking for you. I don't really need that, I never get far enough away from the shore that I can't get back, and kayaking is insanely popular around here, but a kayaking app sounded cool. 

I do think the Launch Sites app is better for me.  Here is all the launch sites around my location, and this is just the city proper, really. The state is silly with places to launch my kayak. It has a rating system and a place for photos. I will add mine and live the "sailor life."  

Life is funny. You don't always find what you were looking for, but you can almost always find something. And if you aren't careful you can find a way to combine things into a hobby, and then who knows what will happen, maybe a blog post.

Look for pictures and a lengthy description of tomorrow's (Sunday) adventure tomorrow, or Monday. It will be around here somewhere. If you know of a good kayaking app let me know. And if like kayaking or canoeing, or hiking, biking, or sailing, post some pictures. I have started a new group Here.