Category: <span>On The Water</span>

Published April 5, 2021 by

Boating Hacks: Sea Eagle Inflatable Kayaks

One Use for A Sea Eagle 370 Inflatable kayak

Winnie bought me a kayak as a birthday gift in July 2010. From my first paddle outing I was completely hooked on the relaxing sport of kayaking. Of course, one can never have just one kayak, just as one can never get by with one pair of shoes.

In the years since my first kayak, which I still have, Winnie and I have added two inflatable kayaks to our fleet. The first is a Sea Eagle 370, a 12-1/2 foot tandem kayak. The second is a Sea Eagle 330 ten-foot kayak. With use, I’ve come up with some minor modifications and useful accessories. So in this post I’m going to describe my favorite mods, conveniently known as “hacks,” along with useful accessories.

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How-To On The Water

Boating Hacks Sea Eagle Kayaks

Desert Kayaking
Published May 6, 2015 by

Desert Kayaking

I was in Las Vegas, Nevada, last week attending a Navy reunion with the crew of USS Scamp (SSN 588), the first submarine I served on during my Navy career. In addition to sitting around with old shipmates drinking, sharing sea stories, and generally catching up on 35 years of living, I chartered a kayak trip down the Colorado River. And what a trip that was!

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Family Stories On The Water

Black Canyon Boulder City Colorado River Hoover Dam kayaking Las Vegas Nevada

A Different Kind of Boating
Published July 10, 2010 by

A Different Kind of Boating

I’ve really been missing not having a boat of my own these past few months.  Sure, I’ve gotten out on the water sailing several times, but being in a rented sailboat is not quite the same thing as having a boat of my own.  I’ve also been looking at doing something different for a while now, a different kind of boating.

Well, last week Friday, I took the plunge, and with Winnie’s approval bought a single-seated sporting kayak.

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Family Stories On The Water

future beach kayak kayaking trophy 126

Published May 23, 2010 by

Come Sail Away!

Sailboat Under Red Sun
Sailboat Under Red Sun

A few weeks ago I achieved something I’ve been wanting to do for many years. On May 8, I gained an American Sailing Association (ASA) certification on basic Keel Boat 101. Thereby announcing to the world that I in fact know jibing and tacking and boom vrangs and lots of other fancy-sounding nautical kind of words.

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Family Stories On The Water

American Sailing Association sailboats sailing

Boatless!Dreams After Renovations
Published April 18, 2010 by

Boatless!

Last Friday I did something that a couple of years ago would have been unthinkable.  Yesterday I sold my beloved little boat “Sea Dreams,” the boat I purchased in Long Beach, Mississippi on October 26, 2002.  This would be the boat that I lovingly maintained, repaired, hauled up to northern Virginia, restored, and occasionally even took out onto the water for a brief day’s cruising and fishing over these past 7-1/2 years.

I’ve heard that the two happiest days in a boat owner’s life is the day they buy a boat, and the day they sell it.  I’m still not so sure about the ‘selling it” part.

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Family Stories On The Water

boating Sea Dreams

Rescue on the Potomac
Published July 15, 2008 by

Rescue on the Potomac

This weekend was a two boating-day weekend. Saturday I spent the afternoon bouncing around the Potomac between Occoquan and Quantico, and at anchor in a quiet cove over on the Maryland side. It was a nice afternoon (any time on the water is nice, actually) even though the water was a bit rough. Sunday I went out again with friends as a two-boat rally, which turned out to be a bit of adventure.

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Family Stories On The Water

boating Potomac River Sea Dreams

A well-Earned RewardDreams After Renovations
Published June 29, 2008 by

A well-Earned Reward

My writing has been light lately, and there’s actually a good reason for this; a better reason that just not feeling like writing. I finally finished rebuilding my boat “Sea Dreams” enough that I could get her back in the water, and that event has pretty much taken first priority.

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Family Stories On The Water

boating Sea Dreams