Dogpaddle should get credit for starting this topic. He described his paddling area really well. I'd like to continue his thread with a more inclusive title, so that others can add to it. If you want to paddle somewhere, ask a paddler. I live in Rhode Island and I paddle both fresh and salt water. I really prefer kayaking on Narragansett Bay and it's tributaries. It's a big body of water (in a really tiny state) with conditions that can interest all levels of paddlers, from coves, rivers and backwaters to challenging open ocean conditions. These can all be had in a day's paddle. As an older paddler I prefer less challenging conditions. You can travel up the wide-mouthed Providence River right thru the urban center to the site of Waterfire "downtown". This river used to be trapped under pavement and for 80+ years held the title as the world's widest bridge (look it up!). On the west side of the bay, you can paddle from the new launch site at Weaver Cove in Middletown to Newport along a stretch of water designated a "Blueway". You can kayak the entire east side of of Jamestown Island in waters sheltered from the prevaling westerlies. You can launch at a number of sites in the sheltered Greenwich Bay and kayak south past the old Navy base at Quonset to Wickford, a beautiful sheltered harbor and salt pond with great restaurants, shops, marinas and a premiere kayak shop, The Kayak Centre. From Wickford, you can paddle south to Rome Point, where you can often see harbor seals hauled out on the rocks from later November through the winter. You can paddle further south to the University of R.I Bay Campus, another great launch site, which is a springboard to trips across the bay to Jamestown and Newport or south past the rocky coast of Bonnet Shores and the open water conditions near Narragansett Town Beach and the mouth of Narrow River, up which you can paddle 4 to 5 miles. Further south is the rocky promontory of Point Judith and the Great Salt Pond, a mile south and west around the point. A number of good paddles can be found in the Appalachian Mountain Club book "Discover Rhode Island". For less challenging paddles see "Day Paddling Narragansett Bay" by Eben Oldmixon. Also, check out the website for RICKA - the RI Canoe and Kayak Club, which is a wealth of information by local paddlers. Rhode Island was made for paddling!!

Paul, you're fortunate to live and paddle in Rhode Island, the Ocean State. Here in the Northeast, many of our prime sea kayaking locations were painted by the skilled artists of the mid-19th Century Hudson River School--especially by that subgroup known today as the Luminists. Narragansett Bay shorelines were often painted by John Frederick Kensett; he also depicted parts of Connecticut's Long Island Sound shoreline, our New Jersey's Shrewsbury River, and New York's Lake George. Fitz Hugh Lane and Martin Johnson Heade specialized in Massachusetts' tidal waters, and Lane also painted often on the Maine coast. Sanford Robinson Gifford did the tidal Hudson--the Tappan Zee and adjacent waters--fabulous paintings all, and well worth taking a look at.

Well said, Magic! Spoken like a kayaking art history major. There are still some sweet water views here with prospects that do not feature man-made stuff - country clubs, condos and seaside McMansions. I'll grant an exception to good launch sites and marinas. Also, at this time of year we have the water mostly to ourselves. You got to love it!

The last truly unspoiled and primeval sea kayaking water here in Jersey is Delaware Bay. There are only a few small waterside settlements--summer homes and fishing cabins, mostly--but the vast majority of the shoreline is totally devoid of signs of human activity, other than some benign flotsam here and there. There are small pocket beaches of sand and gravel interspersed with sod banks and Phragmites, and backed by thousands of acres of salt marsh (the heart of greenhead fly country) and forest. It is the one area where you can really be on your own if things go wrong on a trip--very little boat traffic other than big ships way out in the shipping channel in the middle of the Bay, and no way to walk out to civilization if you're stranded on the beach. It is a dream to paddle there along that pristine shoreline, but one must be careful about the weather and the wind; Delaware Bay is notorious for its vicious chop, and the Jersey shore is often a lee shore, on the downwind end of a long fetch.

In the water. Ok, really, San Juan Islands and the Pacific coast. Varied, interesting conditions that can be as wild as you can imagine or glassy calm. Perhaps all on the same day.

I've paddled in Puget Sound, Hood Canal and several lakes and rivers, but the Columbia River is my favorite. It offers all the variety I ever want and it's close by. Maybe the best thing about it is the nice sandy beaches that allow easy access to the many islands and other shores. you can land almost anywhere, anytime.

I like the Columbia as well, in fact I did 4* training out there. I really liked it around Cape Disappointment, Jetty A and Deadmans Cove; also, I left a nice streak of gel coat high up on one of the cliff S of Waikiki when playing in the swells. IT can be horrifying as well in that spot as well!

I'm new to this forum, but already enjoy the fellowship reflected here. I live in South Florida so my season is pretty much 12 months long. Wet suit is the most serious cold weather gear I own. Still, there is plenty of variety to the kayaker looking for a day on the water. The intracoastal is dotted with small islands and mangroves that provide opportunities for fishing, photography or just relaxing. There's easy access to the clear/blue Atlantic coast and fresh water lakes and rivers. This has been my home since 1989 and I'm lovin' it.

Docabuso,
Hey, could you send some warmer temperatures to us up here in the Northwest? I was out paddling yesterday, which was a nice day, but the temperature never got above about 48 degrees. When is this "global warming" that we've been promised, going to get on with it?

Do you ever encounter gators in any of your paddling? We don't have any of those, but we do have plenty of sea lions at times.

Gators tend to stay away from salt water. We see them in the lakes and some canals, but even then they tend to avoid paddlers. Manatee, on the other hand, are common friends out there. Incredible animals, vegetarian and quite enamored by kayaks. A pair swam beside my boat for about 100 yards while paddling the intracoastal. Another followed me out to a small island and, when I landed, floated around watching me for nearly a half hour. As for the warm weather, just wait. It's on it's way north.

I live in North East Ohio, I enjoy paddling on Lake Erie and the Grand River behind my house. Our Kayaking season is as long as the water stays unfrozen. I avoid ICE like the plague, I'm not sure if its possible but I envision my Kayak slipping under the ice. The cold weather and COLDER water don't stop everyone's kayaking season up here. I get by with my wet suit and a spray skirt for most of my paddling: Though I really should add a dry suit most of the year. The paddling may be more seasonable down south, but I make the best of it and enjoy where I live.

Hi Docabuso,
A couple of years ago we got to paddle on the Wekiva and the "Little Econ" rivers in Florida. Being from RI, I had only seen big critters like this in CGI movie special effects. We saw gators on both rivers. I swear one was over 14ft. When I paddled closer to get a better photo (within 15-20ft), he eased off the bank and into the water. We went with guides in small groups and were assured the gators did not view us as meals unless we layed still in the water for a long time. And yes.. we did capsize a number of times. For the tours, the prices were cheap and the experience was incredible. The rivers were almost totally deserted and really beautiful. I would love to go again. The gators and the great blue herons were worth the trip. A beautiful state!

Gators and me at the zoo only or a 20' boat!

Southern Ontario, which is north to most of you folks. Georgian Bay (eastern Lake Huron section, if you will) is stunning beyond belief, with continuous rocky shores and thousands of islands large and small, with the wind bent and white and red pines clinging to the rocks like larger bonsai gardens. Beautiful.

Steve