Finding Peace on The Water
With screens enveloping our every moment and a global pandemic still hindering many daily activities, an outlet for serenity becomes something people need, but may not know. There is an abundance of potential avenues to take, however with the Hudson River being such a prevalent aspect of the area, canoeing and kayaking should become sports to look into, especially with summer approaching.
Not only are these water sports phenomenal exercises, but they are a great mechanism to cope with stress and release tension from the struggles of day-to-day life. A very late spring had people stuck indoors for longer than expected, but it is time to return to the outdoors, and getting on the water is one of the best ways to improve your mental health.
“I have lots of people over the past 20 years that have gotten into kayaking, and I’ve had a couple of people, only half teasingly saying that it has kind of saved their lives, just because it provides them an outlet, provides them a way to decompress,” Marshall Seddon said, an American Canoe Association Instructor who runs The River Connection in Hyde Park.
Opening up your mind to new experiences can do wonders for anyone willing to try something different. Kayaking is ordinarily not an activity people will just decide to start, but that is mainly due to accessibility. Baseball fields, basketball courts and parks are all over the place, but in the Hudson Valley, there is the luxury of a river that is within driving distance for locals.
Another great niche about kayaking and canoeing is anyone can participate, and with whomever.
“It allows them something that they can have other people join, from their family, from their friends, but everybody still is the captain of their own ship,” Seddon said.
The possibilities are truly endless with this activity. Mentally, it can be used as a calming method, but kayaks and canoes are also modes of transportation that allow a person to travel anywhere on the water.
“It’s certainly easy enough to go into your own personal zen place and all of sudden discover that you’re four miles further than when you last thought about where you were, but you can also go look for the next yacht going by, hop onto their wake and go surf,” Seddon said, “You are in charge of what you do on the water.”
Freedom is unlimited out in the open water, however, if you do decide to start paddling, safety and preparation should always be prioritized. Wearing a life jacket, dressing for the water temperature, not air temperature and filing a float plan are all aspects of this hobby Seddon emphasizes.
A float plan is letting somebody know where you are going to be, when it is going to happen, how long you plan on being, and when a good time to worry should be. Finally, when finished, you cancel the float plan to notify the person you are communicating with that everything is all well and good.
Exploring the Hudson River on a personal watercraft is not for everybody, but for those who want to change up their daily routine and try something unique, it is the perfect way to have a strong workout, clear your mind and have fun.
