A Lifetime of Paddling

Family Canoeing and Sharing the Water

Because I have lived on or near water for much of my life, boats have accumulated naturally. Today I have about seven or eight kayaks, along with paddles and other boats, so when family or friends visit there is usually enough equipment for everyone. Some of the best days have simply been introducing another person—young or old—to the freedom of moving across the water under their own power.

Discovering Whitewater

During my first major western trip in 1987, I saw so many people rafting and kayaking on the rivers that I knew immediately it was something I wanted to learn. I had gone whitewater rafting with my college housemates a couple years earlier, but I had never paddled whitewater in a canoe or kayak myself. As soon as I came home, I looked for a place to learn and found the Appalachian Mountain Club.

I took the AMC's whitewater canoeing instruction that first summer and then spent as much time as possible canoeing all the classic whitewater rivers throughout New England. Whitewater canoeing usually required two people, however, and many of my partners had to work during the week when I could get time off. I wanted the freedom to go whenever the water was right, choose my own line, push as hard as I wanted, and keep raising my skill level. So the following summer in 1989, I took the whitewater kayaking course. I advanced pretty quickly, and before the summer was over, I had become a volunteer safety boater, so I got to go on all the weekend trips for free!!!

The 1994 Four-Month Western Road Trip

In 1994 I set out for my annual four month roadtrip with a canoe and bicycle strapped to my Toyota. I wandered across the country and paddled wherever I could. I explored the Green River and the Snake River, but the trip was never just about famous names. Any river, lake, reservoir, or other patch of water that looked inviting was a reason to unload the canoe and see the landscape from a different perspective.

The canoe gave me access to quiet corners of the West that a road alone could never reveal. Some days were long wilderness journeys beneath immense canyon walls; others were spontaneous paddles found simply because I happened to pass water and had a boat on the roof.

Paddling with the U.S. Geological Survey

Paddling eventually became part of my profession as well as my recreation. During my 21-year career with the U.S. Geological Survey, canoes, kayaks and porerboats helped us reach stream-gaging locations, make river-discharge measurements, carry field equipment, complete biological work, and operate hydroacoustic instruments. Some of my favorite workdays combined scientific fieldwork with the river skills I had developed over many years. I never thought I would be getting paid to spend my days in a canoe!

Pinellas Paddlers, Friendship, and Leading Trips

I have organized and led many paddling trips for different groups, especially Pinellas Paddlers in the Tampa Bay area. I have always enjoyed helping newer paddlers develop confidence, learn safe habits, and discover places they might never have explored alone. Robbie Arkovich, one of the founders of Pinellas Paddlers, became a very close friend, and we have shared many memorable days on springs, rivers, mangrove trails, and coastal water.

Giving Back Through Veterans Paddling

In 2026 I began helping with a Veterans Administration hospital program that introduces veterans living with PTSD to activities such as kayaking. Without the guidance of a dedicated group of volunteers, some participants might never have the opportunity to experience the quiet confidence, companionship, and sense of freedom that can come from moving through nature under their own power.

The volunteers do far more than simply provide boats. We help participants learn basic skills, feel secure on the water, navigate narrow mangrove trails, and discover that an unfamiliar activity can become something peaceful and rewarding. Watching someone begin the day uncertain and finish with a smile is one of the richest rewards paddling has ever given me.

Teaching Kayaking and Canoeing

Teaching has been a natural extension of my own paddling education. From my Appalachian Mountain Club whitewater kayak instruction 'safety boater' days, to helping beginners on Florida rivers and coastal water, I have always enjoyed passing along practical skills, sound judgment, and the confidence to make good decisions. Good instruction is not about showing how much the instructor knows; it is about helping each paddler become safer, calmer, and more confident and independent.

That philosophy also guides the trips I organize and lead. Safe leadership begins before anyone launches: choosing appropriate water, discussing weather and tides, fitting safety equipment, establishing communication, and making sure every participant understands the plan.

Annual Refresher Training Helps Me Live to Paddle Another Day

No matter how many years someone has spent on the water, rescue and leadership skills fade unless they are practiced. One of my most valuable continuing-education experiences recently was an intensive four-day program sponsored by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and partner agencies. The course provided advanced rescue, leadership, risk-assessment, group-management, and emergency decision-making instruction for experienced paddlers and trip leaders.

I also take part in monthly instructional weekends organized by volunteers with the Tampa Bay Sea Kayakers. These sessions provide a supportive place to practice assisted rescues, self-rescues, towing, re-entry techniques, boat handling, communication, and leadership. Repeating these skills under controlled conditions makes it much more likely that they will be available when a real problem develops. Definitely join this group if you want to improve both your skills and your level of safety.

Buddyboy—My Favorite Deckhand

Buddyboy has become an enthusiastic part of the paddling story. He rides on kayak decks and canoe floors, explores beaches, watches wildlife, and seems perfectly content whenever the boat begins moving. His presence turns even a familiar local paddle into a shared adventure.

Florida Water and the Traveling Boat Yard

Florida opened an entirely new world of clear springs, mangrove tunnels, tidal passes, Gulf beaches, and subtropical rivers. Whether the vehicle carried one boat or looked like a traveling boat yard, the goal remained the same: get outside, put a paddle in the water, and see what was around the next bend.

RockADock

RockADock is a week-long paddling festival held each September at Florida Caverns State Park. Paddlers from throughout Florida and across the East Coast gather at the campground for a relaxed week of paddling, camping, music, friendship, and fun.

There is no single large organized paddle. Instead, people form small groups each morning and head out to a different river, spring, creek, or mill pond. Some trips are easy and leisurely, while others are longer or more adventurous. Because everyone shares the same campground for the week, the friendships continue long after the boats are put away. Many lifelong friendships have begun around the campfires, on the river, and during the evening gatherings.

Visit my RockADock page →

Places That Shaped My Paddling Life

This map highlights a selection of western rivers, New England whitewater, Florida springs, local coastal routes, and group-trip destinations. It is not every place I have paddled—only a beginning.

Featured stories include the Green River, Snake River, New England whitewater, Weeki Wachee, Hurricane Pass, Caladesi Island, Honeymoon Island, Robinson Preserve, the Little Manatee River, Holmes Creek, Merritt's Mill Pond, and the Santa Fe River.

More Paddling Photographs

Every photograph on this page is clickable for a larger view. The galleries above are arranged by the part of the story they help tell.

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