Benefits of Kayaking
So, you are thinking about trying kayaking. What are the benefits, what will I get out if it, you may be asking yourself?
Few activities give the outdoor enthusiast such a varied array of experiences as kayaking especially around the Kaikōura Coastline. Whether you are seeking the heart-stopping wildlife encounters, viewing birdlife, improving skills or simply would like to enjoy the serenity and peace, you can find your passion in a kayak. The Kaikōura coastline offers all the above!
Fun and relaxation
Kayaking is fun. Splashing about, exploring places inaccessible by land, and just generally mucking around, are great ways to enjoy yourself. It is also a great family interactive activity. Close encounters with the marine life are experience’s you will never forget.
Kayaking with others is social. Paddling alongside friends (or new acquaintances) allows conversation – or the peacefulness of quiet companionship.
The rhythm of the paddle stroke helps quiet the mind. With your body in the groove and your heart rate settled, your mind is free to relax.
Exercise
Correct kayaking technique emphasizes the use of your core muscles, with arms and legs providing added strength and power.
The steady rhythmic paddle, using many of the body’s major muscle groups, makes kayaking an ideal aerobic exercise (best for “fat burning”). For those wanting an extra boost into the anaerobic range, just increase your stroke rate.
Kayaking is a low impact aerobic workout, with the resistance of the water as you paddle building strength without the strain.
Your balancing skills will improve, as will your upper body flexibility and mobility of the joints. Kayaking with good technique can also help alleviate back pain, largely through the working of those core muscles.
Kayaking is a relatively easy skill to learn. Our guides have beginners paddling satisfactorily within a short time, this includes a paddle lesson even before you hit the water.
Being in the great outdoors
Enjoying the fun, relaxation, and exercise out in the open air provides added benefits. We need a certain level of sunshine to produce our needed levels of vitamin D – how better than to do this whilst enjoying ourselves.
Our guides have local knowledge of the area and will share interesting facts about the marine life and history of Kaikōura while you explore our big playground.
Challenge and confidence
Many of our customers are paddling for the first time, or perhaps the last time they paddled was as a youngster many years ago. They are a little nervous, some lacking in confidence. We enjoy seeing a nervous first timer finishing their tour with a big grin on their face and a huge boost to their confidence.
Paddling as part of a tour group on a guided tour provides support and safety for those challenging situations, as well as emphasizing the fun and social aspects, and providing tuition to master the exercise elements. We use stable enclosed double sea kayaks which are easily steered by a rudder, and foot pegs in the front for comfort.
Social responsibility
More and more of our customers are interested in the environment and our eco-tourism credentials. In a kayak you are not just close to, but part of the environment. As a person-powered activity, kayaking has a minimal impact on the environment. From our kayaks though, we can see the adverse effects of environmental harm – the most obvious one being plastics and other rubbish. Many of our guests help in cleaning our marine environment by removing what they can as they paddle. That sense of social responsibility to our environment is one benefit we particularly value
Kayaking with Kaikōura Kayaks– well worth having a go.
What our customers have to say
Truly amazing experience! We had a lot of luck with the weather and animal encounters, we saw a small whale and loads of seals. Staff were super friendly and it was much fun. Would definitely recommend
Serafin K, Europe
I’d like to say thanks for a great day today. The guides were excellent setting up the day and introducing everyone. They’re very organized. The equipment was of a great standard and the day was brilliant. The weather was good and we saw well over 100 dolphins, and even seals and birds local to the area. All in all we had a great...
Emma H, Canada
Marine mammal megamix Spent a truly incredible morning around the Kaikōura Peninsula with Matt and Emma, two fantastic local guides. The whole operation was very professional, with high quality kayaks, equipment and a detailed safety briefing. Spent a good amount of time observing the seals, tried our hand at some kayak surfing in the big...
Tom, Neverlands
We loved our trip with Kaikoura kayaks. We took our whole family and the kids aged 9,12 and 14 really enjoyed paddling on the water and getting up close to the seals on the rocks. The guides were really informative and friendly. The safety briefing meant us parents felt comfortable with our kids out on the water. We would highly recommend!
Erin, Australia
We had a great time kayaking with this outfit. The guides were professional and trained us well before we got into the water. We saw loads of fur seals as well as albatross. It was a wonderful experience that I highly recommend.
Marcella R, USA
We had an amazing time with our guide Loz, gave us some really cold facts about all the wildlife around! He had a wealth of knowledge and even managed to bring us to some Dusky dolphins!!
Emma R, Ireland
"To Matt and the Kaikōura Kayaks team, Thank you very much for a fantastic day of kayaking. Both our trips were very well organised by your friendly team. We found your lessons enjoyable, helping us all to be confident, expert paddlers! We were so lucky to have a beautiful sunny day, and we enjoyed fantastic scenery and wildlife out...
Kowhai Class, Hurunui College NZ
The experience of a lifetime! Having intuitive and professional guides who allowed us the opportunity to experience an outstanding and very memorable day. They knew just where the incredible action was happening. We saw an amazing array of dolphins playing right near us and also saw blue penguins and seals. We travelled for two weeks around...
Paula Kirby, Wellinton NZ
We were soooo lucky - perfect sunshine, calm water and 300 dolphins! But it wasn't just luck: Kaikoura Kayaks were also superbly organised, friendly, safe, encouraging and a LOT of fun. Thank you!
Lucy M, UK