|
 WAVE THERAPY
Paddling Paradises Guarantee Peace of Mind
Slickrock Adventures'
Belize Private Island Vacations
Sea
kayaking's fundamental ease is more Zen than lazy: The rhythmic paddling
motion allows you to open your mind and senses to the natural elements
above and below. You commune with birds that swoop astonishingly close,
memorize the coastline's every feature and feel the pull of currents and
tides.
Which
isn't to say that it can't also be a challenging sport. Aimlessly tooling around
a tropical bay, after all, is nothing like braving a frigid, storm-whipped chop
along the cliffs of Nova Scotia.
Late
fall is the perfect time to head out on a sea-kayaking trip. Summer's scorching
rays are gone, but the water's still warm. The crowds have abandoned beaches,
lakes and rivers, leaving them in tranquil solitude. Here are some of the best
-- and most accessible -- of this season's paddling paradises.
Central
America: Belize
If you can't decide which sounds better -- Caribbean snorkeling or
tropical-water sea kayaking -- get your fill of both in Belize. Touted as
the world's second largest reef (after Australia's Great Barrier Reef),
the Belize Barrier reef protects the country's entire coast, creating
multiple possibilities for coastal expeditions.
For
a unique, beginner-friendly paddling foray, head southeast of the Belize Barrier
reef (35 miles east of the coastal town of Dangriga) to Glover's Reef, a
National Marine Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Slickrock Adventures
(800-390-5715, www.slickrock.com) runs a
multisport resort on Long Cay, one of three islands within this mostly
underwater atoll. Scuba diving the 2,600-foot drop-offf just outside the atoll
is a big draw here, but sea kayaking from Slickrock's rustic but comfortable
"base camp" isn't too shabby either. Half-week or weeklong
all-inclusive trips ($1,350 and $1,850) start with a kayaking orientation,
including lessons in paddle strokes and water exits. Subsequent sessions include
exploring the atoll's 82-square-mile, shallow lagoon and other islands and tying
up over patch reefs to snorkel the crystalline waters, rich with sea creatures
such as barracuda, bonefish and eagle rays. If you have any energy left, head to
the waves where resort guides will teach you to windsurf and surf kayak. In
the evening noncampers will appreciate the comfy thatch-roofed cabanas (part of
the tour package) perched above the surf, as well as the Belizean cook's seafood
specialties, among them poached horseradish grouper and conch stew.
For information on this
private beach vacation, jungle/sea
combo trips, and a three-day tour visiting ancient
Mayan culture, contact Slickrock
Adventures: (800)390-5715. |
