It's All About Family

Veteran paddler Dan Millsip reflects on watching his children grow up on the water, and offers tips on how to instill a love of paddlesports in youngsters. From the Spring 2010 issue of Coast&Kayak Magazine. Read the entire magazine online.

by Dan Millsip

It’s early morning as I head silently away from the beach, each paddle stroke quietly moving me along Isaac Lake. This is day three of our ten-day trip on the Bowron Lakes and it’s a glorious day of sunshine on absolutely flat calm water. My 14 year old son, John, and my 11 year old daughter, Maddie, set off about ten minutes before me in the double kayak. I’m about a kilometre away from the Wolverine Creek campsite and I can hear my kids in the distance ahead of me. They’re singing a song from the Lion King. The melody drifts back to me and I have a sense of exhilaration as I realize that my children are together enjoying the peaceful and tranquil environment that paddling provides.

It’s a good day.

My three children have been paddling with me for several years now and sitting in a kayak has become almost a weekly experience for them. Since the ages of 3 and 5, my two daughters accompanied me in my double kayak, both in the front cockpit together until they were too big to share the single seat, then I would take them one at a time. My son, by age 12, was able to paddle up to 40 kilometres a day with me in the double kayak and had logged more paddling trips than most people four times his age.

I learned a few things along the way with the kids, the least of which is that kids are a great deal of fun to take paddling. But it’s important to do it on their terms and not push them, or expect too much from them, especially when they are young. By far, the most important lesson that I learned from paddling with kids is that it has to be fun – all the time – and that takes a bit of thought and effort to make happen.

I learned a few lessons and developed a few “tricks” along the way – some for the benefit of my kids, some for my benefit, but all to make every experience one that we would all look back upon with great fondness.

The boat

The first kayak I owned was a wooden double that I built from a kit in 2002. I started out with a double so that I could take my kids paddling with me. I considered single kayaks but knew realistically that the kids would not be able to paddle any great distance by themselves until they were quite a bit older. One of the primary considerations of getting into kayaking was to get away from the city, so it was rather defeating if we could only go a few kilometres at a time. The double kayak gave us much more range and the ability to carry a good amount of camping gear. While a double may not be for everyone, it was a good choice for us.

Choosing a destination

Where to go depends upon a lot of things, but mostly upon your child’s age, size, personality and physical capabilities. When kids are youngsters, they can’t sit still as long as older kids and will get a bit anxious after the scenery no longer holds their attention. Selecting a destination where there are a few stops along the way will give them a break and make the trip seem shorter.

It’s also important to consider your own limitations, especially if you’re the primary paddler in a double. A good headwind can be extremely demanding when paddling solo in a boat designed for two. From experience I can tell you that the kids have a blast when they’re crashing over waves in three-foot chop, but it’s a lot of work for the person paddling solo in the back.

It wouldn’t be until my eldest daughter was 10 that she had the strength to help out with the paddling. But even at ten years old, she couldn’t paddle for very long with those skinny little arms. I quickly adopted the attitude that I’d be going for a workout paddle and do all the paddling when my kids were with me in the double. Our destinations remained within distances that I felt I could comfortably paddle for the two of us, even if the weather should turn a bit rough.

Planning the trip

Whether planning for an afternoon trip or for two weeks of camping, kids will feel like they’re an integral part of the adventure if they have an active part in what’s going on. I would often choose two or three different locations and let the kids make the final choice. They would look at maps or charts and decide where they want to stop along the way. For camping trips, everyone on the trip can and should help with meal planning and decide ahead of time who is going to do what chores around camp.

Comfort and warmth

There are three things that everyone must have for a comfortable trip: to be warm, to be dry and to be well nourished. Take away one of those things and you can probably still have a pretty good time. Take away two of those things and you’re likely not to finish the trip with a smile on your face. Take away all three and you’re going to be miserable.

Kids especially seem to feel the effects of being dehydrated or malnourished quicker than adults. Always be sure to have some snacks and fluids handy when paddling. I encourage the kids to drink water and have a bit to eat if they feel the slightest bit thirsty or hungry – it keeps them happier.

Clothing is of vital importance if you’re traveling in colder, damp climates. A paddling jacket and rain hat will keep kids dry while in the boat. If paddling in colder months, bring a pair of gloves or mitts to keep hands warm, and if your child is more sensitive to cold temperatures, get them a pair of pogies to keep their hands warm. This is advisable if even for wet hands. And a warm hat is a must.

Don’t forget that if your kids are small and aren’t paddling, they’re not generating body heat like you are, so they need additional layers of clothing to keep warm. A piece of half-inch blue foam padding is inexpensive and can be picked up at most outdoor stores. It works great as additional insulation under the feet and legs.

On the water

Ever since we started kayaking, we’ve always stopped at a supermarket along the way to pick up "deck snacks.” Deck snacks are comprised of whatever the kids are in the mood for – granola bars, fresh fruit (my kids love fresh pineapple cut into bite sized pieces), candy, jerky, chips, smoked salmon, whatever they want. Allowing them the choice made it that much better for them. We did find out the hard way that gummy bears on a hot summer day are a very sticky and gooey mistake. Even though the kids are much older now (the eldest is 18), we still never go paddling without deck snacks.

Practice safety techniques whenever you can. We spend a lot of time in the water playing games and practicing self-rescue techniques. Playing games like seeing who can stand up in the kayak, or throwing your paddle out in front like a harpoon and then paddling with hands to retrieve it are all fun but also teach good water skills.

In the summer months when the water is warmer, we quite often purposefully capsize the boat. Oftentimes I would do this when the kids were least expecting it. It taught the kids to be comfortable in the water and to stay calm and not panic in a capsize situation, and it also taught them re-entry techniques.

When your kids start helping out with the paddling, don’t push them too hard. Unlike adults who can recover from tiredness with a short rest, kids tend to reach their limit and that’s all there is. It’s best to avoid this situation and make sure that the distances and lengths of time that you paddle are well within their limitations.

Around Camp

Regardless of their age, give your kids tasks to do when reaching camp. Have them help unload the kayak, set up the tent and tarp, gather firewood, prepare meals and help with the after-dinner clean up. Bring a couple of favourite small toys to keep younger kids amused, but the best thing to do with young kids is explore the area around your campsite. Let them lead the way. I’ve never met a kid who didn’t like to explore and throw rocks in the water. It keeps them busy and it helps them sleep better at night.

As my kids got older, I had to come up with even more creative ideas to keep them occupied. A bunch of Sharpie pens and a dry bag as a canvas created countless hours of drawing fun (and they still use those artsy dry bags today). I’m fortunate that my kids like reading so when we go camping we always take a few books with us.

We also do a lot of swimming in the warmer months and almost always take snorkelling gear with us. Another thing that I’ve found works well to keep kids occupied is to pick up a few field guides. There’s nothing like a book or two about tidal creatures to keep them busy for several hours at a time when the tide is out. When the tide is in, bring out the field guides for identifying birds and plants.

It’s all good

If you’re wondering whatever happened to that double kayak that my kids and I spent so much time in, we found that after everyone was paddling single kayaks, the double wasn’t getting a lot of use anymore. After six years of excellent adventures we decided to sell it to a nice couple who went on to paddle the north end of Vancouver Island with it.

When the new owners took delivery, my youngest daughter Rachel cried. I realized at that moment as we watched the boat head down the street on top of the new owners’ vehicle, that the old double kayak was much more than just a boat. It was a big part of the kids’ lives and a symbol of much happiness and fantastic experiences.

I gave Rachel a big hug and turned my head away so she wouldn’t see the tear that had formed in my eye. A page had turned, but more paddling adventures are on the horizon.

Dan Millsip has been paddling the shores of BC for most of his life. He is one of the founders of www.westcoastpaddler.com, a website focused primarily on kayaking in BC.

Related articles:

Building on the Fun. Teen Maddie Millsip puts her heart, and a bit of muscle, into building what has become much more than just a kayak.

The Sea is My Backyard. Champion surfer Adam Harvey shares his thoughts on how family helped motivate his love for kayak surfing that tranformed him into a world champion.

Whetting Young Appetites. Vancouver Island Paddlefest picks Family Paddling as its 2010 theme.