River kayaking with a family of 6 is no small task! We're so very fortunate to have this gorgeous river just outside our property, but it's still not an easy trek getting there and keeping a 5 year old and 2 year old patient and content. Will we make it without tears or tantrums? You'll have to watch to find out!
Hey there folks! So, with our road trip and then having house guests, and all the rain in between, it just hasn't really felt like summer up until a couple days ago, when we finally got the old kayaks down (and picked up a couple little ones for the girls) and hit the water.
While we had kayaked a handful of times back in California, last year we decided that living in the heart of N. Idaho with all these beautiful lakes and rivers, we just had to invest in something we could do as a family. We were trying to stay within our budget and also leave no one on the bank, so last year's set up began as 2 tandem kayaks that could hold all 6 of us.
This is what our first venture looked like:
It was a bit cramped, but at the time, the kids were 11, 7, 4 & 1 and we didn't want one adult stuck on land, however we quickly learned that with that much commotion we were scaring the fish away before we even got our lines in the water.
Fortunately, we had relatives come up for a visit that really enjoyed one of our tandems so they bought it and we bought a fishing kayak for @guntotnhippie. It's intended as a single, but he can still comfortably carry a child with him. This happened at the season, so we only got to take it out a couple times before fall was upon us.
Fast forward to this summer and our now 12 yr old was ready for her own rig, so we got her an 8 ft kayak and a little 5 ft for the 8 yr old so that she can putt around, but still has the option to ride with one of the adults.
It's a tight fit, but we manage to get all 4 kayaks onto the back of our F-350. The tandems are heavy, but for now a necessity. I imagine once the kids are older, we'll each have singles, but for now we can hit the water as a family and not worry about who has to stay on shore.
This was our first time hitting a river and my husband took our 2 older kids the day before to make sure it was clear and safe. This river happens to cut right by our property, but there's a window for kayaking it. It floods severely and is very fast in the spring, but then drops significantly in the summer. There were some spots we had to walk because the water was so low, but other spots we walked because the water was too turbulent.
On one particular turn, my oldest daughter, @tonks, hit the brush just right and it actually rolled her right out of her kayak. It was terrifying to watch as a mother. We all had life vests and she popped right out from under the kayak, but my husband and I each had one of our boys with us (5 & 2) so we couldn't abandon our rigs to help her right away. I say that because it seemed like an eternity, but my husband actually got his kayak safely on the sand within seconds and was at her side.
Good thing too, because I guess I froze watching her and next thing I knew, my son and I ended up in the same spot. I was able to hold on to the brush and with our kayak being wider and more stable, we held on until my husband tossed us a rope and pulled us out.
I have always had a healthy respect for water. I know it's power. I've always liked to swim, but never been one to take risks in the water. However, I still wasn't prepared to see my little girl get flipped so easily. She is a strong swimmer and a resilient child. She stayed strong until everyone was out safely and then broke a bit, but recovered herself and continued the trip watching out for everyone else as she always does. She has such a "mama-hen" spirit about her.
Anyway, I wish I'd caught some footage of those rougher areas, but it was all hands on the paddles to get through those areas safely. In any case, I hope you enjoy some lovely N. Idaho scenery, including our walk through forest and what we call our little jungle to get to the river.
We're by no means any kayaking experts, but we've learned a lot about getting the kayaks safely loaded and transported and keeping kids busy while floating around. I'd love to answer any questions you may have or read any advice you might have to offer! Especially in the area of water shoes? Mine let in tons of sand and rocks which made lugging a heavy canoe, or a 5 yr old that much harder. With such long winters and rainy seasons, my feet which used to be tough and outdoorsy have softened.
Anyway, as always, thanks for stopping by!
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