For Lynn and Mark Schorn there’s no debate. If they’ve got time on their hands, you’ll find them on the water in their kayaks.
“We live on Gamble Bay,” said Mark. “So, quite often, we just put our kayaks in the water by our house and kayak up to Port Gamble and back. That’s about a 4-mile trip.”
For them, that’s an easy, enjoyable route. But the couple, who have been kayaking together for more than 20 years, also enjoys the rough routes, too. They’ve done a six-week trip in the waters off southeast Alaska. In fact, for years they acted as guides and took other kayakers on trips near Vancouver Island, Canada and Alaska.
“Each year we’d take a family trip, too,” Mark said. “We’d spend five days on the water, camping on the beaches and taking everything we needed with us in the boat.”
Actually, he said, kayak camping beats hiking and camping any day.
“When you hike, you have to carry everything on your back,” he said. “With the kayak, you can pack all the weight in compartments in the front and rear of the boat.”
Most kayaks can carry 300 pounds, according to manufacturers.
For the Schorns, they’ll pack a tent, sleeping bags, camp stove and other necessities. And then, they’d go to local stores along their route to where they camp to buy fresh produce and other items.
Their enjoyment of kayaking comes mostly from what they see from their boats.
“The sea life you can see is just amazing,” said Lynn. “We’ve seen starfish, orcas, gray whales and humpback whales in Alaska. We’ve also seen porpoises, sea lions and all kinds of birds including eagles.
“You’re right there on the water and seeing everything at eye level. Just scanning the horizon, you see so much more than you do from land.”
“Being on the water also teaches kayakers about tides and currents. You get an expertise about your own marine world,” Lynn said.
And because it is quiet on the water, kayakers can enjoy the sounds of nature, she said.
Mark’s first trip in a kayak was in 1982 with a friend. He is originally from Minnesota.
“We went to Telegraph Cove in B.C.,” he said. “It was a magical trip. We saw whales.”
From that point on, he was hooked. When he met Lynn in the late 1980s, she joined him on the water. Having grown up in Colorado, she was already a pro. She’d kayaked white-water rapids.
“That’s the only time I’ve flipped a kayak,” Lynn said.
Kayaking isn’t as expensive as some may think, they say. But before purchasing a kayak, they suggest renting one.
“Try different boats out,” said Mark. “See what you like and make sure it’s a sport you want to invest in.”
Typical equipment including a kayak, a paddle, a safety vest could run about $2,500. And if you add a rack to your car to carry a kayak, that can stretch the costs toward $5,000.
There are some maintenance costs annually, including cleaning your kayak.
Kayaks can weight from 50 to 70 pounds, depending on the material it’s made of. Options include fiberglass, plastic, Kevlar and wood.
A kayak is described as a small, narrow boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic Inuktitut language, where it is the word “qajaq.”
The Schorns also stress that there are trailers for kayaks that allow for loading and unloading by only one person. Hence, the sport is a good one for singles who want solitude on the water.
Some people prefer a double or tandem kayak where two people can paddle together. And there’s even a triple kayak, with a seat in the middle often used for couples with a child.
“We did that one year,” Lynn said. “We put our baby in the middle hatch and she just played.”
Now that baby, their daughter Tess, is 19 years old and works as a guide for kids who kayak.
The Schorns, who are physical therapists, are proud to live in an area that cherishes its waterways. They’ve traveled a few of the trails in the Kitsap Water Trails, including Fort Flagler and Hood Head, and are pleased that it received a national distinction.
“It took a lot of time and effort to put it together,” Mark said. “It involves multiple cities and ports. It’s taken someone like John Kuntz who pushed a dream, even at a huge expense, to get this accomplished.”
Water Trails Festival
What: Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails Festival
The festival features paddle/dive demos, booths, entertainment and food. The official dedication ceremony is 1 p.m. Saturday, June 27 on the Silverdale Waterfront.
When: June 27 to 28
Where: Silverdale Waterfront Park, Keyport and Brownsville Marinas.
Info: Get all the details at WaterTrailsFestival.com.
