Before You Go On A Kayak Harpeth River Trip

By Brian Price


Many would say that the great outdoor experience cannot be made complete without some sort of kayak or canoe element, just as the early explorers experienced in the past. The canoe and kayak not only led to discoveries, but in connecting people as well with each other and with nature. Most of the untouched wilderness areas can only be accessed by kayak. Thus if you are thinking of a kayak Harpeth river trip then you should finish this article.

Preparing a checklist is a practical thing to do, not only of what you need to bring materially, but how to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally as well. Use a checklist to list down things not only of what to pack but what to plan for as a well. A good checklist can never be underestimated in terms of helpfulness and value.

On top of your checklist is of course to choose where you want to go to. Definitely this is already done as you have chosen the Harpeth itself. Remember that the Harpeth is a big tributary of two Mississippi Watershed rivers, being the Cumberland and Ohio Rivers. Next will be to study the river itself in a more detailed fashion.

Try to locate where the whitewater areas are. In this case they will be located at one of the Harpeth main tributaries called the Little Harpeth. Unless you are a very skilled kayaker, stay away from this area until you can get your skills up to par. You can of course later return to these places once you have more experience.

In general the main river will be meandering but have smooth sailing. If you do not know what meandering means, it basically means that the river will take many twists and turns and so the currents will change depending on the curvature of the river path. It is advantageous to ask from seasoned guides in the area where the strong currents exist along these curves.

You should always get a good guide that has experienced. A very experienced guide will cost you a bit more money but this will also ensure that you will be safer too. Thus also ask about their safety track record when interviewing them for the job. Remember to always put a premium on your safety which of course will affect your enjoyment. A safe trip will always be a happy one.

Preparing and gearing up for the trip is a fun thing to do in terms of shopping and stuff. However, it can become a bit expensive if you are a first timer. Ask again from more experienced kayakers on what to bring and what not to. The best part also is that you do not have to run around too much as most can be bought online and delivered to you at your door.

It is also nice to make a new or separate list on things that you want to do with your group. Do sit down for a few minutes to thoroughly discuss with each other what you want to get out of the trip and how long you will want it to be. Canoe and kayak trips can be very tiring, so keep the trip as short as possible not exceeding 2 or 3 days.




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