If you have not kayaked before let us share with you why we think it may be your new favourite activity and why a visit to Vis Island, Croatia is the perfect place to start.
Sea Kayaking allows you to be up close to nature and the environment. You can explore hidden coves without the noise of an engine or the smell of diesel, getting closer to marine wildlife while listening to the water lap up against the shore line. Kayaking is tactile, you can feel the sea, touch the rock face of the cave as you paddle into it and when the sea is really flat you can start to imagine the vastness of the ocean.
Kayaking can be a social activity or enjoyed in solitude. You have the option of being part of a group with fellow paddlers, sharing a double kayak with new or old friends but you also have the option of heading out solo, embarking on an independent nautical adventure. Planning your equipment, preparing your route and taking yourself off on a sea kayak trip being independent of any complicated gear or engine that might fail you. As a family activity, kayaking also works really well. Unlike hiking, where younger legs get tired and parents have to cut routes short or change plans, a double kayak can be enjoyed from an early age. While kayaking together, when younger enthusiasts get tired of paddling they can sit and enjoy the open seas, pitching in when they feel a spurge of energy or the promise of a hidden cove to explore.
Kayaking is an excellent form of non impact exercise that allows you to get a great upper body workout while being in the fresh air and making the most of the environment. As a beginner, the kayak effort is focused on going straight and being effective. Once you have adapted your body position, become confident in your steering and a more capable kayaker the repetitive paddle motion is a fantastic core and arm exercise. The rhythmic motion of the paddle blade in the sea also begins to become meditative, you start to relax, allowing your thoughts to calm and your potential busy brain to quieten down.
Kayaking is easy, it’s not high maintenance. The kayak requires a little general cleaning, no major technical repair knowledge is required. If you have the basics of how to paddle, the rest becomes a matter of practicalities. We would all love to live next to the sea, with our own private beach and a fleet of kayaks, paddleboards and surf boards, but if this is not your reality then how do we fuel our kayak addiction? There are plenty of guides on choosing a kayak, but unless you have a place to store it and a location to launch it then maybe it’s worth checking out companies like ours at WearActive on Vis so you can get your paddle fix while on holiday on an unspoilt Croatian island!
Croatia is designed for kayaking. With its long coastline, thousands of islands to explore and the enchanting crystal clear Adriatic, it’s a natural paddle playground. The Island of Vis is the perfect starting point. The furthermost occupied island in the Adriatic, Vis has some of the clearest seas and quietest coves. Vis has also recently gained UNESCO Geopark status due to important geological rock formations. Examples of the magnitude of these formations can be found at Stiniva Bay on the southside of Vis.
Sea Kayaking around Vis creates opportunities to suit everyone. Vis is only 54 kilometers to kayak around and due to multiple launching options, you can always find a bay to protect you from the elements and varying wind direction. The south side of the island is often exposed and can only be paddled on a day when the wind is non existent (most of the summer!), where as the bay of Vis harbour offers protection from any southerly wind. The other bonus of kayaking in the Adriatic is that you do not have to consider tidal variations. In the UK for example, as well as waiting for a suitable weather day, you are also often at the mercy of the tide timings to launch your kayak. If you get it wrong, it can reward you with a very long drag of the kayak back along the beach! On Vis the tide is not something that you ever have to think about when planning your trip.
Vis Island has agencies that rent kayaks daily for holiday kayakers to enjoy, or companies that have organised guided day trips. We don’t offer any of these options, what we want to do is paddle with you and show you the best of the island. Together we spend the week planning our daily kayak adventure, making the most of our knowledge, experience and equipment within this beautiful location to ensure you get your fix of kayaking and feed your paddle addiction.
Ingredients
A spoonful of enthusiasm
A smothering of organic suncream
An understanding of communication
A supply of fresh drinking water
A smattering of the surfer vibe
Method
Generously apply suncream to all parts of your dry body, paying particular attention to the feet and shins. Take all the other ingredients down to the water, check the route, weather and desired destination. Pull your paddle forward, keep your head clear of negativity and enjoy.
Best accompanied with a snorkel mask and a friend, but we can also highly recommend trying it alone, maybe following it with a cold well deserved Croatian beer.
If you have any questions about kayaking around Vis we may be able to help you or point you in the right direction, send us an email with your paddle plans and share your adventures with us! Also check out our website for our kayaking holidays on Vis Island.