Customer Reviews

Guide to Sea Kayaking in North Carolina: The Best Trips from Currituck to Cape Fear (Regional Sea Kayaking Series)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are a coastal paddler who plans to visit the area near the Outer Banks of North Carolina, you will not want to be without this guide.

Pam Malec has compiled an excellent trip planning guide with over 30 day trip paddle plans. Each listing has a general map of the route and describes the required skill level for the trip, wildlife & landmarks of the area, launching and landing sites, safety issues, navigational aids, and camping, lodging & restaurant options. Each trip description also includes a page of local lore (including one about an attack swan!) which really adds to the depth of the guide and to each individual trip.

A chapter on the best kayak surfing spots in the area, safety and surf etiquette and appendices listing local events & paddling clubs, recommended reading, paddlesport rental/ instruction/outfitters, National & State Parks, reserves and refuges really make this an excellent and comprehensive regional paddling guide.

I have been going to the Outer Banks for over 20 years now but am new to kayaking. I was looking for a book about kayaking trips all along the Outer Banks. I found this one and bought it. I read through it and now I have a second copy of it so I can pull the maps out to take on my trips without destroying the original.

Pam Malec knows the area really well and has plotted some excellent trips to take. She also gives some great advice on things to watch out for (bugs in Ocracoke, tidal influences, high boat traffic areas, etc) and places to stay and eat in the area of the trips. The book also gives a few history lessons on the area and other interesting facts (Ever wonder about the origin of the marshmellow? Get this book and find out!)

With her book, I have planned three different trips for my next vacation to the area.

This is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it for anyone planning to kayak along the North Carolina coast.

A wonderful timesaver for the kayaker on the Outer Banks. This well organized guide provides concise information of all the day trips in the area including launch directions. I've been on 6 of her trips already and find the information to be accurate and informative. I'd have to spend significant time gathering all this information from the locals myself. A must have book!

I used this book to plan a trip to Lake Mattamuskeet in January but the author fails to note that the lake is actually closed to kayakers every year until March 1st. Makes me wonder what else is wrong in this book.

The author needs to update this book! There are a number of trips that start on private property and should not be included. One in particular is at the Audubon Trail in Sanderling (located in the town booundaries of Duck). The only access to the sound at this point is from the Sanderling Racket and Swim Club which is private property.

I got this book approximately two weeks before we arrived at the Outerbanks. It was interesting to read all the differnt trips and how they were described in the readings. Very Very informative, detailed as to what level skill was needed and how long it would take you. It is a MUST HAVE for the outer banks. The stories in the book were focused and detailed about the wild life as well as the writer providing details about his personal experiences on his trips. My husband and I are not avid Kayakers,, but we go frequently enough to be much more than novices. Recommend this reading if you are going out to OBX amd it's great reading for the night before your trip. Because it gets you siked up for the trip knowing you have it all mapped out for you. Thank you, Let me add that the purchasing this was as easy as 123. On time shipping and in great brand new condition. Thank you... Nery R. Central NJ

I go to the outer banks a few times a year and i love to kayak. i bought this book a few months ago and finally got to do 2 of these trips last week. i did the alligator river on the mainland and the hog island trip in wanchese. both were great. very beautiful areas and fun paddles. this book was a great help. the maps and the descriptions were great. i know the outer banks very well and i had no idea where all of these put ins were. i cant wait to go back down in april and do a lot more of these trails. one thing i did on my own was i photocopied the maps and trail directions. i then cut and taped the directions onto the back of the maps and copied them again. then i took the finished product and went to kinkos and had each map lamenated. it cost me about $1 per map and it was worth every penny. i had the map on one side and mile by mile directions on the other, waterproof and easily stuck under my front deck lashings. i also took a friend with me who had a handheld garmin gps. .Garmin eTrex Legend CX Color Mapping Handheld GPS i had never used one before (never really needed one on small lakes and rivers) and was suprised how handy it was (not needed but very helpful). i may have to pick one of these up. this book is well worth the small cost. i am picking one up for my brother for christmas.

EDITED REVIEW 9/27/10
This book gets more and more worth the price every time i go to the OBX. I keep doing more and more of these trips and every one is described accurately. Also, I am finding out that there are so many boat launches that are available, but the trips in this book are the cream of the crop as far as scenic paddling spots. Stick with these and you will not be disappointed (pretty much anywhere is a good place to paddle in the OBX, but these trips really are the best spots). You don't even need to follow the mapped out trip in the book. If you don't have a lot of time, or you don't want to be out that long, these are all good places to put in and just paddle around. I have done a lot of the trips from Corrola down to Avon and have not found a bad one yet. Also, the Alligator River trip is one of my favorites, I have done it twice. I did buy this book for my brother and he was happy to recieve it. I can't speak for any of the trips below Avon, but i am sure they are all great places.

Felt that Bald Head Island trail was the not so impressed type of trail. And in fact was sort of annoying. The cost of 15.00 per person, 8.00 per child for ferry ride, and oh, by the way you must pay for the kayaks as well, at 15.00 per pop, then you get to the island, and they tell you that you can't put in where Pam indicates, that you have to truck your kayak all the way to the northern side of where the ferry pulls in (our kayaks are rather large, and heavy and with 2 kids who don't really truck their own kayaks around, this could be very crucial informaiton.

However, we have used Pam's trails up and down the outerbanks, and down wrightsville beach, and have been pretty happy overall, however, don't reccommend the Bald Head Island trip, for nothing!