I love kayaking, but I’ve never kayaked rapids before. Despite a nice-looking weather report from the day before, it started out cold and rainy. But I didn’t care. I was going to kayak the Sacandaga. The advice I received at the put-in was pretty awesome: “Respect the rapids. Avoid rocks. Keep paddling.” So in I went. After holding my breath paddling past a bunch of tourists on the other side of the river, I happily tumbled down the flurry of whitewater: waves slamming along the fast shallow stretches, then floats through the calm parts of the river.

“Respect the rapids” is the best advice I’ve received in a while. :)