We have all heard the term "car camping". But few consider trading in the car (no pun intended) in favor of loading your life's necessities into a kayak and heading downstream for a truly fun and exciting camping experience.
Steps
1
Kayak camping requires having a kayak large enough for you and the items that will be required to sustain yourself in the wilderness for the duration of your expected camping excursion. Whether it is a sit inside type or sit on top of kind, it is entirely up to you. In my experience, the sit inside one offers a much better opportunity to pack more "comforts of home" than the sit on top variety. At the very least, the kayak should have a spot that is covered and waterproof so you can store items that you would never want to get wet if you rolled/tipped over.
2
It very helpful on the issue of dryness to purchase specially made plastic bags called, logically, "dry bags" to transport food, clothing and toiletries for a trip. They can be purchased at most sporting goods stores. These bags come in clear or colored and are a heavy duty plastic which roll to close first and then clip shut. Should you take on water during a trip, if using these bags, your items are sure to stay dry. Do not overpack a dry bag because the open end needs to be rolled several times to create a watertight seal.
3
Camping in the wilderness requires a different set of packing skills with the primary focus being on survival before comfort. Starting in the most logical place, you will need water. The best estimates are a gallon a day per person times the number of days you expect to be on the river. You will use this water for drinking and cooking. There are numerous storage devices that you can purchase or simply use water already bottled. Of course, you have to remember that what leaves with you will come back in the form of trash. Keep in mind that packing all your water can add a lot of weight to your kayak which, if not properly stowed below the center of gravity, may make the kayak less stable and more likely to capsize. An alternative to packing water is to use a water purification system. Purifiers can render viruses inactive using either a chemical or electrostatic process. They are available at most stores where camping equipment is sold.
4
The range of food is up to you. It can be so simple as freeze dried gourmet selections of chicken chili and soups or meals you pack for yourself. If you are new to this sport, take some time to research this topic. There are several good books out on kayak camping meals that will truly inspire you to cooking great meals on the trip.
5
What cook ware you take will again depend on room in your kayak and what you intend to eat. If you are boiling water to add to soups and other pouched meals, then a backpacker's stove and a small set of collapsible stackable dishes/pots will suffice. If you are going to cook full meals, however, you should invest in a better quality white gas stove.
