San Maximum: Kayaking

By Austin Cowan
Blog Content Contributor

If a person desires to get the maximum San Marcos experience, than kayaking the river is a must. The water is crystal clear, and stays at a constant cool temperature year round. During the summer the river is flowing with tubers floating the river, snorkelers and families barbecuing their favorite choice of meat. With all the commotion going on at the river kayaking is the go to source of transportation, because it is easier to get away from all the crowds of river people. If a person wants to get the maximum San Marcos experience than they will soon find themselves paddling on the San Marcos River on top of a kayak.

Why kayaking the river is worth it.

•  The Nature

  

The San Marcos River is not just a beautiful stretch of water it is a unique ecosystem. The cleanliness of the water is the key to the rivers originality. Some areas of the river are so clear I have been able to see straight to the bottom, sometimes over twenty feet down! This water is all spring fed, which allows an immense amount of plant and wildlife to flourish here. Depending on the person paddling, kayaking can be a quite mode of transportation in the river allowing people to get close to nature. Fish, nutrias, snakes and birds will all come within close proximity of a kayaker as long as it is quiet.

• The Adventure

  

Kayaking is an extreme sport. For anyone seeking a little bit of adventure, with a little bit of physical activity, you need to go kayaking at Rio Vista Park. Rio Vista Park has tube shoots for the tubers in the area to ride down. Some kayakers ride down these tube shoots for fun while the most daring kayakers paddle up them. Paddling up the tube shoots is no easy task. However, the feeling of achievement one gains from completing this task is like no other.

Kayaking is not the cheapest activity to do. However, there is ways to kayak for a person on a budget. Here are some ways to gain access to a kayak.

• Rent a Kayak

Renting a kayak is easy and cheap thanks to the Outdoor Recreation Center at Texas State University which is located in Sewell Park. Kayak rentals here can be purchased for ten dollars for two hours. Texas State students can get a discount here if they show their ID. The Outdoor Recreation is right next to the river so renters do not have to lug their kayaks far. Rental kayaks here also comes equip with a paddle and a life jacket.

• Buy Your Own

Purchasing a kayak is not the cheapest short-term option. However, if kayaking is a hobby one wants to get into than it is the cheapest long-term option. Some places to buy a kayak:

• Academy Sports and Outdoors
• Dick’s Sporting Goods
• Bass Pro Shop
• Cabela’s
• Online

• Borrow From a Friend

The one thing better than owning a kayak is a friend who owns a kayak. If you borrow from a friend than the cost for kayaking is going to be free (hopefully). Just do not break your friends stuff and end up having to pay for a kayak in the end.

Kayak Equipment

Necessary:

• Kayak
• Paddle
• Life Jacket
• Helmet (for white water kayaking)

Optional:

• Speaker (waterproof)
• Camera (waterproof)
  • You cannot go wrong with a GoPro
• Food and Snacks

Kayaking is a fantastic way to see all the sights at the San Marcos River hands on. Kayaking is defiantly one of the ways to get the maximum San Marcos experience.