Besides being a lot of fun and a good workout, kayaking is also an environmentally safe way to not only enjoy the water but also to travel on the water.
With increased development, population and motorized vehicles on the water, many lakes and rivers have become very polluted.
A body of water does not simply stand still, it is a living thing that has a delicate ecosystem and is a habitat for all sorts of aquatic life including for many plants and animals.
There are many reasons why clean water has become much harder to find, but one reason that is known to not only pollute the water but greatly disrupt the ecosystem is the use of motor boats.
MOTOR BOAT PROBLEMS
As fun as it may be to speed along in a motor boat, feel the wind in your hair, the sun on your face and the spike in your adrenaline, motor boats are wrecking havoc on our ecosystem.
OIL AND GAS LEAKS
Unfortunately it is quite common for motor boats to leak oil and gas. When these substances leak into the water combined with the oil and gas that ends up in the water from cars, there are significant disastrous results.
Besides the obvious harmful effects of the oil and gas being absorbed by the aquatic life it also causes the body of water to be overfed with certain nutrients.
This changes the ecosystem of the water and causes the lake or river to age at a much faster rate than normal.
NATURAL AGING PROCESS
All rivers and lakes go through a natural aging process where over time they change from water to marsh to swamp and eventually to dry land. This process is called Eutrophication and normally takes thousands of years.
However with man’s carelessness this process is being sped up by leaps and bounds.
If you do use a motor boat it is important that it is properly maintained.
It is also important that the trailer and motor is checked before launching in a new body of water in order to remove all aquatic weeds.
A very expensive problem is the introduction of foreign plants and weeds into different waterways because of boat owners who do not clean the bottom of their boats properly.
EXCESSIVE SPEED
Another major issue with motor boats is that when they use excessive speed in water that is too shallow it causes major damage and erosion to the shoreline. This problem is evident in many lakes but the effects will be more obvious in smaller lakes.
In time this will completely ruin not only the quality of the water, but the condition of the shoreline, and all life and vegetation surrounding it.
When a motor boat uses excessive speed it disrupts the rooted vegetation and stirs up sediment and bottom nutrients. This completely disrupts the waters ecosystem and results in increased turbidity.
The ecosystem of every body of water is a very delicate balance and when one part is disrupted, the entire system will be upset.
PROTECT THE ECOSYSTEM
Here is a quick rundown of how the ecosystem of a lake works:
- The plants use sunlight, water and nutrients from the ground as well as carbon dioxide and oxygen to grow.
- Animals then eat those plants and those animals may be eaten by other animals.
- Bacteria then decomposes turning dead plants and animals back into simpler compounds which then can be used as nutrients by plants.
- For all of these things to happen there must be Oxygen.
- Decomposition is vital because without it the body of water would fill up with dead plant and animal material.
If any one of the above steps is affected by water contamination or shore erosion, the whole system is disrupted.
Hence the importance of finding safer methods to enjoy the water… such as kayaking.
WHY KAYAKING?
Kayaking is a self-powered mode of transportation that requires no gas, no oil and does not use excessive speed. Therefore it is a great eco-friendly way to get out and enjoy the water.
There is no destruction to the water, no harmful damage to the shoreline and there is no threat to the ecosystem or the aquatic life.
Plus it is super fun, a great way to connect with friends, very helpful for mental health and a fabulous workout. Kayaking is a win-win in every way!
Although you may be able to travel further distances and at a much faster rate in a motor boat, kayaking offers the advantage of being able to explore areas that motor boats could not access.
Plus with the slower speed you are able to really take in and enjoy the living environment around you without scaring the ducks, birds, fish and wildlife away.
In my experience, kayaking allows you to really connect with nature in a special way… a feeling that I have never had while riding on a motor boat.
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
There is no doubt that riding a motor boat has its advantages and there are lots of fun and thrilling activities you can do with a motorboat including water skiing and wakeboarding.
So if you find yourself using a motor boat just keep the safety of the environment in mind and keep the boat well maintained and the speed down a notch or two especially when close to shore.
However if you’re willing to take life at a slightly slower pace, kayaking as a mode of transportation on any body of water can be thrilling in its own special way.
Spending more time doing self-powered activities will help keep the water that we all want to enjoy clean, safe, alive and in existence for a very long time.
For the most convenient and portable way to get on the water take a look at these inflatable kayaks, all of which are sure to provide hours of fun on any water adventure.
Leave a Reply Cancel reply