Spiders

Orbweavers

Orchard Orbweaver

If you are trying to escape the sun in the shade of overhanging tree branches, you are inevitably going to get spiders in the boat. These are almost entirely harmless orbweavers - they are not aggressive and don't bite, and are not poisonous to humans, at least no more poisonous than a honey bee. That said, our brains are programmed at the most basic level to fear spiders, and I don't like them any more than anyone else. Just calmly knock it out of the boat.

Basilica Orbweaver

I hate to advocate killing something just for being what it is, and it's not like the poor creature deliberately attacked you, it fell in the boat by accident. But what else can you do? Have the heeby-jeebies for the rest of the day? It will become fish food, all part of nature's great cycle. Orbweavers are pretty big, as spiders go, and really neat if you take a close look at them. Or maybe just settle for photographs.

-- Wikipedia


So you just impulse-bought a new kayak at Walmart. Now what?

Don't take it someplace hairy for your first trip. Pick a place that is easy - shallow enough to stand up, no tides, no wind, no waves, no motorboats, no currents, no cold. Find some nice inland lake, I have quite a few of them listed. Learn how to get in and out of the boat, how to paddle, etc. Get a feel for things before you head out into the big water.

Also, figure out how to secure the boat for transport. The pool noodles and twine that you used to take the boat home from the store on the roof of the car are not suitable for the highway. Get whatever racks and tie-downs you need and figure out how to set them up properly. I always use a minimum of two completely independent tie-downs, even for the most local of trips. On the highway, double that.