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Erik Baumgartner

I started kayaking in 2001. Having spent my childhood summers on a lakeshore in New Hampshire rowing, sailing and canoeing, I thought kayaking would be a great way to get back on the water and to get some much needed exercise. That summer I bought my first kayak, an Old Town Castine, and paddled it as often as possible on every navigable inland waterway I could find. By the following summer I'd lost 25 lbs. I decided it was time to lose another quick 20...the 65 lb. Castine went in the basement and a 45 lb. Eddyline Falcon 16 went on the roof rack. I still haven't found a boat I like better. On my first ConnYak paddle in '02, I met some deranged individuals happily rolling their boats in strange positions for no apparent reason. Seemed like the thing to do, so I got a hold of Jay's 1st Roll video and have been similarly deranged ever since. I regularly use a stubby Greenland storm paddle for strong headwinds, and a nice change of pace, but will likely never give up my unfeathered Euro for general paddling/rolling duties. I live in North Haven and can be found paddling anywhere in CT or RI. I'm equally happy upside down on (in?) a pond, tooling around the Thimbles or playing in a tidal race. After finally getting a bad shoulder repaired this winter, I'm hoping to spend more time in water of the very textured variety.

My Kayaking Pictures. Click " Other Galleries"

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