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| Canoeing and Kayaking |  Kayaking and canoeing is popular among those who like diving, fishing and adventures due to their range and adaptability. People like this activity as it gives them a complete access to all the unexplored parts of river nature. Besides, it also provides relaxation and seclusion to people who are looking for calmness.
Canoeing is the name of a float trip, in other words, it is paddling a canoe with a recreation purpose. A canoe is propelled with only a human muscle power. Kayaking differs from canoeing by sitting position of paddler and the amount of blades on the paddle. In kayak paddler sits with his legs extended in front of him. Canoeist is usually kneeling or sitting with his legs more or less beneath him. Canoes are usually open boats, whereas kayaks are closed-deck boats.
There is a classification of kayaks according to their intended use. There are 6 fundamental kinds of kayaking, such as slalom, surf, whitewater, touring, day tripping and general recreation. From this primary classification arise a number of sub-classes (for example, fishing kayaking).
Styles of canoeing/kayaking:
1. Recreation styles. Recreational aspects of canoeing are not strictly defined. Some forms of kayaking may be organized ay national level as individual, group and club activity. Its goal is simply to have fun on the water.
- Whitewater – paddling down whitewater rivers just for fun, relaxation or getting away from routing way of life. It can be performed in a different ways from a form of short local trips on calm rivers to an extreme expedition in remote destinations for many days carrying all equipment.
- Sea kayak. It is a touring kayaking on the sea. It can vary from a one day trip to a year-long expedition. This style kind usually requires navigational skills.
- Canoe camping. It combines canoe touring, tripping or cruising with camping.
2. Sport styles – sprint, slalom, marathon, canoe polo, white water racing, and canoe sailing. These styles were established by International Canoe Federation which also created the standard rules for the different disciplines of kayak/canoe competition.
3. Unclassified styles.
- Playboating. It is a kind of canoeing where competitors performs tricks in standing waves, such as surfing, cartwheels, flat spins and crave for receiving points for the variety of moves performed.
- Dragon Boat. It is also called Chinese dragon Boats. Generally there are about 18-20 paddlers per boat plus a helmsman and a drummer. This style is really funny and makes you to work in team.
- Extreme racing. Some excitement is involved in this style, as it is a kind of competition which means racing down dangerous whitewater rivers.
- Outrigger canoeing. It is a Hawaiian state sport. It is a racing of traditional Pacific Ocean outrigger canoes. Standard canoes in this style carry six people.
- Surf skiing. It’s a canoeing equivalent of surfing, conveyed in specialized surf kayak.
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