models. Material choices for today’s
kayaks are mainly wood, plastics,
and inflatable rubber. My first kayak
was an inflatable Sevylor which was
inexpensive and fun but a poor choice
for a boy who had a passion for fishing.
Sharp fish hooks and fillet knives
don’t combine well with a rubber boat
unless you are extremely careful and
gentle! Of course most boys are not.
A better choice for the lake is a sturdy
polyethylene one person model, like
my 14 foot Old Town. Kayaks are
more maneuverable than canoes and
I prefer them for solo outings.
To get outfitted with essential
gear, an experienced paddling friend
or reputable dealer is the best person
to ask. A U.S. Coast Guard approved
Personal Flotation Device is a must to
haveonboard, and I highly recommend
wearing one if you are paddling in
water depths over your head. The
choices of paddles are numerous
and should fit you appropriately.
Waterproof containers, ropes, bailers,
and pads are all important gear that
will make your paddling experience
more enjoyable.
Wildlife viewing, fishing, and
aerobic exercise are some of the
many benefits of paddling sports.
People of all ages can get in on the
fun. Car-topping or loading your
kayak on a pontoon boat will give
you the portability to gain access to
the beautiful backwaters of Smith
Mountain Lake. Pack a picnic and
beverage of your choice, and you will
be set to appreciate all the peace and
tranquility that our lake has to offer in
a human-powered boat. Resources
online for getting more out of these
great sports are available at www.
americancanoe.org,
.
net,
and www.
usack.org.
Erich Faber is a Smith Mountain
Lake businessman and regular
contributor to this magazine
Kayaking Continued...
Wake Zone
watersports
you need for
fun on the
water!
Every
thing
Conveniently located at Bridgewater Plaza
16440 Booker T Washington Hwy, Moneta, VA 24121
Phone: (540) 721-9253
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The largest selection of
wakeboards, wake surfers,
wake skates, water skis
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We’d love to hear from you!
It’s always great to hear from our readers. We enjoy receiving your
comments, suggestions, puzzle solutions, and any photos and articles that you care to submit to us.
Please understand that it is not always possible to answer everyone, but we do read everything that we get.
If you would like to submit a photograph or article for consideration, please observe the following guidelines:
• We cannot return the items that you submit; please do not send originals
• For best quality, digital photos must be high resolution (300 dpi)
• Images taken from websites are generally of lower resolution and therefore unusable
• Articles should be relevant to SML or the immediate area, including:
• History of the area
• Interesting personalities in the community
• Adventures, life experiences, etc. of people with strong ties to the lake
• SML clubs, organizations, churches
• Culture and the Arts at the lake
• Fiction and humor from local writers
While we encourage everyone to submit anything of his or her choosing, we cannot guarantee that we will use your
submission(s). Anything that is used may appear in any subsequent issue of the magazine. We discourage readers from
submitting the following types of content:
• News stories, political opinion and other topical pieces that “age” quickly
• Book reviews, restaurant and theater reviews
• Event driven stories, although we may print a photo or two from time to time
• Articles designed to promote or advertise a specific business
Please send submissions to:
Discover SML Magazine
P.O. Box 880, Moneta, VA 24121
Ginny Brock was recently featured in the
pages of Discover Smith Mountain Lake
in an article in which we discussed her
communications with her late son, Drew.
We are pleased to announce that
Ginny’s recently released book, “By
Morning’s Light”: The True Story of a
Mother’s reconnection with Her Son in
the Hereafter, has been nominated in the
nonfiction category for the 16th Annual
Library of Virginia Literary Awards.
The purpose of the awards is to honor
Virginia authors, their publishers, and
their literary contributions. Virginia
can be justly proud of its remarkable
literary culture, which has produced so
many noted authors past and present.
Among those who have been honored are
Barbara Kingsolver, R.T. Smith, Deborah
Eisenberg and Edward P. Jones.
Or via e-mail to:
Discover Smith Mountain Lake
Summer 2013
38
