Considered the 4×4 go anywhere, do it all (but in a relaxed way) boat of choice.

Firstly, lets get this right…What’s the difference between a canoe and a kayak?

Short answer:

Canoeists sit on raised seats or kneel and use single blade paddles, bring their dogs with them and enjoy extended picnics.

Kayakers use double bladed paddles, wear bright colours, adorn something that looks like a skirt and say words like “Yo dude that boof was totally awesome!”

So where did it all start?

Oh they’re old, in fact dating back to between 8200 and 7600 BC where the first dugout canoe was found in the Netherlands of all places (we haven’t paddled there yet). Now our modern day variants have carbon fibre and composite plastic shells with comfortable seating and rigs for sailing, which is our personal favourite.

Here’s why our customers like them:

They’re comfortable, easy to learn the basics, not too wobbly and they seat two or three so you can blame someone else if you get it wrong! Did we mention you could bring your dog?

We use our canoes to take clients touring around Bath, Bristol & the South West. Here’s a guide to some canoe activities you could expect from the 5 most popular adventures we offer:

1. A relaxed day journeying down river or canal, playing games and learning new skills with friends, family and teams.
2. For the tourist in you, our half-day paddle sessions offer sights of the city and country from a different perspective. Capture those rare photos that make non-canoeists jealous.
3. For the adventurer we offer 1, 2 or 3-day canoe expeditions in Devon or South Wales, wild camping as we go. Get to grips with nature and come back recharged.
4. The bucket list trip for clients that want to achieve a lifetime goal. Last year we canoed and kayaked through central London, out with the tide on the river Thames and back again, making sure we got enough pictures to prove we really did it!
5. Forget canoeing, that’s so 7600BC, I fancy trying kayaking or stand up paddleboarding instead. Great, we offer all these activities through the Original Wild website & Facebook page.

So there you have it. The versatile canoe can go for month-long expeditions through the Amazon, lugging all your equipment, food and transportation, to flying off huge waterfalls in North America, fully equipped with the latest safety gear leaving kayakers astonished at your level of awesome.

Whatever experience, if you choose to canoe make sure you stay safe, do some research and plan ahead. Always take the camera for those unforgettable Original Wild experiences.

For more details on canoeing and help planning your trip, visit originalwild.com

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for the latest offers and we hope to see you on the river sometime soon.