Vicki Churchill asked:


Many people considering taking up kayaking are put off by having the mistaken belief that it is an elitist sport and they would not be any good at it.

This is of course nonsense and just about anybody can have a go at kayaking with out the need to have an instructor teaching them first. Furthermore you do not need to have a licence or pass any test and buying a kayak especially a used kayak will not necessarily dent your wallet as much as you would think. For instance you can buy a decent entry level inflatable kayak for just a couple of hundred dollars.

However you do need to be aware that kayaking can be dangerous even on the gentlest of rivers so you should always be aware of your own capabilities and what kayak accessories you will need to get you out of trouble should the situation arise.

Here I will list some fundamental kayak accessories that you will need to have before you venture into the water.

Life Jackets

The first piece of kit on your list should be a life jacket or buoyancy aid regardless of whether you are a good swimmer or not. If you become fatigued or fall in while paddling this kayak accessory will literally save your life. Although tempting to by online always buy your life jacket or buoyancy aid from a kayak dealer to ensure you get the expert advice and the life jacket can be fitted properly.

Kayak Paddle Leash

Again another essential kayak accessory as it easy to unexpectedly lose your paddles and if you are in a strong sea current or fast flowing river your kayak paddles will be long gone without a leash leaving you stranded and at the mercy of the current.

Mobile Phone

Nearly everyone has a mobile phone and this should always be taken with you on your kayak journeys. To protect the phone you can buy a waterproof bag which will float and keep your phone dry should you drop it into the water.

Bilge Pump

If your kayak travels have taken you a fair distance out to sea or you are paddling a wide river and have unfortunately capsized there will be a good chance your kayak would have taken on water. In this instance having a bilge pump to hand will be a very welcome element of your kayak accessories as it will enable you to bail out the water. Similarly if you are paddling an inflatable kayak it would be a good idea to have an electric pump to keep your kayak inflated until you can get to safety should your inflatable kayak sustain a puncture. Obviously the electric pump will be needed to be kept in a water tight bag that floats.

There are many more kayak accessories to consider taking along on your kayak journeys but the above are by far the most vital kayak accessories to have on board.

Kate Thomas asked:


The government official spun around in his chair, kicked an empty beer bottle with his heel and stared out of the window. “North Kivu looks like heaven,” he said.

I agreed. A sunbird sang and we sat for a moment in silence, lost in the sunset. In the distance, cormorants and cuckoo hawks circled high above the glassy waters of Lake Kivu.

As the sky blackened and a plume of red smoke spurted from Nyiragongo volcano, the official took a long drag on his cigarette. “It feels like hell, my girl,” he said.

He could have been talking about any one of a number of conflict zones: the white sands of Baghdad Island, Herat in Afghanistan or Darfur’s mountainous Jebel Marra region, with its orchards, hot springs and long-drop waterfalls.

But this was Goma, once the “tourist capital of Congo” and North Kivu’s main town, perched on the northern shores of Lake Kivu, where jungle meets volcanic rock and gentle green hills.

The tourists don’t come anymore. Information centres are boarded up and the minister for tourism has turned his attention to journalists.

“The future of our province is dark,” said local resident Kennedy Ndayisenga, who once ran a successful tour company but now works as a fixer. “We don’t know where we’re going.”

Goma used to be known for its sunrises, mountain climbing and gorilla trekking. Now the city that has endured endless loss, destruction and volcanic eruptions against a perennial backdrop of conflict is in the grip of a forgotten emergency.

Since August, more than 175,000 people have fled violence in North Kivu between government troops, insurgents loyal to renegade Tutsi General Laurent Nkunda, Rwandan Hutu rebels and jungle Mai Mai militia.

Last week, the Congolese army used helicopter gunships, artillery and rocket launchers to retake the dairy farming town of Mushake – around 40 km (25 miles) from Goma – from rebels loyal to Nkunda. At least 35 soldiers, from both sides, were killed. At least 30 were injured.

Mushake was quiet when I passed through two weeks ago. Houses were empty, restaurants and drinking holes boarded up. Most of the residents had fled and only the wives and families of Nkunda’s soldiers remained. They stood around chatting in the square. One woman led me through the muddy streets to her home. We walked through a cloud of tiny baby-blue butterflies, past cattle grazing on the rolling plains, dotted with skinny eucalyptus trees and orange blossom. Now those streets are marked with blood, sweat and tears.

War zones aren’t supposed to be beautiful. And if they are, reporters probably aren’t supposed to admit it. But in Mushake, like the rest of North Kivu, it serves only to heighten the desperate situation.

The United Nations says tens of thousands of women and girls – some as young as a few months old – have been raped in the provinces of North and South Kivu in the past year alone. Deaths from hunger and preventable diseases are peaking. Villages empty as camps for internally displaced people swell.

At Mugunga IDP camp, I knelt in the black earth to conduct interviews with people who had lost everything. When I looked up, the mountains were embroidered with the gold rays of early morning sunlight.

In Goma, policemen carry rocket launchers almost as tall as them. In the countryside, children transport arms for rebels. Families shelter in schools and churches. Old men cry out for biscuits.

Yes, North Kivu is bloody beautiful. The mountains are bruised and the volcano is bleeding. Streams of blood-red lava spill over its lip. The smoky flames look like a flare, a cry for help.

This, as Joseph Conrad said, is one of the dark places of the world.

With neither tourism nor adequate news coverage, it will probably remain that way.

Visit Hakuna Matata tours Website By clicking here Rwanda tour . Mountain Gorilla tour . gorilla Tour .

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Petzl Adjama 2 Harness is a comfortable and versatile rock climbing harness with adjustable leg loops and it is highly durable. It is a fantastic harness for mountaineering and rock climbing. It is designed in such a way that it can be used in extreme climatic conditions and rock types.

Black Diamond Equipment Chaos is a rock climbing harness designed exclusively for men. Black Diamond Equipment sets the standard in outdoor gear as it is highly efficient that it can be used even under extreme cases. This rock climbing harness is very much comfortable and lightweight for long routes and hanging belays.

Mad Rock Climbing Shoes and climbing Shoes Comet Kids rock climbing harness is the basic model of harness designed for kids and also for simple use as sometimes simple is good.

Black Diamond Chaos rock climbing harness facilitates comfort over miles of rock as it is highly durable and rugged and it is a unisex harness. It stands for its quality and its usage under tough extreme situations.

Climbing Shoes Saturn is a 4-buckle titan. The Saturn provides adjustable sizes in rock climbing harness. Mad Rock Climbing Shoes Climbing Shoes Saturn is perfect for climbers who are always looking for a varied fits in their harnesses.

Metolius rock climbing harness Hydration Pack is a deluxe large sized harness and it is extremely rugged. This harness enables you to go on your climbing trips in comfort as you do not have to carry bulky luggage. This pack comes with a lot of utilities added to the existing harness used by beginners.

Singing Rock Monkey Child Climbing Harness is a type of full-body kid’s harness and is created to prevent falls in the upside-down directions, which can cause fatal accidents. It is extremely adjustable that fits almost all youth sizes and it is highly rugged.

Petzl made the Petzl Simba rock climbing harness that is for young climbers from age 5 to 10 years old so they can get after it on the rock even if they don’t fit in a sit harness. It is a basic model harness and it is very simple to use as kids cannot handle the gears having much complication in its handling.

The Petzl Sama Harness is ideal for long multi-pitch routes.

Amateur to expert climbers who are crazy for mountaineering, glacier travel, use the Petzl Adjama Harness and long alpine rock and ice routes will enjoy the lively comfort of Petzl Adjama Harness.

Singing Rock Fly Harness is a lightweight harness with very fast and efficient usage is used in rock climbing. The Singing Rock Fly Harness is popular among climbers due to its lightness and flexibility in usage.

Rhythm Harness is the award-winning Singing Rock Rhythm harness that delivers extreme comfort in an all-around performance design at a great and affordable price. Its usage is very simple and it is also extremely rugged

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


The Moab rock climbing area and Canyon lands are a paradise for avid rock climbers. The crack routes of Indian stream are legendary and require no introduction. They are relatively a short drive away from the Moab area.

To the north east of this town, you can find bouldering in places like Big Bend. This is located near the Colorado River. Moab Desert Adventures has an extensive range of climbing trips and Canyoning trips.

The day could not be more wonderful as you trek down a beautiful desert canyon. At times, the pure sandstone walls twist and turn so obliquely they make a mystery of what are there just a few footsteps down the canyon. Then you arrive at a drop that has a legendary depth. The canyon floor drops 100 feet before continuing around the next bend.

Moab rock climbing is a great experience that you will never forget from your cherishing memories. There are several rock climbing experts who are well-experienced professionals when in comes to the challenge of trekking huge canyons of Moab desert.

Rock Climbing seems a little too intense but the thrill of high places and a little rope work appeals one to take the trekking as a challenge and can give it a go. If you find a particular path is too difficult to climb you can always choose an alternative through the beautiful landscapes towards your destination.

These climbing trips are a perfect day out for the family, groups and for many adventure lovers. Climbing trips are a plethora of experiences all wrapped up in a unforgettable half day to full day outing having beautiful scenery, rappelling, hidden towers, rock art, hiking, scrambling etc.

For most of the hikers, that drop would be their cue to turn around and call it as the perfect day. If you are one who is fond of adventure you can experience activities like setting up the ropes, rappelling,etc which will be quite filled with action. Moab desert Canyoning assures you of views and experiences of places seldom visited by mankind. If you would just make the effort, you can behold spectacular views of untapped nature.

Moab rock climbing literally stimulates adrenalin from one body because it is fully packed with action and thrill. Castle ton Tower is located at just 20 minutes travel from Moab and this tower is one of the most famous climbs in the slick rock area.

Dougald MacDonald refers to the activity of rock climbing at Moab as The big daddy in one of his Rock and Ice magazines. The climb is pretty tiring and it actually takes almost the entire day to complete the climb. However, once you are done with it you will discover a new dimension of thrill in your life.

It is always advisable to hire a rock-climbing guide to assist you on your Moab rock climbing adventure. There are several rock climbing experts available, to make ones trip a pleasant, safe and thrilling experience. These rock-climbing guides provide you with all sorts of equipments required. Moab rock climbing on huge cliffs and canyons really insists one to try climbing with a proper guide because safety rather most important than thrill.

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


A kayak is a small boat that requires manual operation. Modern kayaks are classified in different categories such as sea kayaks, whitewater kayaks, surf kayaks, racing kayaks and fishing kayaks. In recent years, use of kayaks for fishing purpose in fresh and salt water has become very popular. It is more famous in the warmer regions. The fishing kayaks are specially designed similar to that of recreational sit-in and sit-on-top kayak. It is characterized by the wide beams of about 36 inches which causes the increased lateral stability.

Some of the fishing kayaks are incorporated with the outriggers for offering the stability. The newer twinhull models offer the enough stability to facilitate paddling and fishing during the standing position. Since last few years, kayak fishing has become a popular sport. The fishing kayaks are easily available and can be stored in a small space. The maintenance cost of the fishing kayak is very less and they can be launched easily.

Previously, the kayaks were the popular means of transportation. However, the fishermen find it as very sophisticated fishing equipment. Kayak fishing has got the world-wide popularity. It is famous especially among the people who like a serenity at the fishing spot and those who prefer fishing away from the crowded areas. The fishing kayak is a very convenient fishing vessel which allows the quick paddling. It is equipped with the electronic fish-finders, rod holders and live-bait containers.

The most popular fishing kayaks are molded from polyethylene due to its lower cost and durability. Usually, the kayak fishermen select the comfortable and stable designs. The twinhull kayaks offer enough stability for paddling and fishing even in the standing position. It relives you from the ergonomic problems caused by sitting for long hours. Some of the fishing kayak manufacturers develop special models for fishing purpose with built-in rod holders, specially-designed hatches, equipment mounts and catch bags.

There are several benefits of fishing from the kayak. The angler in the kayak is at the distance of few inches above the waterline. It gives a sense of intimacy to the angler that is not possible from the shore or larger boats. Another important benefit of the fishing kayak is that any part of the harbor or lake can be easily accessed. Like other big boats, it doesn’t create a motor noise that can disturb the sensitive fishing grounds. The fishing kayaks are very easy to maintain and transport. You don’t have to waste much time to find some remote fishing spots.

For operating the fishing kayak, you need to sharpen your kayaking skills. If you are the beginner, then it is better to start paddling in the lake, estuaries and harbors. You can take a class or go out with the groups of anglers. When you get enough experience, you can start with kayak fishing.

The choice of the fishing kayak is a very important factor. Sit-on-top kayaks are ideally suitable for fishing. These kayaks with open cockpit have a large storage area and are designed for appropriate stability.