MELANGE-Summer 2019

Kayak
BLACK HILLS
If you’re eyeing the warmer
weather with a vision of the water,
you’re not alone.
The Outdoor Campus West (OCW) is geared up
again this year to offer kayaking and canoeing
opportunities on local lakes. Keith Wintersteen,
Group Program Naturalist at the OCW, says nonmotorized
water activities are a great way to get
up-close-and-personal with the water, wildlife
and sometimes your fear.
“We put people out on the water, and we find
out really quickly who really wants to kayak,”
he says, laughing. “Some people realize they just
want to be in a big boat with someone else doing
the work. Other people want to get out, build up
a sweat, jump in the water, explore.” Either way
is good, he says, as long as people get out and
enjoy the outdoors.
As non-motorized water
activities go,
paddleboards
have seen a rise in popularity, he notes. “You
now see paddleboard yoga enthusiasts on lakes
when the water is really calm,” Wintersteen said.
But in the Black Hills, kayaks still take the cake.
Often more affordable and portable than a canoe,
kayaks are a great way to get out on the water
to fish, play and explore. Kayaks are easy to load
and quick to maneuver in the water, Wintersteen
says. Plus, you can typically buy one for under
$200.
“What’s fun with fishing in a kayak is that
there’s a real connection with the wildlife and
fish because you are so close,” he points out.
“And you can get to places in a kayak that
people in boats can’t.”
However people choose to get in the water this
summer, Wintersteen encourages them to get out
of their comfort zones. “If you’re never willing
to try anything new, you might get stuck in a
rut, not learn or grow, and miss out,” he says.
“It’s safe if you follow the rules and it’s not that
scary. Try it.”
PROSE KAYLA GAHAGAN
24 melangeblackhills.com | SUMMER 2019
MÉLANGE | a mix of Adventure fun 25