Paddling guide
full of useful tips

By Tim Ryan
Star-Bulletin

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Paddling Hawaii: By Audrey Sutherland, revised edition, University of Hawaii Press, 280 pages, $16.95

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Why paddle Hawaii? The revised "Paddling Hawaii" by Audrey Sutherland gives you 23 reasons, including:

Vacation in an oceanfront suite with a waterfall for $5 a day;

Float those 60 pounds rather than backpack them;

Be a powerful paddler even if you have bum feet, ankles, knees, are paraplegic or an amputee;

Roll overboard and hear the whales sing.

The book is divided into two sections: "How To" and "Where To" and explains cruising, exploring and seeing the Hawaiian Islands and their coastal waters from small, paddle-powered boats. The volume also touches on racing and sailing but is primarily about kayaks, specifically sea kayaks.

"How To" describes how to paddle, necessity gear, safety, and planning and packing.

"Where To" suggests various guide books and all the paddling possibilities in Hawaii including shorelines, rivers, offshore islets, and easy and difficult day trips.

Hawaii is an ideal place to kayak for several reasons, especially the warm water -- be careful to avoid sunburn -- and spectacular scenery. But remember, the book warns, to be vigilant about the surf, which makes most landings here wave-assisted, or as author Sutherland writes, "semi-controlled."

"Paddling Hawaii" is for beginners as well as expert paddlers. There are lots of detailed route descriptions for all the major islands covering departure and landing spots, interesting stops and sights along the way, and likely campsites for overnight stays. But much of the information in "Paddling Hawaii" will be helpful wherever in the world you paddle.