tim morch

Every morning, around 11am, the fog lifts, and I carry my Feathercraft kayak to the dock. This section of Lake Alqueva is calm as I paddle out. There are only a couple of boats on mooring buoys here in Aldeia da Estrela, the occasional fishing boat on weekends, and not much more. Lake Alqueva, Portugal, is a paddler's paradise. Filled with islands and endless bays, exploring by sea kayak reveals the hidden gems.

The mouth of Malampaya Sound is chock full of rocks and we needed to run the gauntlet between them and a perilous point.

On the morning of Dec. 7, 2017, we set out from Chennai, India, aboard a pair of KTM Duke 250 motorcycles,for 28 days and over 2600 km.

The East Coast Road cuts through the Muttukadu Backwaters, an extensive estuary extending from north of Covelong to south of Mahabalipuram. In the seaside town of Mahabalipuram, we performed the standard tourist ritual, checking out the seaside temple and the old lighthouse. Walking the beach in front of “Mumu's Surf Shop”, decent waves near the temple were devoid of surfers. Touts were gentle and the beggars respectful.

Hogenakkal Falls is popular with Indian tourists who come to bathe in the pools, view the cascade, take selfies and buy tacky souvenirs.

Perhaps best of all, we knew that no matter what the weather delivered, a dry and friendly home awaited. Our friends and hosts at Green Banana brightened up the soggiest of days. Small and intimate, there is a genuine sense of family and communal living where everyone blends seamlessly.

We stumbled on the Sooksavan Cafe. Dating to 1966, the rustic French colonial building now sports WiFi and cappucino amid the nostaglia.

On the road from Villabouly to Xe Pon, we dodged potholes big enough to swallow a truck, finally turning onto a good highway to Muang...

After a smooth ride to Nong Chan, near the Vietnam border, we turned south to get lost. Just outside town, Astried had her first flat...

Imagine an exotic destination where cyan waters meet cerulean skies. Throw in a handful of downy-white cumulus clouds scudding overhead.

The Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operating canal in North America. When completed in 1832, it connected Kingston with Montreal via Ottawa. It was originally constructed to prevent against attacks from the United States and ensure the safe transfer of supplies from Montreal to Kingston. The St. Lawrence River bordering New York State left ships vulnerable and the new route prevented that. Take note: the Rideau Canal is definitely worth paddling. It is relatively

With more than 3,000 km of coastline and over 1,000 islands, it is surprising that Thailand is largely unknown to sea kayakers.