Canoe Touring

A Baltic Sea holiday and canoe touring go very well together. First, there are the coastal waters that can be explored by canoe. In addition, canoe touring is possible on numerous waterways connected to or located near the Baltic Sea. Sea kayaking is possible in all coastal waters without exception and is one of the most demanding forms of active vacationing on—and, in this case, in—the Baltic Sea. Among the most popular canoeing areas near the Baltic coast are the Oder river system with the Peene, the only unspoilt river valley in Central Europe; the Mecklenburg Lake District; the lake region of Holstein Switzerland; the fjords along the northwestern German and Danish Baltic coasts, from Kiel Fjord to the Limfjord in Denmark; the many Swedish rivers that flow into the Baltic, from the Göta älv on the west coast to the Torne älv at the northern tip of the Gulf of Bothnia; the Vistula river system with the Masurian lakes; and, last but not least, the Drawsko Lake District near Poland’s western Baltic coast.

Canoe tourers are usually enthusiasts who set out on longer trips, unlike day-trippers, who prefer excursions lasting just a few hours. This means that a canoe tour requires knowledge that no one should set out without; the necessary practical experience can then be gained along the way. Even those trying canoeing for the first time should be familiar with the basic techniques to avoid unpleasant surprises. A useful way to acquire the necessary knowledge in a short time is the small, handy guidebook “Canoe Touring” from the OUTDOOR series published by Conrad Stein Verlag. The author, graduate biologist Rainer Mareik, has been canoeing in Europe and North America since the mid-1980s and shares the most important basics with readers. Along with information on suitable materials, dimensions, shapes, accessories, repairs and transport techniques, the book covers paddling techniques, choosing between a kayak and a Canadian canoe, launching and landing, route planning, paddling in pairs and in white water, packing, negotiating locks and obstacles, weather, and—last but not least—how to behave in unspoilt natural surroundings while camping.

Rainer Mareik
Canoe Touring
Outdoor Handbook, Vol. 11
Conrad Stein Verlag, 5th revised edition, 2005
124 pages, 43 drawings and 21 black-and-white illustrations
Format: 16.5 x 11.5 cm
ISBN 3-89392-311-X
€7.90 [D] / CHF 14.60

Information about Conrad Stein Verlag