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Carlos Barreto takes a quick photo with members of the Quad Cities Kayaking Club as they get ready to embark on one of their weekend paddles down the Rock River from Cleveland, IL.
Let’s Move Quad Cities celebrates the spirit and determination Quad City area residents take to promote movement and fitness. To learn more about the popularity of kayaking in the QC, we welcome guest blogger Carlos Barreto, President, and Founder of the Quad Cities Kayaking Group.
Kayaking is Why I Move
by Carlos Barreto, Quad Cities Kayaking Group
How long have you been kayaking?
Carlos Barreto, President, Quad Cities Kayaking Club
I’ve been kayaking for six years.
Is it a hard sport to learn? What skills are required?
Kayaking offers a unique opportunity to get outside and explore nature. Kayaking is fun, great exercise, and suitable for all abilities.
Once you know how to kayak, you can explore any type of waterway, no matter where you live. Like any watersport, preparing for a kayaking adventure takes a bit of planning. You also need to learn the basic paddle strokes and safety techniques to stay safe on the water.
Are they paddles or oars?
To kayak, we use a double-bladed paddle, unlike canoeing, where you’d use a single-blade oar.
Does kayaking help keep you fit?
Kayaking is a great way to help you stay fit because it requires using your core and upper body to paddle. Kayaking can be a nice scenic lazy float around your lake, or it can be a great cardio and low-impact workout!
Tell us about the Quad City Kayak Club
The Quad Cities Kayakers Group was formed 5 years ago, and we are outdoor enthusiasts of all ages who love nature. We are a very active group and have weekly paddles together during the summer. In the winter, we stay in touch during monthly meetings where we discuss the new year’s adventures and destinations.
The sport of kayaking has been gaining popularity for the past several years, but with the pandemic, it has grown by the thousands in a short couple of years!
What are your paddling adventures like?
Most of our paddles consist of flat water paddling on our area rivers and lakes, However, we are a very versatile group with some white water, touring, sea, and racing kayakers within the group.
Where is your favorite place to kayak?
We love to go anywhere there is an adventure! The sights and sounds of being out in the wilderness, far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, are wonderful.
We have paddled most of the rivers and lakes in the QCA. Once a year, the group travels down to the Current River in Missouri, an all-spring-fed river and a favorite destination for kayak enthusiasts across the nation.
What kind of wildlife encounters do you have?
On our paddles, it is common to see eagles, herons, turkeys, hawks, beavers, river otters, and minks. The Current River, in Missouri, has many otters and minks that love to play and swim in the swift and cold 59-degree water.
What is your bucket list kayak adventure?
I would love to paddle the beautiful waters of New Zealand
Are you looking forward to Floatzilla?
Everyone in the QCKG always looks forward to the Floatzilla event. River Action is a great organization, and we support them as much as we can. We both love to help protect and promote the Quad Cities’ waterways and our natural resources.
To learn more information about the Quad Cities Kayak Club, click here.
Check out the photos from the club’s paddle down the Rock River …
Kayaking is Why I Move
by Carlos Barreto, Quad Cities Kayaking Group
How long have you been kayaking?
Carlos Barreto, President, Quad Cities Kayaking Club
I’ve been kayaking for six years.
Is it a hard sport to learn? What skills are required?
Kayaking offers a unique opportunity to get outside and explore nature. Kayaking is fun, great exercise, and suitable for all abilities.
Once you know how to kayak, you can explore any type of waterway, no matter where you live. Like any watersport, preparing for a kayaking adventure takes a bit of planning. You also need to learn the basic paddle strokes and safety techniques to stay safe on the water.
Are they paddles or oars?
To kayak, we use a double-bladed paddle, unlike canoeing, where you’d use a single-blade oar.
Does kayaking help keep you fit?
Kayaking is a great way to help you stay fit because it requires using your core and upper body to paddle. Kayaking can be a nice scenic lazy float around your lake, or it can be a great cardio and low-impact workout!
Tell us about the Quad City Kayak Club
The Quad Cities Kayakers Group was formed 5 years ago, and we are outdoor enthusiasts of all ages who love nature. We are a very active group and have weekly paddles together during the summer. In the winter, we stay in touch during monthly meetings where we discuss the new year’s adventures and destinations.
The sport of kayaking has been gaining popularity for the past several years, but with the pandemic, it has grown by the thousands in a short couple of years!
What are your paddling adventures like?
Most of our paddles consist of flat water paddling on our area rivers and lakes, However, we are a very versatile group with some white water, touring, sea, and racing kayakers within the group.
Where is your favorite place to kayak?
We love to go anywhere there is an adventure! The sights and sounds of being out in the wilderness, far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, are wonderful.
We have paddled most of the rivers and lakes in the QCA. Once a year, the group travels down to the Current River in Missouri, an all-spring-fed river and a favorite destination for kayak enthusiasts across the nation.
What kind of wildlife encounters do you have?
On our paddles, it is common to see eagles, herons, turkeys, hawks, beavers, river otters, and minks. The Current River, in Missouri, has many otters and minks that love to play and swim in the swift and cold 59-degree water.
What is your bucket list kayak adventure?
I would love to paddle the beautiful waters of New Zealand
Are you looking forward to Floatzilla?
Everyone in the QCKG always looks forward to the Floatzilla event. River Action is a great organization, and we support them as much as we can. We both love to help protect and promote the Quad Cities’ waterways and our natural resources.
To learn more information about the Quad Cities Kayak Club, click here.
Check out the photos from the club’s paddle down the Rock River …
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