I’ve written a few times about the
End-of-Sea-Kayaking-As-We-Know-It, but I still wasn’t prepared for
this one. This tale happens to be set in Wisconsin, but it is happening everywhere. Maybe not as obviously as this, maybe not as unexpected, but in terms of participation levels, kayaking seems to be drying up. The demographics are skewing older and the forecast calls for more of the same.
It doesn’t change the activity, of course. Paddling is still paddling, water is still wet and there are still great reasons to be out on the wild blue. But each year that goes by, there are less of us who understand this.
I am sure this is a cycle. It will all come back around. At some point.