A poll run as part of a competition by Sitons, an online magazine for kayak enthusiasts, has found the Isle of Man to be one of Britain’s top 10 dream kayaking locations.
The poll was taken as part of a competition for watersport fanatics to win a GoPro Hero II camera. More than 500 entrants were asked where would be their dream place to kayak.
The Isle of Man was found to be among the top 10 ‘UK’ locations, ranking in at fifth. The rest of the top 10 was made up of three Scottish locations, the Lake District, two Cornish spots, Devon and Pembrokeshire and Dorset.
Tez Plavenieks, one of the faces behind Sitons, said: ‘The polled results make for interesting reading. The obligatory far-flung locations do indeed make the cut, but it seems many still prefer the idea of paddling closer to home.
‘The demand for sit-on-top kayaks has grown over the last few years, because launching yourself down rocky waterfalls isn’t for everyone. With a sit-on, anyone can learn the basics of kayaking and have fun in the water within minutes without the need for having to be “extreme”. They’re also safer than closed cockpit models if you capsize and durable to boot.
‘Watersports have always played a big part in boosting tourism, especially in coastal areas through the summer. With events like Paddle Round The Pier in Brighton growing every year, it’s evident that more and more people are looking to the water to have some fun.’
Other findings from the survey revealed that the top three dream kayak regions are Alaska (USA), The Rockies (Canada) and Abel Tasman National Park (NZ) with both Scotland and Wales also making the top 10.
