Hello and welcome to Living In The Lehigh Valley, where our focus is your health and wellness.

I'm your host, Brittany Sweeney.

For many, the pandemic led to a rediscovery of the great outdoors.

On this episode, we'll show you how to paddle your way to wellness in a kayak.

It can serve as a vehicle to greater health and wellness.

Our own Grover Silcox is here to give us the details.

Grove, always good to see you.

And this is something really fun.

Oh, it really is.

And, you know, it's great exercise.

It's an aerobic exercise when you're paddling.

Plus you work those core muscles and we always hear how important they are in addition to the back, the arm, the shoulders.

Not only that, you're out in the great outdoors and that's very calming.

It leads to a sense of well-being.

Sure.

And we have some beautiful spaces here in the Lehigh Valley.

Did you find a class nearby?

Actually, I did.

It was one of LL Bean's outdoor discovery classes at the State Park.

So how was it?

Terrific.

Very helpful.

You know, I learned how to paddle and how to turn, how to back up, all those good things and how to do it all safely.

Sure, you had the essentials.

So tell us about the rest of the class.

Well, you know, according to Harvard Health Publishing, they always say, you know, that you should join a class, get some instruction, some pre flight instructions before you go out.

Again, to be safe.

Yeah.

And it sounds like a really good time.

It really is.

And you know, the warm weather months from spring to fall are perfect for paddle sports, paddling exercises, in this case, kayaking.

And the great thing about paddling, especially for those of us over 60, is that you can take it easy.

It can be as demanding as you wish.

In kayaking, you can get a strong core workout, as we said, or simply enjoy peacefully gliding or resting in the water.

In addition to the physical benefits, kayaking or any of the paddle sports promote socializing in a relaxing outdoor setting, a welcome relief after two years of isolating and quarantining at home.

It's a perfect stress reliever, but again, before you begin kayaking, it's wise to get some pre-flight instructions from people who know what they're talking about.

Kayaking on the lake, surrounded by lush green forest under pale blue skies on a bright summer day belies the workout a kayaker gets in this relaxing natural setting.

If they're paddling properly, they'll be exercising their core.

So it is a core sport.

People think, oh, I don't have a lot of arm strength.

You're actually not pulling the paddle through the water.

You're pulling your boat through the water.

And it's all right here.

Steve Johnson serves as regional manager of LL Bean's Outdoor Discovery Programs.

He and his team of instructors lead classes in kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, archery, mapping compass hiking and fly casting.

So the folks today are going to learn basic kayaking skills, what safety gear they need to wear, and essentially how we're going to paddle out and back.

The way the program works, you'll have about 15 to 20 minutes on land.

And then the rest of the time, which is a little more than an hour, you'll be on the water.

Lake Nockamixon State Park includes the 4500 acre lake and surrounding woodlands.

It's free to the public for hiking, biking and recreation thanks to taxpayer dollars.

There's also a marina for boat rentals and fishing.

LL Bean outdoor discovery programs range in cost from 29.95 on up to $79.

I would say 80% of today is going to be enjoy the experience, enjoy the outdoors, get a feel for what you can do.

You'll be in a very stable recreational boat.

When you're sitting in a kayak, you're actually sitting below the waterline.

So they're extremely stable.

My brother and father are both here.

We figured that this would be a fun way to spend some time together while also being in motion.

It's great for people who are a little timid about getting out on the water or want to be with people, with a group that can help them out if they need it.

Participants get some basics before launching into the water.

There's the bow and the stern.

The bow.

Everyone remembers the bow.

That's the front.

The stern is the back.

There's a large opening cockpit with a seat and footpegs and that's basically it.

The instructors demonstrate how to properly wear a personal flotation device.

Always wear a PFD.

Most of the drownings associated with kayaking or stand up paddle boarding are people that do not have a PFD or life vest on.

And a PFD fitting successfully should feel like a nice warm hug.

New kayakers learn about the paddle and how to use it.

This is called the blade.

There's a high side and a low side to the paddle.

The high side is always up.

When we hold our paddle, we're going to line up our top knuckles with the blade on the shaft.

When you're paddling your kayak in the forward motion, you're gonna place the paddle in the water at your feet.

You're gonna unwind your spine to your seat and then slice the paddle out and you're ready for the other side.

And it's really as easy as that.

Everybody ready to get their PFD on and fit?

Steve and the other instructors help launch the novice kayakers.

What we normally do is we'll go down to the cove.

There's turtle platforms down there.

We hope to see them.

Sometimes we get lucky and see a beaver and usually we'll see ospreys and swans.

Another benefit?

Each kayaker can take it at their own pace.

So it restores rather than depletes.

The exhilaration I get from Kayak is really the peacefulness and joy of being the captain of my own ship, being able to get myself wherever I want to go and have an opportunity to really enjoy the restorative powers of the outdoors.

After an hour on the water getting their feet wet, so to speak, the fledgling kayakers return to shore and celebrate their experience.

What a great day.

We got windy, but everybody survived.

We didn't have to fish anybody out.

Now, if you go kayaking, prepare for it.

The sun can really bear down with its ultraviolet rays, so apply lots of sunscreen, wear a long sleeve shirt and quick dry shorts, a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses to block the sun.

At L.L.Bean, they require and provide a life vest for each participant - safety first.

That's important wherever and whenever you go boating or paddleboarding.

Thanks, Grove.

That looked awesome.

It looked so beautiful out on the water and it looked like a really fun way to get out in the great outdoors and get some exercise.

It really was.

And when you're done, you just feel so refreshed.

Being out there in the great outdoors, on the water.

It's so calm and peaceful.

And again, you could take it as easy or hard as you like.

Sure.

Of course.

You want to consult your doctor before you get out there.

As we always say, especially for folks over 60, before you do something that's strenuous or could be strenuous, check in with your doc.

You know, make sure you're good to go.

Sure.

Grover, next time you're taking me.

- You're on!

- I wanna go!

- Okay.

- All right.

Sounds good.

Grover, as always, thanks so much.

And that'll do it for this edition of Living In The Lehigh Valley.

I'm Brittany Sweeney, hoping you stay happy and healthy.