“And away you go!” said the Plum Island Kayak guide and owner Ken Taylor, firmly pushing my boat (and me inside it) off the ramp and into the Merrimack River.
I glided silently away from shore and joined the other kayakers, breaking my bond with the land. Suddenly life was very different.
For one thing, the world below me was moving. I had to maneuver my hips and arms in ways that, on shore, might look like one of those strangely addictive dance fads. For another, I quickly forgot about the usual worries of life. After all, what are pesky bills, office dramas, and a thousand other daily concerns when you’re trying to avoid crashing into other boats or tipping over into the river?
But it didn’t take long to adapt to my new mode of traveling—or my new state of mind. Soon I was mesmerized by the distinctive scenery and wildlife of the Merrimack River. Although not my first time kayaking, it was my first exploration of the Newburyport area by boat. Now, this was about five years ago, and I was living in Boston at the time.
It was late summer and I had to get out of the city! Plus, I wanted to learn more about this eclectic north shore neighborhood. What a treat my trip turned out to be!
When I arrived at Plum Island Kayak (aka PIK), I signed up for the Sunset/Moonrise tour, leaving at 6 pm.
Indeed, the group would paddle out during sunset, and return by moonlight. It was a double-header! After an initial lesson in paddling and safety by expert guides, our group launched from a boat ramp near The Black Cow restaurant and was quickly off on its adventure. Before long we cleared the moored boats and were out in wide-open space, the harbor stretching out before us like a sparkling new world.
We passed Joppa Flats and crossed the channel to the other side of the river, then continued eastward, hugging the marshy coastline. A large, beautiful osprey flew by and surprised us by swooping down and expertly plucking a big fish from the river.
She flew high up and away, back to her nest with the poor, airborne fish clamped firmly between her talons.
Lots of “oohs” and “aahs” from the group. Meanwhile, the sun was slowly setting, painting the sky in glowing pastels that the river mirrored like an impressionist painting. To complete this picture, rays of light glinted off small silvery fish jumping out ahead of the boats.
After paddling for a while at a comfortable pace, and simply enjoying the view, we headed toward a beach off Salisbury State Park.
We took our time passing a rocky outcrop where harbor seals lounged. “Look to your right,” said Ken. A few seals bobbed in the water about eight yards away, their round (and extremely cute) dog-like heads poking just above the surface.
All of a sudden, one of them popped up so close to my boat I could see his thick whiskers dripping with water. He blew air through his sizable nostrils and peered at me with large, curious eyes. Then he quietly disappeared into the water. Wow!
Our group then banked left and landed on a lovely beach, still inside the harbor but close enough to the ocean to see the crashing waves beyond the breakwater. Ken and his crew offered us muffins, cookies, and hot chocolate, which we gladly accepted. During our 45-minute rest the tide turned, and by the time we got back into our kayaks, the current was headed in the other direction, toward town. As we paddled back, again with the tide, we had a full view of the rising full moon. The trip was perfectly timed!
It was a memorable evening. I’ve since paddled with Plum Island Kayak dozens of times, and every trip is a new experience, sometimes exploring the small islands, sometimes paddling up river.
I’ve often wondered how Ken started this business, so for this article I asked him that very question.
“Well,” replied Ken with a smile, “about twelve years I had a terrific job as an engineer with a great company, but was getting to the point where I needed more of a challenge. I thought about starting my own business but life at the company was pretty good, with excellent benefits. Then it merged with another company and one day—boom, big layoff. That was my sign to start a new chapter in life!”
He found a partner to start a kayaking outfit in Newburyport—and it has been growing steadily ever since. Now, Ken and his wife Carrie both run it, and even his sons are in on the action, working as trained guides.
“I’ve learned a lot about running a business since our first beginnings,” explained Ken in his usual engaging, low-key tone. “But I’ve also learned so much about the ecosystem of this area. I guess as an engineer I’m intrigued by the mechanics of a tidal river—the ebbs and flows, the Spring tides, flooding, and how wildlife adapts. We try to impart some of this knowledge to our customers, and we love to learn from them as well.
We don’t exactly offer a narrative tour, since this is a river that can feature strong currents and safety is always our top priority, but all the guides are friendly and each has his or her area of expertise. For example some are very knowledgeable about the local ornithology, (birding) or even the best places to fish…others can answer almost any question about Newburyport’s history, and at least one guide would be happy to offer his perspective on the local restaurants! We want customers to really enjoy their experiences out here. The trips are exciting but can be relaxing too.”
I asked Ken what kind of future he envisions for Plum Island Kayak.
“In addition to our kayak tours, which include Tuesday Family Days (reduced rates for adults, and free for kids under 10), as well as our unique full-day trips to the Isle of Shoals, and our Thursday Night LGBT Tours—we’re now building a fleet of SUPs (stand up paddle boards).
Paddle boarding is becoming very popular. We offer rentals and tours, and we’re learning more about the sport every day,” Ken declared. “Plus, we’re forming some ideas about other exciting programs for the future. So stay tuned.”
“I’m looking forward to it!” I replied.
p.s. You can learn more about Plum Island Kayak at http://www.plumislandkayak.com or give them a call at (978) 462-5510.