The summer of my 21st birthday in 1981 I had my first encounter with a kayak. It was a proto-rec boat that I paddled once on an inland lake that segued into an invitation to paddle in N. Wales with a friend whose father was the headmaster of the original Outward Bound School. We borrowed a couple of aging fiberglass river boats to flush out of a river mouth and cross a bay on the coast out to a lighthouse. We wore lifejackets and 5 mm dive wetsuits that bolted around our bits like a bionic diaper.
No real plan, no shuttle, no clue. What could go wrong? Wet exit practice? Why would I ever do that?
We managed to pop out the river mouth through two feet of surf without incident, but as we angled toward the distant lighthouse, I noticed my boat becoming sluggish and feeling waterlogged…because it was full of holes and I was sinking. I washed into the break zone, got flipped in the surf, couldn’t break lose the too-tight neoprene skirt and corkscrewed my Nikes into the nose of the boat trying to swim out.
Check all the boxes for every mistake possible. Luck was with me as my friend Kim was nearby, saw me flip and came over to try to roll me up. He saw water literally breathing in and out of the holes in the hull and beat the boat off me with his fists. It came apart like an eggshell with me left in a skirt with cockpit rim around the hem. He dragged me to shore, found a pulse, but no respiration and initiated rescue breathing. I awoke to a furry kiss by a gnomish Welshman named Kim. I’m a lucky guy; I lived to tell this tale.
Shortly after this, I started Uncommon Adventures with hiking and canoe programs recirculating back toward kayaks. I read, practiced and paddled with several trained people and developed a largely self-taught set of skills. I became quite capable, but far from safe, efficient and effective.
Soon after, I realized that it would be quite easy to kill someone while guiding kayak trips if I didn’t know what I didn’t know. Swallowing my pride, I sought out additional training from the ACA, the BCU (now Paddle UK) and even New Zealand Canoe Association while living on the South Island. I filled in knowledge gaps and learned a lot from our cadre of trained Great Lakes paddlers and from the likes of Stan Chladek, Nigel Foster, Derek Hutchison, Frank Goodman and Scott Fairty amongst others. I was the newcomer amongst the elders of our tribe. It was a fantastic time to dive into sea kayaking and flowed into a four-decade long career of guiding and teaching.
During this process I discovered a passion for learning new skills and sharing them and began to learn how to get out of my own way. When people share their anxiety over a wet exit, I can honestly say, “I understand”, and I have worked long and hard to develop gentle methods of introducing people to our sometimes upside-down world.
Thank you to Michael Gray for contributing “Boy Meets Kayak and Drowns” to the ACA Story Project. Michael’s powerful, harrowing, and humorous account of his first paddling experience reminds us that mistakes can be incredible teachers—and that humility, curiosity, and a commitment to learning can lead to a lifetime of adventure.
About the Author
Michael Gray is the founder and director of Uncommon Adventures and has been a full-time sea kayak guide for over 40 years, leading expeditions across the Great Lakes, Florida Everglades, Alaska, and internationally in more than 15 countries. An ACA member since 2001, he holds multiple ACA certifications, including:
- Level 3: Coastal Kayaking Instructor Trainer
- Advanced Coastal Leader Trainer
- Level 4: Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor
- Level 2: Essentials of Canoe Touring (Solo & Tandem) Instructor
- Level 2: Essentials of River Kayaking Instructor
- Level 2: Essentials of Stand Up Paddleboarding Instructor
- Coastal Kayaking Camping Endorsed Instructor
- Coastal Kayak Fishing Endorsed Instructor
Beyond paddling, Michael is widely known as a phenomenal backcountry chef. His writing has appeared in leading paddling publications and in his own backcountry cookbook. Michael’s career blends deep technical expertise, storytelling, and a passion for sharing the joy of the outdoors.