The Water

When you think of kayaking what first comes to mind? The kayak, the water or the paddle. Well, many may think of the water or the body of water in which you’re kayaking in such as the Black River, Cape Fear River, or Rice Creek which we all guide on. For some people, water is scary due to the worries of drowning or damage to their phones. We prevent the likelihood of drowning by wearing a PFD (lifejacket) and asking you to stay with your kayak if anything happens. For the kayak is designed with flotation gear built into it so that it will not sink. One of our cheesy sayings is “if you stay with your kayak, you’ll make it back because we need it for the kayak next day.”, which has held true so far.

While the water can be dangerous and unpredictable at times, its filled with many beautiful animals such as dolphins, turtles, alligators, fish and crabs. Which can’t be explored unless on the water. There’s a quote for surfing which applies to kayaking it says,” Surfing neither takes or adds to nature but simply allows you to live in the moment and take it in.” This is exactly the experience you get while paddling with Mahanaim Adventures. One of the best example I can think of is the Three Sisters Swamp trip for it is only accessible by kayak or canoe. The ability to get out on the water and see these beautiful sights and make memories that’ll last a lifetime all while having no negative impact on the area is very rewarding as a guide.

I’m grateful for the opportunities the water has provide me and hope you can enjoy it the same. So, remember go explore and create memories for struggles come and go but the memories you make last forever. Thank you for reading, see you on the water. – Grayson Harris

Guided Kayaking Adventure Vs Kayak Rental

We often get asked which is better; taking a guided kayaking adventure or renting a kayak and do your own thing.  Well, I would say that all depends on your level of experience and familiarity of the areas you are paddling.  Guided trips, such as the one we offer here at Mahanaim Adventures are all inclusive.  This means that you get qualified guides that are familiar with how to kayak and to do rescues if and when needed.  The guides know the area, the river or ocean currents, local weather patterns and other safety concerns about the river you are paddling.

When you decide to rent a kayak and do your own kayaking adventure on your own, you are assuming all the risks involved.  Before you do this, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Do I know how to get myself out of trouble if I get into some sort of trouble on the water? Remember, it is not a question of if you tip your kayak over, it is a question of when you tip over.  If you paddle enough you will get tipped over and have to do a self-rescue.  Do you know what to do when this happens?
  2. Are you familiar with the local weather patterns and make accurate decision on when to turn around or to not go out on the water? Weather conditions can change quickly even under the best of circumstances; don’t get caught out in bad weather.
  3. Are you familiar with the area and the currents of the river you are paddling? This is very important.  Getting lost or getting yourself in the wrong location to deal with the wake of a containership on the Cape Fear River can make your trip memorable for the wrong reasons.

In short when you are considering the question of taking a guided adventure or renting a kayak; ask yourself the questions above.  When taking a guided kayaking adventure, you can concentrate on having fun with your group, not worrying about all that can possibly go wrong.  When you rent a kayak and do your own thing, you are assuming all the risks yourself.  You are saying that you know and understand all the risks involved and are capable of rescuing yourself from a bad situation without ANY outside help.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town CreekCape Fear River, Fort Fisher BasinMasonboro IslandBlack RiverHolly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Oh, yes, we do rent kayaks also.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

Risk Management

Risk Management is something that we deal with on a daily basis. This is not to say that we deal with high risk adventures, but we do want to be able to provide a positive and memorable experience. There is a lot that goes into managing for risks for an outdoor adventure. For example we constantly watch the weather before any trip starts. This is to make sure that we don’t have any high winds to deal with and to keep an eye out for scatter thunderstorms too. Here in the Wilmington area scattered thunderstorms happen a lot all throughout the summer season. Another safety concern that we monitor during many of our kayaking trips is boat traffic, and container ships that travel along the Cape Fear River. These ships can create large wakes which become hazardous in shallow water areas. We also carry rescue gear in our guide boats on every trip in case someone does fall out of their boat. This is so that we can safely get someone back inside a boat if they do fall out. Along with our rescue gear, we also bring a large first aid kits on each trip.

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to go to BSA Cape Fear Council’s Camp Bowers with Don to learn about the high ropes course, climbing tower, and zip-line that is part of the C.O.P.E. course there. The risk management that goes into operating these aspects is serious. Risk management starts before the course ever opens by having trained a professional such as Don inspect all the equipment, including different carabiners, ropes, helmets, and harnesses before use to make sure that everything is working properly and efficiently. Once all the gear is inspected and cleared for use then Don can inspect the course for any damage and safety concerns. After he has inspected the course, and everything has checked out, Don then begins to set up the course to be able to have participants safely climb up to the top where they can begin the course and use the zipline. To set up the belay system which makes sure everyone can get up on the course safely, Don uses steel climbing carabiners, it is important to note that he is not using aluminum carabiners because aluminum carabineers would be damaged by the steel cables that are part of the course which the belay is anchored to. Once participants are on top, they then have a self-belaying system with two adjustable ropes with clips that attach to their harness.  These tethers are then clipped into the steel cables for safety (called lifelines). These are used as a backup device in case anyone does slip or fall off of one of the obstacles. Even though it may seem as though there are many different risks to manage for, if done properly it makes any adventure operate safely and efficiently.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town CreekCape Fear River, Fort Fisher BasinMasonboro IslandBlack RiverHolly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

This blog was written by Mike Manning. I am Mahanaim Adventures new intern for the summer of 2018. I am a Park and Recreation Management student at East Carolina University, Go Pirates! I love the outdoors and have a strong passion for kayaking. This coming summer I will be writing a blog similar to this every other week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures we will have on the water this summer.

Safety and Awareness

This past Sunday I had the pleasure of helping Don guide a group of people to Sharks Tooth Island on the Cape Fear River where we hunted for prehistoric sharks teeth and fossils. Around mid-morning everyone had found their fair share of sharks teeth and fossilized shells on the island and were ready to get back on the water to do some more paddling. It was at this time that Don and I had noticed a fairly large container ship easing its way up the river towards the port, so we decided to stay on the island and let the ship pass by before returning to our kayaks and continuing the adventure. We chose to stay on the island because these container ships are known for having big wakes, especially while traveling in a river such as the Cape Fear. The areas where this is most prominently noticed are in shallow water. Because just like any wave, the wake from these ships doesn’t start to break until it finds shallow water. This is especially important to know while paddling because when the wake from those ships hit shallow water and start to break, it can provide an authentic whitewater experience here on the coast. And if you find yourself paddling through shallow water when this happens, you will most likely get flipped out of your boat.

So as the ship passed by, we gathered our group on the side of Sharks Tooth Island that faces Kegg Island, watching the wake from the container ship crash into the shallow water around the island.  After we had watched the wake stop crashing in the shallow water between the islands we then headed back to our kayaks to continue our adventure. It was at this time, we noticed a fisherman who was fishing on the opposite side of Sharks Tooth Island in a small john boat had been capsized by the wake.  From the position we were at, we noticed the man didn’t have a PFD in sight, his boat was completely swamped, and he was having trouble swimming. So, Don and I immediately began our rescue procedures by jumping in our boats and getting to the man as quickly as possible to save him from drowning. Once we were able to get the man safely to shore, we then recovered his gear that was floating away and fortunately we had additional help to recover his boat and paddle as well.

This situation goes to show that if you are out paddling, or on any outdoor adventure, without a trained professional, that being aware of your surroundings can help you better manage for any possible risks and it could possibly save your life. It is also a great example of why you should always wear a life jacket while paddling on the water. Because if you paddle enough, it’s not a matter of “if” but a matter of when you are going to fall out of your boat and go for a swim.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town CreekCape Fear River, Fort Fisher BasinMasonboro IslandBlack RiverHolly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

This blog was written by Mike Manning. I am Mahanaim Adventures new intern for the summer of 2018. I am a Park and Recreation Management student at East Carolina University, Go Pirates! I love the outdoors and have a strong passion for kayaking. This coming summer I will be writing a blog similar to this every other week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures we will have on the water this summer.

Cypress Trees & Lily’s

Over the past couple weeks; I have had the opportunity to go on a couple trips with Don to the Black River located in Bladen County, NC. This river offers plenty of beautiful wildlife including wild turkey, deer, several types of ducks, and wildflowers. The Black River is also home to the Three Sisters Swamp where you can find some of the oldest recorded cypress trees in the country. Although these trees are not marked, for their own protection, with an experienced guide such as Don, you will be able to see some amazing old growth cypress trees in this swamp that have been dated to being over 2,000 years old. Paddling through this swamp truly is a majestic experience. Being able to get up close and personal with these ancient cypress trees gave me a deeper connection to this swamp. In ways this swamp inspired me by showing me no matter how hard these trees have been hit and beaten by countless hurricanes, high winds, floods, and other natural disasters, they still stand tall and strong after all those years.

One of the most memorable parts of both these trips included seeing the beautiful spider lilies bloom. This is a special phenomenon here in eastern North Carolina because these plants only bloom for about two weeks out of the year. But what a spectacular experience it is to be able to see these plants bloom during their short flowering period. It’s trips like these which make me realize how lucky we are to be able to experience gods creation and enjoy the natural beauty of many diverse eco systems from a kayak.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town CreekCape Fear River, Fort Fisher BasinMasonboro IslandBlack RiverHolly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

This blog was written by Mike Manning. I am Mahanaim Adventures new intern for the summer of 2018. I am a Park and Recreation Management student at East Carolina University, Go Pirates! I love the outdoors and have a strong passion for kayaking. This coming summer I will be writing a blog similar to this every other week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures we will have on the water this summer.

Why is it so hard to work as a Team?

Over the past 15 year I have had the opportunity to lead a lot of different groups through teambuilding activities to help them come together as one.  This question that I ask is not meant to be some sort of deep physiological questions, but just my personal observations over time.  My question is; why is it so hard for use humans to work together on a team?  After much thought, I think the answer is very simple; we as humans find it difficult to put the groups needs (goals) above our own needs (goals).  In short, even on a team we still compete with each other rather as a whole.

You see, from my observation, we are selfish by nature and not team players.  All too often team members are competing against each other and not as a team with a focus.  When we are in completion like this, someone has to win and someone has to lose.   When this happens internally on any team, everyone loses when because the team can’t compete or function as it should.

Please don’t think that I believe that competition is a bad thing; I don’t.  However, in the wrong context, competition is bad.  Consider marriage as an example.  If a couple is continually competing with each other (one trying to make sure their needs are meet before the others), the marriage will not last.  All too often couples fail to think about what is best for the marriage, but only what is only best for the individual.  What is best for the marriage may not be the best for the person doing the pushing.  When you get two or more persons do this, things can spiral out of control quickly.

Pure competition means “I” win and someone looses.  We learn this lesson from an early age in life.  Where do we learn this lesson?  From the sports and other competitive activities our parent’s sign us up for as kids.  There we listen to our parents complain to the coach that their son or daughter is better than the player playing that key position, therefore their son or daughter should be playing that spot.

This is not how a team should work.  As a team member; the individual has to be willing to set their selfish, self-centered goals aside for the best of the group.  What happens all too often with groups we are lead through teambuilding activities, is that individuals sabotaged the efforts or disengaging with the team.  The reason I believe is that they feel their role is not important to the group.  Maybe the individuals did not fully understand what the others on the team needed or maybe they were rushed to do their job and provided something substandard.  The reasons can be many, but it boils down in most cases is the mentality of “Look out for number 1; me.”

Each of us want to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, but we hesitate to truly engage in something bigger.  Why is that, because we are so used to putting our needs first!

Mahanaim Adventures provide excellent Project COPE (team building adventure) and other outdoor adventures to scouting groups, sports teams, church groups and corporate groups.  If you are having issues with your team or just want to take your team to the next level, contact us and we can help lead your team to that next level of working as a team

Don and Diane Harty are the owners of Mahanaim Adventures, the Cape Fear and Wilmington, NC areas premier outdoor adventure guide and kayaking business. Don and Joseph, son of Don and Diane, strive for each person on our adventures to have a “Positive & Memorable” experience. We offer quality half-day, full-day and overnight kayaking adventures. We also provide team building adventures and courses, as well as wilderness first aid classes to Boy Scouts and other groups.

1st Kayak experience

I recently had the pleasure of taking a family of three from West Virginia on a Sharks Tooth Island adventure to hunt for prehistoric sharks teeth and fossilized shells. This trip was different than others in that I was given to opportunity to experience a family’s first time in kayaks. They were gung-ho from the get-go, ready to learn and create memories. Once on the water I immediately heard the father laughing in excitement. I recall him saying, “this is the coolest thing”.

This family was no green horn when it came to hunting for shark’s teeth. They had been coming to Carolina Beach every summer for the past 20 years. Upon landing at Shark Tooth Island we began finding teeth straightaway. That morning we had a really low tide creating opportunity for great hunting. With the tide so low we were given the chance to hit all three islands, our final stop being Keg Island. Not five minutes after landing the father found one of the largest sharks teeth I’ve seen found. The tooth was of a Great White Shark. It had a full shank around 3 inches wide and was around 2 inches long with the tip broken. We couldn’t believe our eyes. That morning might have been the most successful hunt I’ve ever had with a group. This trip proved that the teeth are out there, we just have to go find them.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town Creek, Cape Fear River, Fort Fisher Basin, Masonboro Island, Black River, Holly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

This Blog was Written by Sam Law. I am Mahanaim Advenures new intern for the summer of 2016. I am a Park and Recreation Management Student at East Carolina, Go Pirates! I love the the ocean and outdoors more than anything. This coming summer i will be writing a blog similar to this each week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures and encounters we have. I hope to see ya’ll out paddling this summer.

Cheers!

Sea Turtles Adventure

I found myself at the boat ramp of the Fort Fisher Basin. It was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It was also going to be a full strawberry moon that evening, an anomaly which won’t happen again for over 50 years. Along with Don and I was Mahanaim’s environmental education expert, Mandy Uticone. Our customers that evening were with the Wilmington Parks and Recreation Department. After a mile paddle along the Fort Fisher sea wall we landed at Zeke’s Island. Don explained the history and use of the island in addition to its estuary purposes. As our break ended we began paddling the second leg to a beach access were we ate our sack dinners. Just over the sand dunes was a newly laid Leatherback turtle nest. The nest was found that morning, marked, and roped off for its protection. Mandy taught us all about sea turtles that frequent the North Carolina shores and how they nest. During the lesson I helped Mandy by reenacting how a turtle crawls from the ocean, lays their eggs, and buries them with their feet. As the sun began to set we returned to out boats for the final paddle back. Half way through the paddle the sun was setting to the west as the moon rose to the east, a perfect ending to a perfect evening.

Mandy teaching sea turtle class
Mandy teaching sea turtle class

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town Creek, Cape Fear River, Fort Fisher Basin, Masonboro Island, Black River, Holly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

 

Sam as the sea turtle
Sam as the sea turtle

This Blog was Written by Sam Law. I am Mahanaim Advenures new intern for the summer of 2016. I am a Park and Recreation Management Student at East Carolina, Go Pirates! I love the the ocean and outdoors more than anything. This coming summer i will be writing a blog similar to this each week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures and encounters we have. I hope to see ya’ll out paddling this summer.

Cheers!

Sunset at the Basin
Sunset at the Basin

 

Moores Creek Battlefield

We found ourselves in the parking lot of Patriot Hall at the Moore’s Creek Battlefield in Burgaw, North Carolina. Don and I were preparing to lead a group of folks from Brunswick Forest. That day we had the honor of guiding many repeat participants whom we had the pleasure of giving a kayak lesson to weeks prior. Our paddle that morning consisted of a four mile trek down and back up Moore’s Creek. During the trip our group paddled under the replica bridge in which the Battle of Moore’s Creek was focused around. Many Prothonotary Warblers were darting across the creek that morning. After our paddle that day we met with Jason Howell, a park ranger at the battlefield, who gave us a walking tour and lesson of the historic sight.

The story goes that in 1773 after the Boston Tea Party, the “intolerable act” is put in place turning Massachusetts into a military state. This scared other states, enough to have other states aid Massachusetts. North Carolina residents send corn and supplies in order to help but were reprimanded by the North Carolina Governor. A frigid evening on February 26, 1776, General Donald MacDonald of the Loyalists alongside of Scottish Highlanders,set camp on the south side of the bridge. Colonel James Moore and his group of militia men and patriots prepare to the North. If the Loyalists are to take Moore’s Creek they will be able to take the North Carolina coast. Before the battle the Patriots remove the bridge tresses and oil the remaining wood in order to sabotage the Loyalists attempt to cross and attack. While the Loyalists attempt to cross the bridge the Patriots planned to attack. The battle happened accordingly to Colonel James Moore’s plan, gaining victory for the Patriots. Although the battle only lasted three minutes over 30 Loyalists men were lost while only one Patriot died. The Battle of Moore’s Creek was a huge step to North Carolina’s vote for independence. Moore’s Creek Battlefield is not only a beautiful paddle, but the area is full of rich history.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town Creek, Cape Fear River, Fort Fisher Basin, Masonboro Island, Black River, Holly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures.

This Blog was Written by Sam Law. I am Mahanaim Advenures new intern for the summer of 2016. I am a Park and Recreation Management Student at East Carolina, Go Pirates! I love the the ocean and outdoors more than anything. This coming summer i will be writing a blog similar to this each week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures and encounters we have. I hope to see ya’ll out paddling this summer.

Cheers!

Cape Fear River

We arrived at a small boat ramp outside of Navassa, North Carolina. We were headed out onto Davis Creek, which flows into the Cape Fear / Brunswick River. Don and I were preparing to guide a group of folks with the Leland Parks and Recreation Department. The area holds a lot of wildlife unique to the Wilmington coastal area. During the trip we paddled by Eagle Island. This island is located just north of waterfront Wilmington North Carolina. The island splits the Cape Fear River in two, thus creating the Brunswick River (flowing right of the island) and Cape Fear River (flowing to the left side of the island).

The Brunswick River has a unique history. At the end of World War II the Brunswick River held the U.S. Maritime Commission’s reserve fleet. The shipyard was the second largest vessel graveyard in the United States, giving it the nickname of the “ghost fleet”. The North Carolina Ship Building Company was located just across Eagle Island, making the river a perfect location to store the fleet. There were a total of 648 ships in the fleet. The last ship was removed from the river in 1970.

Just north of where the ghost fleet ships were moored, we entered Sturgeon Creek. Just after entering the creek we saw a juvenile alligator sunning on a log. After a quick glimpse he was startled and swam away. After paddling another mile into the creek we landed at our final destination at Sturgeon Creek Park in Leland, North Carolina. With great weather and great company we all had an amazing trip that day. I look forward to my next trip out to Eagle Island.

Don & Diane Harty own Mahanaim Adventures.  They specialize in helping families and groups to have “Positive & Memorable” outdoor adventures.  Whether these are wildlife view adventure, camping adventure or a simple kayaking adventure.  They provide kayaking adventures on Town Creek, Cape Fear River, Fort Fisher Basin, Masonboro Island, Black River, Holly Shelter Creek and Moores Creek.  Contact them at www.mahanaimadventures.com for more information about all of their adventures. (wilderness survival info)

This Blog was Written by Sam Law. I am Mahanaim Advenures new intern for the summer of 2016. I am a Park and Recreation Management Student at East Carolina, Go Pirates! I love the the ocean and outdoors more than anything. This coming summer i will be writing a blog similar to this each week to let everyone know about the awesome adventures and encounters we have. I hope to see ya’ll out paddling this summer.

Cheers!