21 places you have to see by water
ALL OF MY TRAVELS have been informed by the search for water, or as those in my crew often call it, “flow.” Whether it’s looking for solid wave conditions which leads us to difficult-to-reach stretches of Pacific coastline in Central America, or working as raft guides or safety kayakers in Patagonia just so we could spend more time on the river — there is something about being on the water that feels surreal.
Part of it is simply the view. Growing up paddling in Georgia, it always amazed me how just being in a boat looking up at the riverbanks and inevitable bridge-crossings (as opposed to sitting in a car on the bridge in traffic), gave you an entirely different perspective on the world.
It’s in this spirit that I’ve collected the following places you have to see by water. The majority of them are strict in the sense that you can’t really even access them except by boat. Those that still have some kind of overland access (like the Middle Fork of the Salmon) are included because seeing them via water is really the only way to do it in style. Stay safe out there.
This post was proudly produced in partnership with our friends at Mountain Travel Sobek, who run trips to every one of the places featured below. Click the logo to visit their website, and follow them here: