In October this year, NSW parliamentary secretary for police and emergency services Geoff Provest launched the PaddleSafe Waterways Guide – an iPhone app for paddlers.

Driven by volunteers from PaddleNSW, a non-profit organisation and state peak body for paddling enthusiasts, the new app provides information on river levels, local weather forecasts, marine forecasts and sea conditions in real time.

The app also allows users to track their progress, pinpointing their location as they go about their canoeing or kayaking adventure.

As we failed to make mention of paddling sites in our last ’10 of’ round up for outdoor websites, here’s a list of 10 specifically aimed at those preferring to adventure by water.

  1. Waterways Guide – A partnership between PaddleNSW and NSW Roads and Maritime Services yielded us the Waterways Guide website long before they rebuilt the resource for iPhones. Use interactive maps, see colour photography and learn from a wealth of content long before beginning your next paddling journey.
  2. Global Paddler – A little more commercially-driven than the Waterways Guide website, Global Paddler extends into the realm of guidebooks, retailer directories and more, making it more of an end-to-end resources for canoe or kayak experiences. Regardless of your personal experience, this website is bound to be worth a detailed appraisal.
  3. Australian Canoeing – In partnership with the Australian Sports Commission, the Australian Canoe Federation (ACF) produces this website with a view to promote the health and size of the local competitive canoeing community. Not only does it have plenty on upcoming events, the website also provides tips as well as the ability to seek out coaching lessons.
  4. AdventurePro: Paddle Australia – The website’s design may leave something to be desired, Adventure Pro a great amount of quality content available for paddlers of all kinds. Even better, a large amount of that content is in video format, making for great entertainment as well as education.
  5. The Kayak Group – As independent retailers continue to suffer the effects of slow retail growth and increasing rates of online shopping, some groups have begun to band together in making a more community-based approach to selling their specialties. This certainly appears to be the case with The Kayak Group, who have gone so far as to provide information on where to kayak, user-submitted images and videos, as well as a combined catalogue.
  6. Paddle Victoria – Just as it says ‘on the box’, this non-profit arrives in the form of a simplistic, easy-to-navigate website covering gear, trips, safety and maps among further details.
  7. Trails WA: Paddle – One of the best government websites available, the Trails WA site has an extensive section of paddling the rivers of Western Australia. The various waterways are rated and reviewed by users, providing that extra degree of certainty.
  8. Fatpaddler.com – This blog is so well liked that it’s becoming a brand in its own right. The brainchild of Sean Smith, Fatpaddler.com has documented his road to recovery following a series of sports-related and vehicle accidents.
  9. Sydneysurfski.com – Blogger ‘Nat’ provides insights on the world of surf skis with a focus on honest, in-depth gear reviews that beginner’s should find particularly helpful when setting out.
  10. Gnarlydog News – This grassroots paddling enthusiast has been blogging since 2008 as a way of sharing his thoughts and learnings when not stuck behind a desk. Not always directly relevant to paddling, this is the kind of blog that many hobbyists should be encouraged to have a crack at producing themselves.

Well, that’s it. Another ten websites to check out if you aren’t following them already. Whether you find them inspiring your next holiday or providing practical information on gear and safety, these kinds of resources are invaluable to all outdoor adventurers.

If you have a suggestion for another blog or website, send us some mail at wild@primecreative.com.au.