Nick Parsons
Kayaking Guide, AAG Ambassador Since 2017
Nature is what I consider to be the “real” world. Kayaking takes me down the veins of Mother Earth in the most intimate way. I get to dance with it, wrestle with it, and sometimes get defeated by it. My love and respect for the rivers and creeks has me perpetually in awe of what a kayak lets me experience. True adventure in the natural world. Who doesn’t like adventure!?
About
Nick Parsons
Where Are You From?
Barboursville, West Virginia
Where Do You Live Now?
Oak Hill, West Virginia
What’s Your Home Run?
New River
How Long Have You Been Kayaking?
10 Years / 18 Years (rafting)
What's Your Favorite Run?
Manns creek (kayaking), Lower Meadow (rafting)
What's Your Favorite Boat To Paddle?
Pyranha Scorch L (kayak) / Maravia Spider (raft)
What Got You Into White Water?
Hit a ceiling with inflatable kayaking so it was the next natural step.
If you had to give up one, would you give up rafting or kayaking?
I love kayaking for a variety of selfish reasons. The exercise, intimacy with nature, the adrenaline, and the sense of raw exploration, but I’d choose rafting over kayaking without question. Rafting gives me the ability to share this world of water with so many people who otherwise would never have that experience. People with overwhelming fear, physical disabilities, or simply no experience with the outdoors can fall in love with whitewater in a matter of hours. A raft lets me share my love of this stuff in such a raw way that lets the passengers experience what I love. I can still get selfish with the raft and push it down some rowdy stuff, but after almost twenty years of shared outdoor experiences I can see the lasting effect that rafting has on a broad range of people.
