Kayak Adventure on Buffalo Bayou

Buzz summer interns Maddy Payne and Jordan Miller-Mandel along with photographer Dylan Aguilar went on a one-hour private tour with Bayou City Adventures. See what it was like from each of their perspectives:  

Maddy Payne

Picture this: You’re outside. The sun is high in the sky but the breeze feels brisk and refreshing. You breathe in the fresh air as you paddle downstream. Around you, the water is a deep blue, splashing playfully against the sides of the kayak.

Beautiful.

Now let’s switch to reality: It’s 94 degrees outside. The blistering sun beats down as you paddle upstream. You breathe in the smell of clay and fresh-cut grass. Around you, the water is an unpleasant shade of brown.

Although I have not painted the prettiest picture, the kayaking tour was a fun experience. We laughed the whole time and were able to see many turtles sunbathing on the banks. Our tour guide, Ken, was very informative and enthusiastic about the experience, and Ken made sure to make the most of our time on the bayou. While the water was indeed a curious shade of brown, the kayaks were easy to maneuver and Ken did a good job explaining how all the soil near the naturally-made bayou is clay. Thus, making the water the shade that it is.

Buzz summer interns Maddy Payne (pictured), Jordan Miller-Mandel and photographer Dylan Aguilar describe their kayak adventure on Buffalo Bayou. 

One thing I would change about the trip is the time we went. Our tour started at 1 p.m. However, I recommend booking a tour earlier in the morning or later in the evening, if possible. Houston is hot regardless though, and I would also recommend bringing some water on the kayak. Overall it was an interesting, fun and new experience for me.

Jordan Miller-Mandel

As much as I love the great outdoors, I would not consider myself a nature girl. I prefer to be on a motorized method of transportation when looking or exploring the outdoors. I was pleasantly surprised with how the kayaking tour turned out. It was a quick transition from land to water. We got picture-perfect views of downtown and saw the wildlife that resided there.

We passed under various bridges; looking up you could see the thought and architecture it took to put these up and why they are there. Passing by runners up on the trails or people enjoying the parks near us showed this bayou is a great place to come and work out or hang out. Although my arms were sore the next day, the laughs and knowledge we gained was worth it. I learned more about the city of Houston and how much the bayou helps out. Our tour guide Ken was a passionate, enthusiastic guide who made the tour authentic.

Dylan Aguilar

I was instantly brought back to my days of being a Boy Scout. While kayaking through the beautiful bayou, I was taken back by the wonderful nature and animals I saw. Turtles were everywhere you looked on the banks sunbathing. While working on my Chaco tan line (yeah!), I learned a lot about the water levels on the bayou - fascinating! Paddling down the bayou, I had many educational chats with the guide about the Buffalo Bayou and the city of Houston.

I got to combine my two favorite things, my love for the outdoors and photography! Getting to shoot our trip up and down the Bayou was an adventure in itself. Trying to balance the GoPros and get the perfect shot was a difficult task but worth it in the outcome. I cannot wait to go back for another day filled with outdoor fun.

Thank you Bayou City Adventures and our tour guide Ken Jacobs for taking us on this tour!