5 Reasons Canoeing Is The Best Couple’s Hobby

There’s nothing like going for a nice stroll across a calm lake with your S.O., just the two of you and the stars above. It’s maybe not the most glamorous hobby, you won’t see anyone in high heels and diamonds paddling past you.

But it’s so refreshing and relaxing, it’s very hard to not be at peace when you’re out there.

It’s the perfect hobby for the couple that wants to stay active, but also have some peaceful and calm time together.

couple canoe water

So why is canoeing the best couple’s hobby ?

It could be hiking, or cooking, or even knitting. But why is canoeing, of all things, the best pick ?

Well, keep in mind that we’re going for a blend of active and romantic hobbies, and there’s not many that cross over.

So canoeing is the perfect blend between getting out of the house and into nature, feeling fresh and a bit of a workout on its own. Also taking a break from daily life and just spending quality time with your S.O.,  one on one, seeing new sights and wandering the countryside.

Let us explain a little bit. Canoeing by itself is pretty amazing, but sharing that experience with your loved one takes the cake. Here’s why:

1. It teaches you teamwork, and trust

Not that it was lacking in your relationship. But if you’ve rarely ventured outside of your daily life, and into activities you haven’t done before, then you don’t know the extent of your S.O.’s abilities.

You might trust them to not cheat, feed the cat, and be reasonable with spending money. But do you trust them to not rock the boat and get you both wet ? A bit of an extreme example, but you get our drift.

Especially with the way a canoe is built, there’s several things you’ll need to learn about each other. One of you will sit in front, the other at the back. You each have only one paddle, and won’t paddle on the same side.

One wants to go that way, the other one this way. Paddle wrong and you might fall over. There’s a few things you’ll have to settle from the get-go:

  • Who sits in front ?
  • Who is going to paddle left, or right ?
  • How well can you communicate when things go a bit wonky ?
  • How panicky does your partner get ?
  • How far into the lake do you want to go ? Are you both that brave ?
  • Does one of you not know how to get into or out of a canoe ?
  • Do you need life vests or not ? Very big topic, high chance of an argument. Best if you both take one.

The point is, canoeing can be a wonderful experience, but completely ruined if an argument sparks.

And no one wants to be in the middle of a fight, in the middle of a lake, especially if one of you is also afraid of water and gets increasingly panicked AND angry.

Ever had those arguments ? When one’s scared of heights and the other partner isn’t quite aware and you’re somehow in the middle of a fight in a ferris wheel ?

Try and avoid that when canoeing with your S.O., by talking things out beforehand. If one of you is afraid the boat might leak and you’ll end up sinking and drown, that’s something you need to address.

Or if one’s terrified of being in nature (what if there’s bears ?), and being on a calm, deep river and seeing a fox jump into a bush might scare them too much.

Again, that’s something that needs to be talked out and gently worked on before you actually get into the canoe.

Doing this hobby together can be a great experience, and you’ll learn a lot about each other, how far you can trust one another, and how well you can handle mishaps(they always happen).

canoeing as a couple clear water

2. Canoeing makes you see new sights and paces together

Another wonderful thing about canoeing with your spouse is that it makes you leave the house, and go somewhere NOT urban.

You can go see a beautiful lake 6 hours away from your home, paddle all day and stay the night somewhere. Or camp, even better !

Or you could go on a tour in the neighboring countries, with a list of all the lakes and rivers you’d like to see. Make it like a second honeymoon.

It gets you out, and it makes you breathe the fresh air of nature. No cars or emails or deadlines, just the two of you and maybe a couple of seagulls floating next to you.

If you’re already living in a canoe-friendly place, you have the chance of falling in love with your surroundings, all over again.

Besides, staying out in nature for most of the day, or even a few days of you’re camping, is something your body will be thankful for. Even short walks along the lake shore can help lessen stress, and that in turn can improve some other things.

Back when Dragos and I were little, there was this dam close to our hometown. Maybe an hour or two away, but it was a beautiful lake and lots of trees and foliage around it. You could roam the forest for days if you wanted.

If you have a place like that, be sure to set camp. Spend a couple of days there, set up camp complete with a tent and camp fire, and maybe some barbecue. Enjoy the water and the forest.

3. You learn canoeing pretty fast

It’s not much of a science, since this is a simple hobby. You have to be careful with balance, and to have a paddle both sides, but other than that there’s not much to learn if you’re just doing it as a hobby.

So neither of you should have too much trouble becoming competent with a paddle and getting into and out of the boat. Whatever differences there are between you, they’ll be easy to level.

Always remember to wear a life vest, though. Even if you’re good swimmers, the water can be treacherous in the places you don’t know.

There might be some strong currents that aren’t immediately obvious, or it might be too cold and bring on a shock.

Wear a life vest, and be careful with the direction in which you’re paddling. When turning, set very clear instructions for each other. Be sure to remember who is paddling which way.

We see as an advantage how easy canoeing can be learnt. Especially when compared to others sports, which require more training. And when you need a lot of training, your partner might need even more training.

That can lead to hidden resentment, and some very random arguments.

But if it’s easy to learn and doesn’t require much training ? You’ll be both pretty good, pretty fast.

4. It’s relaxing, and a romantic getaway

You can imagine why we picked canoeing as the best hobby for couples, since it blends the romantic and relaxing parts into an activity. 

sunset canoe

There’s few things more serene and relaxing than just floating on a lake, with the quietness of nature around you. No honking, no yelling, no planes.

Just the birds, crickets, and the fish under your canoe. If you find a lake or river with exceptionally clear water, make it a point to observe the fish under you. Some of the best landscapes happen to be underwater !

And now let’s bring it to your partner. Wouldn’t they enjoy something just as relaxing ?

A calm, peaceful atmosphere is the main ingredient of a romantic night, and having that special quiet time with each other will work great for your relationship.

Even if your relationship is going great, life finds a way to get in your way. A romantic weekend, away from the job and other responsibilities, maybe several hours away from home.

That sounds like a great way to strengthen your bond, and enjoy some time together.

(If you like this article so far, you can pin it to your Pinterest board by clicking on the image below. The article continues after the image.)

canoeing as a couple pin

5. It will keep you in shape together

Although gliding on water isn’t a very intense workout, canoeing still can be tiring. Paddling away several hours at a time works your upper body well enough.

Dragging the boat into and out of water, another workout as well. Even if it’s not the heaviest boat, you will still need to load and unload the boat together, if you’re bringing your own.

Have fun with it, and never mind the sore muscles that might follow. If you don’t work out a lot, and just recently took up canoeing, you’ve probably found some muscles you weren’t aware you had.

The sore muscles go away in a couple of days, and with each time you use them, they get even stronger. So you’ll be able to paddle even faster, and farther.

When you do feel like your shoulders are burning, take a few minutes, rest the paddle across your lap, and just admire the scenery.

You’ll both benefit from the workout, and if you do it regularly enough you won’t even feel the muscle burn after a while.

Final thoughts

Although there could be other hobbies out there that can blend being active with quietness and relaxation, we consider canoeing to be the best.

It gets you out and about, you can travel the whole country for it, and it makes the bond in a couple stronger.

Whenever you think about whether you should take up an activity with your loved one, look at your relationship first.

Whatever activity you pick, it will probably test your relationship, since it requires cooperation and willingness to let the other one lead sometimes.

We wish you good luck in whatever activity you choose together, and if you choose canoeing, we hope this article helped you.

Good luck !