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For the kind of adventure I was embarking on, a kayak was the only way to go - not only can it get into places where nothing else can, any idiot can use one. Well, I’ll qualify that - any idiot can use one in calm conditions.

Dealing with white water rapids is another matter altogether and something best left to the experts. There were no real experts on our week-long voyage, just a mixed group of keen outdoor types from the USA, Canada and Britain (me) who were being guided around the desert islands of Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida in one of the least-known but most fascinating seas on Earth.

The Sea of Cortez separates Mexico’s Baja Peninsula from the mainland. It’s some 700 miles long with an average width of 93 miles, and is the richest body of water on the planet - but more of that later. It’s also very warm, even in winter, and it rarely rains.

This means that paddling a kayak around desert islands during the day and camping amongst the cactus at night is easy. OK, if you’re not used to physical exercise you might find the paddling a bit of a strain at first, but anyone with a reasonable level of fitness will soon get literally into the swing of things, and at the end of each day’s labours it’s great to dive into the limpid aquamarine waters and let the aches in your arms and shoulders ease away.

The technique is easily picked up and requires an alternate rolling motion of the shoulders as the paddles are dipped into the water and pulled through it. You also need to roll your wrists as you make each stroke. This sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is, and most people pick up the basic technique within a day. Once a kayak is in motion it actually takes relatively little effort to keep it going, your biggest problem is likely to be keeping it in a straight line as most people have one arm stronger than the other, which results in a tendency to veer off in one direction. You soon learn to compensate for this though.

It’s not just your arms and muscles that take a pounding though - back, stomach and leg muscles will also come into play, so a bit of cross-training isn’t a bad idea before you head off onto the high seas.

We’d set off on our adventure from the small city of La Paz, a pleasant little metropolis in south eastern Baja which is the base for Baja Outdoor Activities who were guiding us on our week-long journey. Getting out to the islands you have a choice of paddling your kayak from the mainland across a two mile strait to the southern tip of Espiritu Santo, or doing it the easy way and being taken lock, stock and barrel in a panga, or motor boat. This panga, driven by local boatman Javier, then provided back up on the trip, transporting our cooking and camping equipment, although you can take more self-sufficient trips where you carry all your own gear - something for the more experienced or masochistic, perhaps.

We also had a guide, Ben, who kept us away from what few currents there were, located the best camping beaches and provided advice on everything from how to use our kayak more efficiently to what fish that was which just leapt across our bows.

Once you arrive at the islands the schedule for the next seven days is simple - wake, paddle, eat, sleep. To some people that no doubt sounds like an absolute nightmare, and I have to say that it didn’t sound like my idea of fun either until I’d tried it. Now, however, I’d go back tomorrow.

Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida are uninhabited, volcanic masses rising out of the Sea of Cortez in a jumble of red and black burnt crags interspersed with dazzling white sandy beaches. These beaches are where you’ll camp each day, and you’ll never forget them. As soon as we’d glided ashore after a day in our kayaks the first thing everyone did was to leap into the translucent turquoise waters and dive down amongst the corals and neon-bright fish. In fact the whole area is unforgettable to anyone brought up amongst the grey skies and green fields of Britain.

Here you’re in a totally elemental landscape - blue sea, bluer sky, baked landscapes and the dusty green cacti which are the only real vegetation. John Steinbeck was entranced by this part of Mexico and described it as ‘the burnt coast’, yet for all the heat and dust it’s not barren. It’s just that the wildlife is under water - and occasionally flying through the air above it.

And this is where the advantages of travelling by kayak really become apparent. If you fancy getting to within a few yards of sea lions, stingrays, dolphins, porpoises, and maybe even sharks and Grey whales, this is the place to be. The same applies if you want to swim amongst them. At the sea lion colony of Los Islotes, just north of Isla Partida, you can slide over the side of your kayak, don a mask and snorkel and go and cavort with sea lion pups.

These fellas are synchronised swimming, surfing and snorkelling all wrapped up in one fun-lovin’ bundle, and some of them will even come and sit on your kayak with you. At the same time you need to watch out for their dads - the bulls weigh several hundred pounds, and whilst it’s extremely unlikely they would attack you it’s not advisable to get too close to them or their harem. They don’t seem to object to you playing with their sons and daughters though.

Almost every day that you’re out on the water some sort of sea life will pop up to surprise you - just after our visit to the sea lions, for instance, we found ourselves surrounded by literally hundreds of small stingrays, leaping out of the water and landing again with an ungainly smack. And if there isn’t too much happening on the surface, the snorkelling is rarely anything other than spectacular, with fish and corals in colours that Dulux would die for.

Each day winds down with your shoulders tightening pleasantly from the day’s exercise, your skin tingling from the sun and sea spray, and a cold beer slipping down nicely as you watch the sun sink behind the horizon of the distant mainland. It doesn’t come much simpler than that, and there’s a lot to be said for the simple things in life - even if you only experience them for a week or so.

Equipment
Before we begin let’s clear up one thing. Canoes are the things you see bearded lumberjacks paddling along Canadian lakeshores; kayaks are the enclosed craft used for hurtling down swollen rivers, or, in the above case, paddling around the placid blue waters of Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. The equipment we’ll be talking about below is generally kayak rather than canoe-compatible, although much of it can be used with both types of craft.

If you’re new to the sport you can hire most of the equipment described below when you book a course or a holiday.

Paddles - look for companies such as Ainsworth and Lendal. In Mexico conditions were so calm that we didn’t use spray decks (a neoprene ‘skirt’ which fits tightly around your waist then stretches over the cockpit of the kayak to stop water getting in). If you do use one you should learn to roll the kayak, which is a technique that allows you to right the craft without coming out of it should you capsize.

Buoyancy aids should always be worn, and a cagoule will keep off the wind and water. Both are manufactured by Palm and Nookie.

A long-john wetsuit is best for cooler northern climes, otherwise a Polartec t-shirt/fleece combination under your cagoule should be OK. You may want to use a helmet for more serious kayaking.

Finally, useful bits and pieces include sandals or wetsuit boots, a sun hat and suncream and sunglasses.

Where to Kayak
This depends on what sort of kayaking you want to do - sea or river. Either way, check out the list below.
UK
For sea kayaking Pembrokeshire’s National Park coastline and islands are now recognised as being one of the best venues in Europe. The west coast of Scotland and Ireland also provide similar conditions.
The best rivers are in North Wales (Trweyrn, Conwy and Dee) although access can be a problem, and the Orchy and Upper Dee in Scotland.

Europe
For sea kayaking the north coast of Spain is excellent, and relatively undiscovered, whilst Turkey and Corsica offer warmer and usually calmer conditions.

There are also some good rivers in Turkey, but the French, Swiss and Austrian Alps are the main places that experienced kayakers head for. The Pyrenees are also worth checking out.

Rest of the World
Costa Rica - excellent sea and river kayaking amongst some of the most spectacular landscape and wildlife in the world.
Alaska - the Pacific coast is truly spectacular, with mountains, forests and glaciers rolling down to the water’s edge, and some big wildlife. A popular area is the Kenai Peninsula.
Canada - the north has some fantastic rivers (but beware the mossies when you camp) whilst Vancouver Island has excellent sea and river kayaking.
New Zealand - top sea and river kayaking in the southern hemisphere’s outdoor playground.
Nepal - the rivers here are generally serious, but if you’re up to it you’ll be surrounded by everything from the world’s highest mountains to jungles and elephants.