What to Bring for a Kayak Rental in New Orleans
Short answer: Water, sunscreen, a phone dry bag, sunglasses with a strap, and shoes that can get wet. The kayak, paddles, life jackets, and backrests are already at the launch. In summer, double the water and add a hat.
Three hours on the bayou needs less gear than people think, but the few things you do need, you really need. Here's the list we'd text a friend.
Already covered (leave it at home)
Every rental includes the kayak, paddles, life jackets, and backrests, all waiting at the launch at 2101 Paris Rd. Parking is free on site. You do not need to bring, strap down, or inflate anything boat-shaped.
The five essentials
- Water. A liter per person minimum, and honestly two in summer. There's no shade bar in the marsh.
- Sunscreen, applied before you launch. Water reflects sun up at you, so you burn from two directions. Reapply at the halfway turnaround.
- A dry bag or waterproof pouch for your phone. The $10 kind that hangs around your neck is perfect. The skyline-over-the-marsh shot is worth protecting, and wet phones are our most common sad story.
- Sunglasses with a retainer strap. Polarized if you have them; you'll see through the water glare to the turtles and fish below.
- Shoes that can get wet. Sandals with a heel strap, water shoes, or old sneakers. Launching means a step or two near the water. Flip-flops technically work until they float away.
Worth adding in summer
- A brimmed hat that ties or fits snug. Bayou breezes collect loose hats.
- A cooling towel or bandana you can dip in the water.
- A light long-sleeve sun shirt. Counterintuitive, cooler than bare shoulders by hour two.
- Bug spray for the dock at dawn and dusk. Out on the open water the breeze mostly handles it.
Nice to have
- A snack. Three hours of paddling earns a granola bar.
- Binoculars if you're into birds. The pelican and heron traffic out here is constant.
- A towel and a dry shirt waiting in the car. Future you says thanks.
Leave behind
Anything you'd cry about losing to the bayou: nice watches, non-waterproof cameras without a dry bag, loose keys in shallow pockets. And leave the dog at home; this is alligator habitat and it's not the place for pets, however good a boy he is.
That's the whole list. Book your kayak, throw five things in a bag, and come paddle. First time in a kayak? Read the beginner's guide first.