Kayaking is a cardio workout with a view

Kayaking is great aerobic exercise. Moving just the top half of your body, you can really raise your heart rate.

I’m always looking for ways to get my heart pumping, and here’s why: Intense cardio workouts are the only exercise, researchers say, that can actually slow progression of Parkinson’s disease.

Not even a pill can do that.

I traveled to Monterey, California, to join The Unshakable Husband, who was on a “work, then stay and play” business trip to the coastal city.

The “play” part included signing up for a kayaking tour.

There were a handful of outfitters in the area, and we went with Monterey Bay Kayaks, in the town of Moss Landing.

A man demonstrates how to hold a paddle for the kayaks near him.

When we arrived, we met our guide, Alexis, but I noticed we were alone. Where was our group? Turns out, we were the only ones signed up for that session. We had Alexis to ourselves!

Parkinson’s tip

Perhaps the most precarious time when kayaking – for anyone, not just people with PD – is getting in and out of the boat. Make sure you have lots of help from others while you step in and sit down. And remember that walking in sand also can be destabilizing.

Once we set off, my No. 1 goal was to say hello to a sea otter. Because who doesn’t love otters? It didn’t take long to find them in their groups, or “rafts,” but the little guys were cautious and kept their distance.

A grayish sea otter swims not far from a boater taking the picture.

A raft of sea otters can be seen in the distance.

We also saw sea lions lazing on the sun-baked shore, and a multitude of bird varieties.

Sea lions lie on the banks while a seagull floats in the water.

A large bird with a large beak stands on a peninsula near the water.

A line of birds stands on a big rocky outcrop into the water.

Alexis knew all their names, from blue herons to marbled godwits.

A sea lion swims underwater but puts up one fin above the surface,

Later on, a sea lion got close and started waving and showing off for us.

On the shore, the sea lion’s friends offered us some loud background, ahem, music.

Because there were just two in the group, Alexis took us to some of his favorite harder-to-reach places over the two-hour float.

Parkinson’s tip

Keep your meds and a water bottle with you. Usually a guide gets you back when they say they will, but on the water, lots can happen that would delay your return.

We kept a steady pace crossing Elkhorn Slough and into Monterey Bay on water barely disturbed by the breeze. That made paddling easier, but I still felt like I was always trying to catch up. I kayak in zigzags too much.

A view of the bay's calm, glassy water surface.

A man in a yellow kayak follows another man on the water.

There’s a real technique to it. If there were a Most Improved Player award, I may have earned it by the end.

A woman rests in a yellow kayak while looking out at the water.

Was my upper body sore the next day? You bet. But in reality, kayaking uses more than your arms and core. The leg muscles are called upon to stabilize the body, so they get a workout, too, with minimal stress on knees and hips.

Being in a boat low on the water gives a perspective that humans don’t usually have. You see river banks from the inside, overhanging trees from underneath, and even marine life from above the surface.

A man and woman hold up their paddles while parked in kayaks off the side of the waterway.

If you have a chance to get into a kayak on a vacation or a weekend getaway, do it! Kayaks come in singles and doubles. Being in a two-person kayak takes some of the pressure off each paddler and is a good option for beginners.

Where have you kayaked? Answer in the comments.

For more on how exercise benefits people with Parkinson’s, click here.