When smoke from a nearby forest fire became too much to bear, Anna and Scott Corbin headed for the mountains and the cool, clear waters of the Green Mountain Lakes of Wyoming with their Sea Eagle FastTrack.

Dear Sea Eagle,

On June 30th, 2012 we desperately needed to escape breathing the intense smoke from the Fontenelle Forest Fire, so we loaded up our kayak and drove north about 40 miles. In these pictures we are kayaking at the lower Green River Lakes…the headwaters of the Green River near our home in Wyoming. What a view of Square Top Mountain and the Wind River Mountain Range! We are really enjoying our 385 FastTrack here in Wyoming. We now get to visit beautiful remote areas on our local lakes! It’s very stable, maneuvers well, and glides easily through our high-altitude lakes! 

Sincerely, Scott & Anna Corwin

God’s country turns hellish

Scott and Anna Corwin live in one of the most scenic parts of America, in Wyoming, just down the road from Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. But when the Fontenelle forest fire roared through 150 acres of nearby woodland, their town was blanketed with heavy, acrid smoke.

When 150 acres of the Fontenelle Forest burned, acrid smoke caused the Corwins to pack up their Sea Eagle kayak and head for clean air and cool waters.

“We had a tough week of breathing forest fire smoke,” Scott told us. “Our eyes were burning, we had sore throats, and we decided to head north to get out of the smoke.” They packed up their Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack and headed for greener pastures — Green River Lakes, a National Forest Recreation Site of the United States Forest Service.

“Kayaking is something we can do together.”

Their escape from the smoke gave the Corwins some fresh air and a chance to enjoy one of their favorite activities, kayaking. “For us, kayaking is something my wife and I can do together,” said Scott. “We like to get away and be together. We work together and like to play together.”

Renting vs. buying

Scott and Anna were introduced to kayaking on a recent trip to Maui. “We took a guided kayak tour on a trip to Hawaii,” said Scott. “We saw whales close up; a humpback whale swam beneath us.” That experience got them interested in doing more kayaking, and as they researched, they decided to buy rather than own. “Renting a kayak costs a lot,” says Scott. “I didn’t want to buy a hard hull kayak because our big plan is to pack our inflatable Sea Eagle kayak in a bag and take it back to Maui.”

But until their next Hawaiian vacation, they’re exploring local lakes including Wyoming’s Freemont and Halfmoon Lakes. “We kayak to get away and relax, to enjoy each other’s company and the scenery. We love it. We can visit and talk about our kids and what they’re doing. We’re what you’d consider recreational kayakers,” Scott told us. “We’re new to kayaking, we’re not super knowledgeable about techniques but we’re really enjoying our Sea Eagle kayak.”

Online research & reviews

Scott says they keep their FastTrack inflated full time for local kayaking trips. When the day comes that they return to Hawaii, they’ll pack it in a suitcase and go ocean kayaking. “Renting a kayak is expensive,” says Scott. That’s Green Mountain Lake and Square Top Mountain in the background.

The Corwins chose the Sea Eagle 385 FastTrack after doing quite a bit of research online. “I like the internet for research,” said Scott. “I read all the reviews on inflatable kayaks and Sea Eagle gets great reviews. And the company has been in business for over 40 years.”

“I liked the FastTrack because the reviews said it responds like a hard hull kayak.” The FastTrack’s skeg at the stern and drop-stitch keel under the bow are like two underwater blades that keep it on a steady course. “It’s fast and it tracks straight,” says Scott. “For us, it’s very stable. My wife loves it and I do, too. It’s steady. You can twist around, kick back, hang out over the sides.

Between their kayaking trips in Wyoming’s pristine mountain lakes, Scott and Anna are busy running their business, Pickaroon Timber Products, Inc., specializing in roundwood fence posts and poles.

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