Vickie Estep goes boating on the Chattahooche River in Georgia in her Sea Eagle 330. She’s a cancer survivor and uses boating as a key piece of her cancer recovery program.

Vickie Estep, of Peachtree, Georgia, emailed us recently with photos and a glowing note about how much she enjoys boating in her Sea Eagle 330 Sport Kayak. Only upon speaking with Vickie did we learn that the relaxation she enjoys through boating in her Sea Eagle is a key part of  her recovery from cancer.

Stress relief is essential

“Relieving stress and having some form of relaxation is very important for any cancer survivor,” Vickie told us. “Relaxation plus exercise, health, fitness, and diet are all very instrumental.” Vickie chose boating and says, “Boating is absolutely helping my recovery from cancer.”

Vickie has run a daycare center for the last 18 years. “Taking care of kids all day long can be very stressful at times. Being able to jump in the car and run to the lake and go paddling for awhile, keeping quiet, looking at and enjoying Nature, is very peaceful and relaxing for me. It’s the way I relieve stress.”

“Of all the boats I’ve owned, this is my favorite.”

She bikes and hikes, too, but boating was a natural choice for Vickie. “Boating is something I’ve always done. My family had a lake house when I was growing up so I was always around the water,” she says. “I love water.” She explained further, “I’ve had power boats, ski boats, and canoes. But this time I wanted something  I could handle on my own. I need to exercise and the Sea Eagle was perfect.”

“The maneuverability of an inflatable is great,” says Vickie. “I need something I can handle on my own and this works. Of all the boats I’ve had, this really is my favorite. That’s why I wrote to you. I very rarely write any company but I’m really impressed with the Sea Eagle.  It’s my favorite because it’s so convenient, so maneuverable, it does what I need it to do, it gets me in and out of the same places my son goes in his hard hull kayak. He was skeptical about my Sea Eagle when I got it but when we took our first trip together he said, ‘Mom, that’s pretty cool.’”

Online research

Like so many shoppers, Vickie went online to research boats. “I was looking at inflatables online. The reviews of Sea Eagle boats are great, the testimonials on your site are great, and I said, ‘OK, that’s what I’m going to go for.’ I got my 330 and it’s so easy to carry, inflate, and maneuver in the water. It’s perfect for me.” She added, “My son has hard hull kayaks and big racks on his car. He has to strap everything down. I just throw my Sea Eagle in the trunk. It’s just great.”

No roof rack or trailering. The deflated 330, plus seats and oars, fits in a single bag. And the bag fits in a compact car trunk with plenty of room to spare.

“I Googled ‘inflatable boats’ and ended up on a site that recommended Sea Eagle. I compared it to other inflatables and it seemed like a good value. Sea Eagles come with everything — oars, seats, pump, repair kit, everything. And everything fits in one bag that can go in my trunk. That’s perfect. Other inflatables don’t include everytingt – you have to buy everything separately. With Sea Eagle, I just had to buy a life jacket.”

“I’m going for the tranquility”

A friend saw Vickie’s 330 and ordered one, too. Now they go boating together on the nearby Chattahooche River. “It’s flat water with just one or two shoals. That’s why I prefer it. I’m going for the tranquility. As a breast cancer survivor, I need to de-stress. The tranquility is what I’m after. On a recent boat trip, we saw only 4 people in 8 miles in the river. I like the tranquility and peace and quiet. You get to see lots of wildlife and it helps me de-stress.”

Vickie’s an enthusiastic Sea Eagle owner, too. “I brag about my Sea Eagle every time it go out and I’ve probably sold 10 or more for you. It never fails. Recently, a couple and their child came up and asked about it. They said they’d seen ads for Sea Eagle but asked if they can trust the ads. I said, ‘Absolutely!’’

Regrets?

We asked Vickie if she had any regrets. “I only wish I’d gotten it a long time ago,” she said. “I’d have gotten one earlier if I’d known about it!”

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