After emailing back and forth the last few days trying to coordinate a trip to Bahia Honda with friends from college, I've started to get excited about spending some time in a kayak again. I found Cypress Kayaks on All Plaid Out's Tumblr today and now I just can't wait. Watch the video of Aaron Wells making his custom boats here and then cruise around his site. Hell of a craft:
Aaron Wells started Cypress Kayaks in 2007 to provide kayak aficionados a technically and aesthetically superior boat. Born and raised in Suwannee County, Aaron was fortunate to grow up with the beautiful Suwannee River right in his own backyard. Spending countless hours in and around the river with his friends and family, Aaron quickly grew to appreciate this natural work of art and the fascinating boats that navigated up and down its stream.After graduating Florida State University with a degree in Environmental Science, Aaron moved back to Suwannee County to pursue a career in wetland management. In his spare time, he began working on a wooden strip kayak, and soon realized his love for building these types of boats. The joy and challenge of constructing unique, one-of-a-kind vessels gave him the incentive to quit his job, and pursue his passion full-time. Aaron began to study the expertise of building wooden strip kayaks, and soon thereafter opened Cypress Kayaks’ doors to the public.Aaron’s workshop is located in Suwannee County near the Suwannee River State Park, where he builds custom-made vessels for retail and produces instructional videos on constructing kayak boats.