slideshow

A Kayak's Origin Story

Kayaks are known for their superior design as a small watercraft. The combination...

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Kayaks Today

Kayaks continue to be used as a means of transportation in the Arctic and an...

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Kayaking

This sculpture shows how weaponry and hunted animals were stored on the surface of...

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Harpoon Thrower

The best weapons to use in a kayak were darts and harpoons. Bows were easily...

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Kayak Profile

Kayaks have a great variation in construction styles. In places where severe...

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Hunting in a Kayak

Kayaks were designed for hunting and fishing.  Sleek and buoyant, they allow...

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Yup'ik Kayak

Kayaks are covered boats with a small opening for the paddler to sit within. Most...

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Sail Away

Unlike kayaks, umiaqs often relied on a sail. This photo shows how sails could be...

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An Umiaq Frame

This umiaq model from the Smithsonian shows the leather lacings that fasten the...

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Bearded Seal Skin Frame

Umiaqs have a wooden frame and are covered in seal skin. ...

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The Umiaq

Large skin boats carried people and cargo between islands and on long-distance...

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Copper Inuit

Several Copper Inuit from Tree River in the CAE umiak, Port Epworth, Coronation...