By MATT SANDERSON, Valley Breeze and Observer Staff Writer
Looking for an alternative, low-impact form of recreation? Try kayaking.

In Rhode Island, kayaking has exploded onto the scene in the last decade or so and created a life-long hobby that can be experienced throughout the summer and into the comfortable surroundings of autumn.

Ed Mullen, of Warwick, is author of the guide "Kayaking Narragansett Bay," which came out in 2002 and is used as a guide to 58 launching points into the bay with exact GPS - global positioning satellite - locations. Mullen has kayaked the entire 250 miles of coastline of Narragansett Bay, including all 15 of its islands. He also circumnavigated Block Island in a 10-foot Walden Paddler. His guide book has sold well over 1,500 copies. He enjoys kayaking year-round but especially in the winter because of the lack of traffic."Fall is one of the best because of the foliage," he said.

"I had all of the data from paddling the entire coastline of Narragansett Bay and the most asked question I got was 'Where can I launch from?'," he said as the reason he wrote his book. In his book, he notes the Upper Pawtuxet River in Hope as a key spot to go to. If you follow the directions to launch from the dirt ramp north from the Pawtuxet River Fishing Area near Hope Furnace Road, you can paddle to the Scituate Reservoir Dam, which is the beginning of the river. Heading north is a continuation of river. Another area of interest he points out in the book is launching from the beach area in George Washington campground. "This is the best camping area in Rhode Island," he writes. "The best sites for using the water are 27 and 28, which are on small hill overlooking the water. You can explore the coastline of the Bowdish Reservoir, fish, or just relax." However, Mullen acknowledges that his guide is only geared toward those who mainly kayak near the coastline and not for those who stay inland.

The Rhode Island Canoe and Kayak Association, as well as its offshoot, the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club, focuses its attention on the northern R.I. and southern Massachusetts kayaking and paddling community, especially along the Blackstone River and its watershed. Many of the river's sections are able to be navigated by canoe or kayak, with some sections more challenging than others. Their Web site, ricka.org, states there are seven categories of skill in the river in terms of water flow, according to terms of the Appalachian Mountain Club. (editors note, according to the terms of the ACA, American Canoe Association).  Flatwater means that there is little to no current and paddling is easy. Quickwater means that the river moves fast and is nearly smooth at high levels and choppy at medium levels. Class I indicates that the fast-moving water has riffles or small waves with few or no obstructions. The site states that Class II means the water has rapids with wide, clear channels with some occasional maneuvering around some rocks. Classes III through V mean faster moving rapids with necessary skill levels because some can mean serious danger.