Jackson County Sheriff's marine deputies over two upcoming weekends will give boaters the chance to have their powerboats and driftboats checked for the requisite safety gear.

COOLIN, Idaho — An osprey screeches and dives out of the sky straight down toward the blue waters of Upper Priest Lake in Northern Idaho's Panhandle.

Darryl Valentino leans awkwardly out of the front of a jetboat onto a large pile of brush and logs, meticulously chainsawing away while trying not to fall into the swift stretch of the upper Rogue River below him.

Jackson County marine deputies are warning rafters and inflatable kayak users of three new navigational hazards along the upper Rogue River that have given casual boaters trouble this season.

The Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit in British Columbia has long been considered by paddlers as one of the top-10 canoe trips in the world. We were fortunate enough to experience the beauty of this area last summer on a unique, weeklong journey by canoe and connecting portages.

After 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, Roland McKinnon was tired of power boats. But he and his wife, Eryne, still wanted the open-water experience. So two years ago they took the plunge into kayaking.

ASHLAND — As the first line of defense against quagga mussels and other invasive aquatic species, Sam Dodenhoff and Eric Ressel are as much guardians as they are matadors.