A delightful collection of ocean kayaking trips, Sea Kayaking Along the New England Coast stands out as the adventurer's guide to the best trips from Maine to Connecticut. The book describes 47 trips in detail: put-in spots, suggested route with map, possible lunch spots, scenery, caution areas, and campsites. Venn, the editor of Atlantic Coastal Kayaker, has paddled these spots with kayakers who know the area, and includes such local-knowledge items such as what tide level is required for a passage, plus post-paddling eating establishments.

The book covers both day trips and multi-day camping expeditions, and offers trips on the open ocean and in protected waters, allowing readers to select a trip that is right for their skill, taste, and the weather. For example, expert paddlers will love the circumnavigations of Vinalhaven or Cape Ann, but novice paddlers will rejoice at the beauty of the protected Salmon Falls River in New Hampshire or York River in Maine.

This second edition includes more than ten new trips, plus many trips redesigned from the original edition to reflect new launch sites, changes in camping rules, or simply more enjoyable trips. The new edition includes much-improved trip maps, wonderfully detailed and easy to follow on your nautical chart. Also added is an extensive section on Leave-No-Trace paddling and camping, plus a list of outfitters and paddling organizations throughout New England (complete with web sites, which practically didn't exist when the first edition was published).

Like many other paddling guides, Venn provides information on specific trips, laying out a launch site, route, and places of interest at which to land. Take her trips at face value, or combine the information found here with other guidebooks to create your own voyages.

The introduction contains very brief overviews of such general topics as equipment, navigation, and rescues, but because of the limited space delegated to them, these topics are best covered elsewhere. At times, Venn's directions to launch sites lack sufficient detail, so plot your route carefully on a map before leaving.

Venn created an immensely useful book with enough detail so you know what to expect before you drive to the boat launch, then brought it up-to-date with new launches, new trips, new information, and an improved design. If you live or paddle in New England, we at NESK highly recommend it.