High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is generally differentiated from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is defined by the International Canoe Federation (the world sanctioning body) as a boat where the paddler faces forward, legs in front, using a double bladed paddle. Almost all kayaks have closed decks, although there are many sit-on-top kayaks, and these boats are growing in popularity. A canoe is defined as a boat where the paddler faces forward and sits or kneels in the boat, using a single bladed paddle. Canoes can be closed deck or open deck. Whitewater kayaking involves taking a kayak down rapids. Sea kayaking, sometimes referred to as Ocean Kayaking, involves taking kayaks out on to the ocean or other open water e.g., a lake. Sea kayaking can involve short paddles with a return to the starting point or "put-in" or expeditions covering manymiles and days. Kayaking of all kinds has continued to increase in general popularity through the 1990s and early 21st century.