Every river trip ends somewhere other than where it started. The paddle is the fun part. Getting yourself, your packraft and your transport back together is the logistics. Sort it before you launch and the day finishes at a car, a bike or a bus stop instead of a long road walk in the dark.
Four ways home
Most river days use one of four patterns. Each suits a different group size, river and budget.
| Feature | Best for | What you need | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car shuttle | Groups with two vehicles | Two cars, parking at both ends | The drive between ends can take longer than the paddle |
| Bike shuttle | Solo paddlers and pairs | A bike, a lock, a rideable road | Security of the bike at the far end |
| Walk back | Short sections near a track | A legal walking route | Walking pace with a full pack |
| Loop | Lakes, estuaries, looping rivers | A route that returns to the start | Wind and tide on the way back |
The car shuttle
Drive both cars to the take-out. Leave one there. Everyone and every packraft goes back to the put-in in the other. Paddle down, then drive the take-out car back to collect the first one.
Keep the keys straight. The take-out car's keys go down the river with you, in a dry bag clipped inside the hull. Leave nothing essential in the put-in car that you will need at the end.
Check that both parking spots are legal and that the take-out is recognisable from the water. Some rivers have local shuttle services run by outfitters or accommodation. The nearest visitor centre is a good first call.
The bike shuttle
A packraft suits this better than any other craft. Drop a bike at the take-out on the way in, lock it to something solid, then drive to the put-in and paddle down. At the end, ride back to the car, drive down and collect everything.
It works in reverse too. Park at the take-out, ride to the put-in with the packraft on your back or on the bike, paddle down to the car. The bike then rides on the bow for the paddle.
Pick the direction that puts the ride on a quieter road and the hill downhill. Riding up a valley road after a long day on the water is a slow finish.
Walking back
Some of the best short trips need no transport at all. Walk up a riverside track with the packraft on your back, inflate, and float back to where you started. Rolled, a Solo is 2.4 kg and a Tourer 3.65 kg, so the walk up is easy.
Upstream walking is slower than the map suggests on overgrown banks. Stick to formed tracks and public land, and turn around at a set time even if you have not reached the planned put-in.
Loops
Lakes, harbours and estuaries often allow a true loop: out along one shore, back along the other. Some rivers bend back towards a road or track so you can paddle a stretch and walk a short cut back.
On a lake, paddle into the wind first and come home with it behind you. On tidal water, time the loop so the tide helps on the return leg.
Shuttle checklist
- Take-out identified on the map and, if possible, seen from the bank before you start.
- Keys, ticket or bike-lock key in a dry bag inside the hull.
- Parking legal at both ends, with nothing valuable left on show.
- Time for the shuttle added to the day, both before and after the paddle.
- Trip intentions left with someone, including where each car is parked.
- A plan for a missed take-out: the next road, bridge or track downstream.
Missing the take-out
It is easier than it sounds. Take-outs look different from the water, especially from a low seat in a packraft. Mark it with a waypoint, note a landmark such as a bridge or a power line, and count the bends or tributaries from the last feature you recognise.
If you do pass it, get off the water at the first safe point and walk back along public land or the road. Do not paddle on into unknown water looking for a better exit.
Matching the hull to the plan
A bike shuttle favours the lightest hull. The Solo at 2.4 kg is easy to carry on a ride. The Tourer is the all-rounder for mixed trips, rivers included. Running the shuttle with a partner? The Duo puts two paddlers in one hull, one pack and one set of straps.
Every Seeka self-bails and carries a two-year warranty on materials and welding. Or hire one for a weekend first.