The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
‘Peaceful kind of fun’
Chardon man uses kayak to explore, enjoy nature
Nicholas Schragal embraces kayaking every summer, a tradition he has formed over many years enjoying the natural parks of Ohio and beyond.
From a young age growing up in Chardon, Schragal took to the waters of Northeast Ohio and began what would become a lifelong hobby and passion.
“I’ve been kayaking for as long as I can remember,” he said. “My parents would take my brother and I out on the water in our canoe when we’d go camping and we’d explore the shoreline. As I got older, we got kayaks so we could go explore independently, and now I can take them out to go exploring new places on my own.”
Schragal graduated summa cum laude from The University of Alabama in Huntsville as a part of the class of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in applied physics and astrophysics. He is studying astrophysics as a graduate student at the University of Arizona.
He said that kayaking helped build his personality, de-stress and maintain a healthy mindset.
Schragal’s passion for kayaking would eventually lead him to his career. After a long day of kayaking Schragal would move to the bank of the water to set up camp and star gaze. His love of stars would lead to a fascination with astronomy and the solar system. He hopes to one day earn a doctorate in astrophysics and research the cosmos.
In addition to his studies Schragal said that kayaking was a gateway for his participation in other watersports. He has been windsurfing with his father, tubing and water skiing. But kayaking is perhaps his favorite when shared with others.
“It’s a very peaceful kind of fun. No noise except that of the lapping of waves onto the boat and the world around you.” he said. “You can get lost in the practice, it sounds silly but it actually does feel like a whole new world. It really helped me calm down and focus on what is important.”
When out on the water Schragal said it is important to always wear a life jacket and let someone know what river or park you intend to be kayaking at. He almost always goes boating with friends and family and encourages others to do so not only to stay safe but also to share in the beauty of nature.
“It’s also fun to teach your friends how to kayak because it can be pretty funny to watch them try their best to figure it out for the first time,” he said. “But once you teach them the ropes, I have found most people take to the water like fish. It’s suddenly like taking a walk, and they can get into places that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to go and you see a different side of people that makes all the difference.”
Schragal said that, just like he did, he has seen friends go from an interest in kayaking to fully engrossing themselves in other nature-based hobbies.
With over a decade of experience boating with friends and family he has been to variety of parks and water ways with his favorites being Punderson, Fairport Harbor and Chagrin River.
Schragal’s love of the water extends beyond Ohio as he has tried to target as many kayaking excursions as possible when travelling.
“I’ve seen the greatest things in the world on the water,” he said. “I remember kayaking one time in South Carolina where a friend of mine and I went kayaking into a little cove on Lake Keowee. There we saw a dozen turtles sunbathing on logs — we could almost get close enough to touch them — and a whole school of fish in the water right under the kayaks.”
Schragal said a large part of his happy childhood was because of the memories he made on the water and every time he leaves to pursue his studies, he thinks about what he will do when he returns.
“For the past few years since I’ve been away at college, I’ve made it a tradition to go kayaking with friends around Memorial Day when I’m back here in Ohio,” he said. “Those little trips have been my favorite.
“We get together to pack some lunch to bring with us on the water and head out to our destination of choice.” he added. “After getting out on the water and doing a bit of exploring, we link up kayaks and canoes and have lunch. It’s always a good day, spending time out in the fresh air, watching the birds, fish, frogs, dragonflies, and the occasional eagle or heron going about their lives.
“I don’t think there is anything more relaxing than that, just being in nature with good people and sharing in nature.”