In Today’s Newsletter: A paddling legend opens the doors to his jaw-dropping 150-kayak collection, our experts break down the secret to mastering the J-stroke, and nine pros weigh in on the most common mistakes they see on the river when it comes to gear and equipment.

While out on a mission to catch fish, kayaker Kyle Borkes picked up a marine mammal hitchhiker. On a cloudy British Columbia day, a sea otter crawled on to Borkes’ kayak and took a nap; an adorable encounter caught on film.

This kayaking legend has a whopping 150 boats in his house, including four in his bedroom. Take a look inside.

A: The J-stroke is so named because the paddle, as it moves through the water, traces the shape of the letter J. What makes the stroke invaluable to traveling straight is its combination of two parts into a fluid motion.

The first part is the forward propulsion, accomplished by your standard forward stroke. The second is corrective. During the corrective part, the paddle provides resistance to veer the bow back toward the side you’re paddling on without breaking the forward momentum gained during propulsion. It sounds simple, and, it is straightforward, however, the paddle angle and wrist movement needed to accomplish an effective J-stroke can feel awkward at first.

To get tips from an expert who spends his days making headway across breezy lakes and teaching others the ropes, we joined canoe instructor and owner of Smoothwater Outfitters Francis Boyes on the water. The details Boyes shares here will help with your J-stroke so you can take control and enjoy time spent in your canoe.

Have a question? Reply to this email to submit your paddling-related question, and we’ll do our best to answer it in an upcoming newsletter.

World Turtle Day is celebrated annually on May 23rd to protect turtles, tortoises, and their habitats. From turtles that breathe through their butts to space-traveling “spaceturtles” and two-hour courtship dances, these 15 bizarre and fascinating turtle facts prove there’s far more going on beneath the shell than you’d expect.

We asked nine pros to weigh in on the most common mistakes they see on the river when it comes to gear and equipment.