It's an easy launch from the beach; I've done this dozens of times, but never onto the lake.
Inland, there is only the wind to contend with; as fetch increases, so does chop, and water over the bow. A 13.5' kayak is a different animal than a 33' racing sailboat. This water is calm at that scale, but now, every degree, every inch, is significant. Every point of sail is a new experience. I let the wind and growing wavelets take me out, wonder how I'll turn back.
The moment I stop paddling, there is no contention. My kayak shows me, calmly chartreuse, bobbing in a foot of chop, that she can handle this; the going may be work, at times, but I needn't worry. I relax.
In the lee of the pier, long swells run over deeper water; I surf. A couple of sailboarders reach back and forth, planing; we cross close enough to exchange exhilarated grins.
The waves teach me. The wind teaches me. Together, we play. Rise and fall, rise and fall. I find the rhythm; we move together, I-boat-paddle-water. Between inhale and exhale, there is heaven.
Time is no more. Only a few minutes from shore to swells, every moment a pleasant hour, everything I am, dancing. The skyline twinkles in hazy perfection; I notice with a start that dusk has settled, paddle in, land. There is nothing but this,
Inhale, exhale, is.
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The waves teach me. The wind teaches me. Together, we play. Rise and fall, rise and fall. I find the rhythm; we move together, I-boat-paddle-water. Between inhale and exhale, there is heaven....time is no more..there is nothing but this... inhale, exhale, is."
As I read this I am sent paddling on the whitewater of the French Broad. I know this feeling...I know this...too.
I become lost when I'm paddling- there is no more me, separate from anything else...I am the water, the kayak, the paddle, the rise and fall, the mountain, the eddy.... beyond a doubt, I know this too.
...here is where there is no more me...I am.
Thank you for the wonderful moments spent remembering there are places where nothing matters- nothing matters... everything is in order, including little me.
That is wonderful, Julia. I'm so happy for you, and Isaiah, too. Years ago, when I was about your age, I had, not a kayak but a pirogue-- about the same amount of draft.
As a novice I took it to German Lake in SW LA. Pleasant paddling for 3 miles. I hadn't noticed there was a strong current moving me along.
I got back with great effort, about as tired as I've ever been in my life.
Still pleasant to reminisce about after your wonderful trips.
Very nice! You write well. Even though I've never done that, I can imagine it.
She's BACK! WOW.
Yay.
Isaiah... thank you for sharing all this.
Larry; luckily I went out far less than a mile!
Darius, it's such hard work, but worth it.
Jim, wha??
But now you are talking of experience. This too is experiencing. Re-experiencing.
ahhhh, I've spent some of my favorite hours in a kayak. dancing with waves. it is a complete joy. A 13.5 ft boat IS a lot of work on flat water - what are you paddling? When I went out on the bay in my Animus no one would go with me in short boats. Too much work. I did it frequently because it was easy to use - and I didn't care how far I got. A nice long l7 foot boat takes a lot of the work out of it while leaving the joy intact.
Imemine, yes, I suppose it is; the writing is to, just a little, bring the reader in...
Hayden; I was mistaken, she's 14.5' (and only 22" wide!) - Wilderness Systems Cape Horn 140. Anything bigger wouldn't fit into the basement!
Not so bad, is it, that this is this?
well, just for fun, let me see, you had a great experience, you admit that you were there, weren't lost, it didn't turn you into God, you take responsibility for the whole thing, a Human experience, exhilirating, sensual, stimulating, invigorating, what more did you make of it? Nothing. It was it. By the way, Happy 'NOW' to you. bye.
one of my girlfriends used to keep hers in the living room. She sat in it while watching tv to practice the thigh tension, and get used to sitting in the position for long periods. I don't know your boat, but will google it.
Jon... it's getting better. This (paddling, that is) helps. :)
Jim; what more is it? Nothing, and everything.
Hayden, she's sweet, but barely fits into the basement much less the living room. Hm, maybe I'll bring her on the lawn and watch a movie on my laptop - that'd be fun!
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