What Adventure Will choose?

[vgtigger]

I decided time to stop putting life on hold and put myself out there to go beyond my comfort zone and explore new adventures. I took a Sea Kayak class we started at Brewers Marina using a dock to get in/out of the Kayak, we skimmed along the Plymouth Harbor passing along the Plymouth Rock (pictured here) and kayak'd right up to the Mayflower II ship. The sun was setting and there was a live concert along the waterfront, it was so much fun, I loved it and glad I pushed myself to give it a shot. Maybe my adventures will turn into a love for the open sea or the whitewater, there is even kayaking in alaska amongst the whales. For now I'll embrace and enjoy the calm quiteness of the Marina cove. Tomorrow nights lesson will take us out a bit further and over to a beach to learn how to get in/out from the shore.


http://heart4adventure.multiply.com/journal/item/9/Beyond_Borders_Breaking_Barriers

[jcme]

vgtigger

Good for you.

That class sounds awesome. That would be a great place to learn to kayak since it is very protected.

My first exposures to kayaks (seeing them, not riding in them) was in white water and it looked like such a blast.

Last year my bicycle club did a pedal and paddle to a local park then rents kayaks and canoes. It is a pretty small, shallow lake (very calm water) and they send you out without instruction. One of the other club members had been before and helped me figure out what to do. We just paddled and floated around a little cove watching the ducks while the others ventured off farther away. We stayed close enough to shore and the concession stand so I wasn't worried about being stranded in the middle of the lake if I flipped over again (I flipped pushing off from shore).

I would love get to the point where I would feel comfortable on a "tour". The ones in Alaska would be amazing and there are also other tours that I've seen in other scenic areas.

Take care

[vgtigger]

Tonight was the 2nd day of the 2day class, it's last 2 hours, and boy am I sore, my forearms and along my thumbs, obviusly I was holding the paddle wrong, but in addition to that since we are on the ocean staying along the shoreline it was still very and boats going through causing waves... One of the guys in the class came along side me, i think he either panicked or when he took his paddle to turn away he actually tilted his body and ended up rolling.

They showed us tonight how to get in your kayak if you did fall out, it always seems to look easier than done, and well not sure I want to experience it. I guess people jump out to go for a swim and stuff.. I'm sure over time and lots of practice i'd feel more free to explore

[poppit]

vgtigger,

I am not sure I could be so bold as to go on the ocean in a kayak, but you have inspired me to find something I have not yet done and learn how.

Thanks!!

[vgtigger]

oh boy, just envision a rolling whale in water this was me trying to get out of the kayak at the dock, First you create a rigger with the paddle behind you then you place your arms back holding onto the paddle to lift your hips up, swing your one leg out onto the dock, and push yourself out, except I decided to slide my butt over and onto the dock and as the dock tilted into the water there I went starting to roll in and someone had to grab me and pull me out, Ya, it was quite commical.



Tonight our 2 hour lesson brought us out of the cove of the Marina, and into open waters, still well within the Moorings to shoreline parementar, but none the less open water in my mind, it was Choppy, and as boats went by causing waves, I to say the least was nervous, and my arms feel like they are going to fall off from the elbow down to the thumbs. Ok, for some reason I think this has more to do with my Form, strokes, whatever you'd like to call it than it does with Choppy water.




ooooohh then this one guy in the class bumped my kayak, wich actually was common amongst all the classmates, it was more like Bumper Kayaks...hee hee, but he must have panicked because he leaned as if you would lean on a motorcycle to make a turn, and Plop, before you knew it he was rolling, I screamed, I'm not sure if it was a Scream of relief that it wasn't me rolling or a Scream of Horror, as he was an older guy...late 60's early 70's,


Either case, i paddled to get out of there because as much as I love water I just did not want to be like a bobble head with my hips attached to a plastic banana bobbing me up and down of the water (ya most people fall out of them, or push themselves out when they roll) but ya know I am Elaine from Seinfeld and somehow I think the bobble Head is how it would turn out for me.. LOL