Intentional TonicKayak! East Rosebud Lake (9/8/2013)
A dream I have long held has been realized! For longer than I can remember, I have wanted to kayak. This Sunday, the dream came true!
Since our first excursion to East Rosebud Lake, I have envisioned being out on that water in a kayak. So, of course, I made East Rosebud the first voyage.
Happiness Level – The Day We Brought Scarlett Home
Look at that little munchkin!
Happiness Level – The First Cruise in My Very Own Kayak
Kayak level is pretty close to the day we brought Scarlett home (close, but not quite as good!). I’m telling you, I love this dog. Today could only have been made better if she and JR were with me. {Believe me, that is definitely in the works. JR and I are excited to have her swim alongside and hopefully, get in the boat with me. I don’t think it will be a problem, but that will have to be a post all in itself. I’m sure it will be a humorous event.}
I put in at the boat launch and had a few onlookers (chatty fishermen). Honestly, isn’t fishing supposed to be a quiet activity? Onlookers always make me nervous. Being on slippery rocks with a prosthetic and an audience mean here comes the adrenaline. That’s not a good thing. Adrenaline and I have never gotten on well. But, I was so excited to get in the water, I just steadied my breath and got in. I can’t say it was the most graceful entry, but I did it and took off.
I navigated my way around the lake, staying somewhat close to shore, in about an hour. I tested leaning, turning, my paddling technique, spinning around, and trying to track in a straight line. There was some wind and combined with my meager paddling skill, I couldn’t get exactly where I wanted to go in an efficient manner. That’s a good lesson for me, isn’t it? My will is not the one that is in control out in the elements. I have to learn to bend and work within my current environment to accomplish my goal. Sigh….
After one trip around the lake, I reached in my hatch to get my snack, but it wasn’t there. Rats. I left it in the truck. I used it as a good excuse to practice getting in and out of the boat a few times. I didn’t really get better at it, but I did get less worked up over doing it. I call that a win.
More confident, I paddled back out to the middle of the lake, stopped, ate my snack and let the wind take me where it desired. While enjoying the view, I saw a bald eagle coasting around the lake. What luck! He was riding the wind, wings fully extended, and it was beautiful to watch. I thought about trying to get a picture, but I only had my phone. Instead, I decided to just savor the moment.
Although I could have stayed out there all day, I figured I’d better start heading back. My arms were a little tired, and I knew I still had to get the boat back in the truck. I decided to go for it on the jaunt back. I did my best to paddle straight and get up some speed. It was a lot of fun. Before I knew it, three ducks shot out into the water, and were riding along beside me. How fun! I tried to delight in that moment as well, but I pulled out the phone and took a quick video. Its hard to paddle and video at the same time! That probably explains why I took the video in the wrong direction (portrait, not landscape). Shoot.
I was sad to leave, but decided I would take a few hours of vacation time this week, and get back out on the water somewhere else. After all, paddling season is quickly coming to a close.
All in all it was a successful first outing. I brought everything I needed, I got the boat in, out, and back in the truck, tied it down successfully, got me in and out of the water several times with nothing on my person in worse shape that when I arrived, and everything back home in one piece. I know you are supposed to christen a boat before its first launch, but I didn’t think of it until I got home. The outing called for a christening:
Cheers! To the next adventure!
That sounds like so much fun! I want to be like you (adventurous) when I grow up 🙂