Here I am floating (in the kayak) with my instructor Chris. I was supposed to be enrolled in a sunset paddle on Saturday the 24th and a full instruction class the following day, but due to instructor illness, they had to cancel me on Sunday and did the whole kit and caboodle Saturday night. Being that I am a "quick learner" this I felt would be more than adequate and allow me to do other activities in Copper Harbor Sunday morning! For the first hour Chris and I were on land, practicing strokes, foot pedals to move the rudder, safety, how to get out when capsized, how to get in...etc. There was SO much information. WHO KNEW! I think he saw the bewilderment
on my face and said well lets just get out on the water. Well, it was a LOT harder than I thought! So much to remember, so precise! Don't pull with the lower arm, but rather push with the raised arm...or risk shoulder injury, no thanks, I'll learn the proper way. After being a bit tippy, I started to get the hang of it, I'm very thankful this protected bay of Lake Superior was quite calm! So, I paddled to a
little bridge, then back and forth across the bay (the dock area to the far left is where the Isle Royale Queen IV left from to take me to Isle Royale)! I had an audience of onlookers on shore...just kinda hanging out waiting for the sun to set. Now, the intended destination is Porter's Island, it would be across the bay and to the left of this photo).
Back to the lesson, it is now time for
me to learn the "wet exit" and how to assist another kayaker back into their vessel when they have a "wet exit". Like this happens often? So, we went over the procedure and I was to rescue Chris...out he goes, and I lean over to grasp his kayak like we practiced on land....SPLASH! Somehow, my kayak rotated clockwise and now I was in the water too! So much for rescuing him! I had been worried about...what if I can't escape and am trapped upside down? Well, I think I was out long before that happened, it only took a millisecond! Lickety split, Chris was back in his kayak. Ok, the water is well over my head (I'm ok with that) but HOW was I going to get back IN!??? Just push up with your arms like a pushup and put your left foot into the cockpit, flop on the stern then roll over, oh, and don't let go of the paddle. Seriously!? So, I struggled and struggled, after a bit one of the onlookers said they were a life guard..did I need help, I thought about flying my finger, but told them "no I can swim just fine, do you have a stepladder?". no. After about 20 minutes, God controlled his laughter and sent a small miracle and somehow I was on the stern, carefully flipped over and was in a very flooded cockpit (my fan club on the dock applauded...really...)and I learned all about bilge pumps. I LOVE them! I was also grateful my new water camera was still safely around my neck. I was really surprised at how warm the water was (about 65) being that a wetsuit was required I had expected that it would not be so pleasant! Then, after a few minutes I was looking around and...SPLASH! Really again. He said we would try a different technique this time, using a paddle float. You blow up a life vest for your paddle then kind of use that to scootch up, while this was a little easier I was physically exhausted! After 10 minutes of this monkey business I told him I was going to swim 200 feet to some rocks towing my kayak AND paddle, empty out the water and get back in there in knee deep water! He informed me I needed to learn the correct way as that wo
uldn't always be an option. I think my glare said it all and then he said, um...go ahead with whatever you are most comfortable with. That would be swimming. So, I did it my way, was MUCH easier....I will start doing pushups or whatever and master the correct way another time. He suggested at that point the heck with the lesson, let's just paddle out a little bit farther and have some fun...but stay close to shore. Maybe so I could just swim back if need be. Fine by me! I told him that I was no longer in the "lesson" part anyway....he had convinced me that it was very silly of me to have expectations of kayaking by myself, safely, ANYWHERE, let alone secluded wilderness on Lake Superior.
Suddenly I started to get in a rhythm and get the hang of it....then a
pleasure boat pulling someone in one
of those donuts went past..how fun! Here's a hint..big boat + fast speed = large wake! SHOOT! (That's really not what I said) Chris encouraged me to keep paddling (most accidents happen when you are NOT in motion)! So, I was like Dora in the Nemo movie.."just keep paddlin'...".
I battled waves about 1-2 feet high) sideways at that, and I was FINE! What a relief...oh no...the boat continued to go back an forth, several times.
Now I was REALLY done! So we hugged the shore, maneuvered under the little bridge I saw from the other side earlier and back into my "safe zone". My fans on the dock congratulated me on battling the rough waves! I think they were pretty surprised I didn't dump it again. I think I was too! They felt bad and badmouthed the boater for being
inconsiderate, in his defense he had probably not seen my earlier episodes and figured I knew what I was doing.For the next little bit I was content to chase around some Canadian Geese and found a river otter and remembered my power stroke and very efficiently and speedily gave chase, but he was too fast for me.
For the last few minutes I just floated around and watched the moonrise, now THIS is what I imagined kayaking would be :-) I pulled my gear onto shore and helped clean up...then it was off to a good nights sleep, I was now REALLY glad I didn't have to be back at 8am for class! The next morning the bruises started showing up everywhere...arms, legs, thighs, stomach...but, they were gone within 10 days and didn't really hurt anyway..just looked bad. But I AM determined that this is a skill I WILL master! And who knows....maybe in the future I will even own a kayak....might be quite a while though! I need a LOT more practice!
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