I paddled by myself today from the sailing club. There were other boats on the water, and a few folks back at the club. I wore a PFD. Flubbed a roll, before I could try a second attempt I got a nose full of water so wet exited, and emptied the cockpit then remounted, and continued paddling. Was paddling my Shearwater Merganser using the GP. They go well together. Sat up on the back deck some and paddled with legs in and out. Did a lot of turning using edging, bow and crossbow rudders (static draw if you canoe). sweeps, extended sweeps, and sculling etc. Some fast straight forward strokes on the race course for the MC Scow sailboats. They were all launching and docking prior to the 5PM start as I came in to take out.
I was in my car with the small hitch so got one of the club members to bring a good friends trailer to the ramp. His boat was left at the courtesy dock. He needed it off the water, and back on the hard. The reason we needed to do it for him was his 8 year old daughter started school Monday. Tuesday one of the children in the class had Covid. Now the Teacher and entire class are at their homes in quarantine. The mother works they don’t live together, and dad is retired so he is keeping her at his house. He is a very good dad.
I came home and got out of the car with sore muscles. It feels good, and I needed that. I am suffering from too much stay at home Pandamnit caution with the stifling heat and humid days of summer as an added incentive. Fred has passed us. The weather is a cool 90F today with no tornado warnings from the phone. It was time to be on the water.
Life can be good. I love how my Kayak connects me to the water. It is sleek and beautiful often engendering appreciative comments. I find them very satisfying, but they aren’t good for my humility. It glides through the water like a living thing. A magic carpet ride on the water due in part to the work of my hands.
Oh Heck, here are some photos from the past. This is my Shearwater on a solo paddle in March to Bull Island . A 12 mile round trip with two 2 mile open water crossings.
Here are a couple of the GP.
