Having grown up in the Pacific NW, I have been kayaking and canoeing off and on my whole life. Like many of us, I have taken guided trips on the ocean and solo paddles in calm bays. I have also paddled extensively around on my own or with friends in large lakes, like on Lake Washington and the Arboretum in Seattle. Over the years I have romanticised sea kayaking; dreaming of paddling along rugged coast lines, such as the various island archipelagos in Canada and Alaska. I am finally taking a step closer to this romantic idea and have enrolled in a private course from BodyBoatBlade International. I am very excited to do this and hope to take my skill levels up several notches including learning the infamous eskimo roll. In addition, I have been reading and learning more about tides and crosswinds and just how challenging mother nature can be to a kayaker. I never realized how much is involved and I think a healthy dose of realistic education, mixed with a little romanticism should get me going good.
A Native American Symbol that I really like. (perhaps Inuit, though guessing, it looks more like Haida design). This image came from the book, The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking by Derek C. Hutchinson, 5th Edition. The graphic was not labeled.
Bull Kelp, with Point Doughty in the Background, 6x7 negative, DeHart, 2008. Point Doughty is a beautiful spot to camp and is only accessible by sea kayak. As a bit of trivia, Bull Kelp is an annual (meaning it dies yearly) and grows up to 20 feet in the Puget Sound. Bull kelp along the in the deep ocean can reach up to 80 feet has been recorded in Alaska at 120 feet.
The Starship and the Canoe, Kenneth Brower, 1983
The NY Times writes "An unusual and often moving double biography...In their individual ways, the Dysons embody the extremes of twentieth-century life -- science and technology, and the revolt against them. "
My wife recommended this book to me in 2003. It is a beautiful story that made me think about the macro and micro of life.
1 comment:
catching up with you while away in Seattle between bris and wedding! I don't think six years is quite accurate though but five years away without kids or being pregnant might be right. Miss you and ours greatly and heard a c.c. cummings poem today that made me think of you. I wish I could have arrived home with a kayak for you. J
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