Kayak trip One
6/22/2003 – Eagle Point Lake
It had been a busy week at work for us both, plus father’s day and both our birthdays, so by the end of Sunday, June the 22, we were both full of stress and I think the two wives just thought it better if they sent us off on our own with Troy’s new 16′ kayak.
For that trip Troy still only had one paddle, so we took turns to row, but it was soon clear that we were having a hard time steering the kayak. Because I am quite a heavy weight, we had decided that I should have the middle seat of the kayak with Troy behind me – to balance things out.
Thinking that trading places would make it easier to steer we rowed to the nearest side of the lake, but where we thought there would be grass on a beach, there were just reeds and dead, stinking, reeking algi! I threatened to kill Troy if he caused me in any way to touch that soup remember it is only nine inches below the kayak gunwale but I think he also needed little persuasion and we immediately headed back to the pier where we started. There we changed seats and the difference was remarkable.
The lake, for us, had a new name: Stinky Lake a bit unfair, for it was only on one shore that we saw the thick soup.
For the first time we experienced the thrill of gliding close to a white heron or a crane as they sit near their nests in the reeds.
The water, the physical exercise, the fresh air and nature in general were all tools in God’s hand to sooth our nerves and calm us down.
After more than an hour we got out very refreshed and renewed. With the kayak back on the minivan’s roof, we stopped at Culver’s for a frozen custard treat!
Our next trip would be on June the 28th!