And the answer is...
...canoe and kayak launch! That's the answer to Tuesday's quiz.
Most of you came close to guessing (with the exception of Rauf, as usual ;-)), but Kate, Nikon and JoAnn were practically spot on! Congratulations! And thank you all for playing!
Looking back, I have had many adventures in kayaking, in different parts of the world. But the one that stands out is meeting James Michener, the author, while we both (he in a sailboat, I in a canoe) floated around Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire.
Any paddling adventures you'd like to share?
10 comments:
So it was a pier! Neat! Unfortunately, the only paddling adventures I have ever had was when I got "paddled" as a child, usually for fighting with my brother!
Many years ago, I was paddling my kayak in the shallow waters on the edge of Tampa Bay, here in Florida. I was in a backwater sort of canal, with Mangroves growing thickly on all sides. But there was plenty of wide open water, deeper in some places.
A manatee surfaced about 30 yards away. I made a few strong paddle strokes and drifted toward it for a closer look. I was floating parallel to it, about ten feet away marveling at how large it seemed.
Suddenly, a second, much larger manatee surfaced between me and the first one. WHOAAAAA... that is a BIG animal. It was right next to my 13 foot kayak, and seemed to dwarf it! Then it did some sort of roll move, and slapped the water very hard with its tail.
As a geyser of water shot up into the air and then down all over me, the two disappeared into the murky depths. At the same time, I was paddling in reverse as fast as I could!
I've never kayaked, but did a fair amount of canoeing. Greatest misadventure was taking a novice with us, a visitor from India, with little knowledge of the possible hazards of carelessness in a canoe. We didn't brief him carefully enough on safety rules, and yup, his movement in the canoe tipped it over. Unable to swim and without his life preserver that he had discarded after our island lunch, he kept grabbing at me and pushing me under the water. Other canoists on the river came to my rescue, and pulled him (and me) to safety. I shed no tears over his broken thumb, but moaned the loss of my 35 mm camera and lens which I assume is still lying on the bottom of the St. Croix river.
raté, j'avais 'presque' bon. j'ai fait du canoë en Dordogne prés de mon village natale, mais c'est une rivière très dangereuse
Missed, I 'almost' good. I did canoeing in the Dordogne village near my hometown, but it is a very dangerous river
It looks really nice on you picture... I have done some kayaking, canoeing and rowing in some very calm Swedish lakes... no alligators around!
Wouldn't have guessed...
But the MR2 est un nom magnifique...
I'll be absent for a while. Meanwhile, leave you with a somehow surprising post at Blogtrotter
Wish you a great fortnight and see you by mid-February! Enjoy!
I never have been in a kayak but it would be getting close to the water for me. It is nice to see the manatee. One of the only times I was in a smaller boat in Florida, with our son, we spotted several of them in water near Jupiter Light House. I was stunned to see them and he pointed out one of those had scars on its back from boat propellers.
I've never done this -- would be cool. How neat to have a launch so close to one's house!
Never knew that kayaks docked in a v-shaped dock like that. Good one...
I used to go white water rafting in Queensland and quickly learned one doesn't need make up on, especially mascara as I continuously got dumped into the fast running river, black lines running down my face. Loved it tho.
I love your James Michener story.
Alligator teeth can easily bite through the plastic kayak. So when preparing for your trip, not only should you bring your lunch, you might be lunch.
Meanwhile, relax and enjoy the ride :-)
Post a Comment