SET AN OPEN COURSE FOR THE VIRGIN SEA

In my quest for movement, I have once again put myself on the water. Sunday morning I was on Big Lagoon, in the belly of a kayak, taking another paddling lesson, this time from Marna Powell of Kayak Zak’s. She came highly recommended.

When I set the goal to bring movement to my life, I presumed kayaking would get my upper half moving…arms, shoulders, maybe my torso. But that’s not all folks!. Marna taught me (and one other student) about the use of our legs and buns in maneuvering and controlling the vessel. We squeezed (my bun-muscles felt that). We pushed. We leaned – actually we edged. We paddled around the lagoon for three hours.

I love the water in any form but don’t necessary want to be IN it if it's moving fast. Surfing is the perfect example; I love surfing but, for me, it’s a spectator sport. No big waves for this girl but it fascinates me to watch braver souls take on the curls. I love a raging river – from the shore. Sea-kayaks are the perfect pace for me. I’m attracted to kayaking for the quiet. For the still water and calm coves. On Big Lagoon, we paddled to an area below the Rancheria where trees were filled with cormorant nests. Silly me, I presumed that cormorants, being sea birds that I generally see on rocks, do their nesting on the rocks. Not the double crested cormorant, apparently. Bobbing on the water below, we gazed up at dozens of trees filled with hundreds of nests, listening to the squawks and chattering of the parents and their rather large offspring. It cemented in my mind why I want to do this. I love those calm corners of the world where you can join with nature. To be in places not accessible on foot. Of course, I wasn’t sure if I’d be getting wet on this particular lesson so opted against my camera. I won’t make that mistake again.

Marna doesn’t need my help to drum up business but I pass on the recommendation to anyone interested in learning to kayak. She’s very patient and enthusiastic about this sport. I plan on taking the “Rescue and Recovery” class from her next month. That time I WILL be getting wet because I need to know that, even if I don’t intend to go in the water, I can get back in my craft if I do. Just in case.