Gillian Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 Kevin, Bob and I went out on our SNG this morning leaving from Tucks Point with the intention of checking out the islands of Salem Sound. The winds were kicking up and it was only my second time in the explorer so we decided to cross over to the Willows and see where the water took us. What we found were 2 foot swells, wind and waves in all of the coves of the small beaches! They were fantastic 4* conditions today. We spent some time surfing in to one beach along the willows which was an absolute blast and both Kevin and Bob practiced their rolls while I tried some of my strokes in the conditions. I was still quite tense and a little shakey in the new boat as she's an entirely different feel to my Aquanaut. I realized I was locked pretty tightly in her and not relaxed. As we crossed the main channel in Salem I finally relaxed and started to let my mind wander. What I realized is the boat is a much better kayaker than I am. When I let her do the work and just give her gentle correction with my body and propulsion with my paddle she'll take a wave on the bow, on the stearn, on the beam and glide quite happliy through the water - I realized this is what she was meant to do and I'd been fighting her with my amatuer attempts at controlling her. As I thought more, I smiled as I thought if my explorer could talk she'd ask me to immediately get out of her and go paddle a bathtub as I was not yet worthy to be in her cockpit. However she tolerated me as we crossed the channel and contunied to find amazing swell and surf along some of the beaches to Marblehead. I did my first bongo slide into the beach which was unfortunately rocky and I swear I heard my boat sigh as I got caught on the rocky beach listening to the crunch of her gelcoat. We all practicd our surf landings and laughed at each others attempts to launch back out in the water from the beach . . . there were more than a couple tumbles and re-starts and I finally made it out there sprayskirt off, rocks and sand everywhere and out of breath from the effort (another sigh from my explorer). Crossing back I let my mind wander and my body relax and let her do most of the work and we made a much more compatable pair . . . she's not to be controlled, and I thought of our new puppy; our struggles together, her sleepless nights, the chewing the nipping the biting the struggle for leadership and then I remembered those times where we look into each others eyes and I get a lick on the nose, a snuffle, a sigh of contentment. I thought of this as I watched the bow of my explorer gently lift over the waves, then plunge, then lift upwards again as we began to understand each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B (RPS Coach) Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 Hmm, you didn't mention cursing me under your breath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillian Posted September 11, 2006 Author Share Posted September 11, 2006 that was on the first trip out, not the second trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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