My kayak was initially launched in the northeast. It became very familiar with the inlets and open waters of Narragansett Bay and has even tasted the swells of the Atlantic. It was there I discovered the joys of kayaking - wading with, and surprising, observant egrets, capturing glimpses of beautiful waterfront vistas, and delighting in the sounds and life of tidal estuaries.
It was also a great way to get a good swim. Tying a light cord between the kayak and my ankle, I could slip overboard and take a nice long swim in the open water with no threat of chlorine to spoil the day.
In a kayak, you barely ripple the surface of the earth. But you can glide rather quickly along while you listen to the whispers of nature. It is funny, but a kayak gives you that same surprised reaction from nature that a Prius gives you from pedestrians that have no idea that a car is close by. It is that same ‘sound of silence’ that evokes both surprises.
When we decided to change oceans and move to Seattle, I questioned whether I should try to bring my kayak along. I guess that I was so sad to leave the sailboat behind that I forced the kayak to make the trip. I am so happy that I did.
When my kayak first kissed the waters of Puget Sound, the air was still and warm. We eased into the waters so effortlessly that a few miles glided by before we even noticed. The coast is far more regular here. Rather than explore inlet after inlet, you tend to go from point to point. But there are some interesting surprises. The egrets are still there, not to mention some bald eagles. The biggest surprise, however, was an actual shipwreck, probably beached fifty years ago. The sea always brings surprises.
On both coasts, this wonder of nature can often be blasted away by someone on a jet ski that is addicted to speed in any form. The roar of those engines ignore the precious beauty through which they travel. But they are soon gone, and the gift returns. My transcontinental kayak can handle those small wakes, and the peace you experience while paddling can help quell many other disturbances that life throws at your psyche.
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