This is the first of many I hope, contemplations from a kayak- what a wonderful place for clear thought. It has not been easy to get to this point as for some reason there has been much hesitation on my part, I’m not sure if it is the getting up at 4:00 AM on a Saturday morning to go kayak fishing or the stress of putting the kayaks on the top of a Nissan Sentra which is not exactly meant for carrying kayaks but with the help of Thule-I have gotten past that obstacle. So why have I had such a hard time motivating myself to get out on the water.
I love nature, everything about being out in the woods but I have never been a lover of lakes and that may be from a rather hazardous time I had my first time water skiing. It’s awkward, hell I can be awkward and clumsy by nature never mind putting a set of skis on and a large life vest and hold on to a rope and relax. I’ve watched people do it before, it looked easy, I’ve even enjoying snow skiing but what happened that day on Bardwel lake might have changed my feeling of open water. I was in the water after my first fall trying to overwork the rope and fight the water-you’re supposed to go with the water and let the rope ease you up on the water but all I ended up with a face full of rushing water. The boat always seemed to win-the boat, than the water and than me-with a face full of back wash.
So I’m waiting for the rope to come around and I hear the unmistakable sound of a boat going at a high speed some where in my peripheral view. I turned to notice a boat that had its front high in the air and the rooster tail of water behind him coming straight for me. Luckily, the life vest was big as I mentioned, I slipped out lost my skis and swam as fast as I could straight down, waiting for my legs to meet the propeller of the boat that just went over me. It must have been a terrifying moment for my family that saw me and than just the boat going over the same spot that I had just been.
Obviously it was a close call and I got to keep my legs and my life but I did partake of a bit of alcohol that evening. I believe since than I have not loved the water or the idea of being out on the water. So here I am out on a kayak and actually loving being out there. It has taken a long summer of fighting with my son who never seems to get enough of getting up at 4. So now I am loving being out in the midst of an amazing sunset, realizing I am being upstaged by the greatest artist there ever was. I sit there, my son is close by fishing and I watch the sky. There are a few boats, a few twinkling lights in the distance and just me and the water all around me, I believe I have finally overcome my fear because I refused to let it be an obstacle for me and I have a pretty persistent son.
We have been fishing for about an hour now, just before the sun goes down for its final display. For the third time in a row we haven’t caught a dam thing-I think the fish realize its cold in the water and are just not in the mood to eat, especially the plastic wannabe shad we keep dangling in front of them. Three times and I could care less that we didn’t catch anything, my son and I stopped our treadmills for an hour and have the beauty and amazing feeling of being out there.
From a kayak any place can seem beautiful-we could just as well be on some lake somewhere in the northwoods-okay it would be much colder and more beautiful but I digress. It is amazing to stop and take in the sunset, enjoy the sunrise, listen to the sound of water rushing along the edge of a kayak or the sound of the birds diving for the shad we have not found yet, It’s a moment where all you need is what is right in front of you and the artist who has somewhat of a phobia of open water truelly relaxes and takes in nature-something he has lost the power to do in recent years-I’ll explain later but it was an amazing sunset and an even better time with my son as we just about closed out the kayaking season although I’m sure we’ll probably squeeze out one or two more trips before it gets too cold-we are in Texas after all-there is no winter-just summer, cooler and than summer again.
I will let you know the next time we get out and maybe I’ll have other thoughts and ideas to share but until than-get out there and see things, experience things, find new places to explore…..
