Heavy Horses

Posted by derrick on February 23, 2005

As much as you would like to think about kayaking everyday, life often draws you to other places. In my work as a web developer this time of year gets just rockin. I’m finding myself backed up into spring. At least then it will be time again to slip back out into the water on a more regular basis. I really miss the summer when I can end most days with a practice session at the lake. I keep my poor old laminated card with all the “must work on” notes out on the deck and begin the routine;

Unload the Warhorse. Carry it across the road and down to the lake. Now the gear. Gawwd, how’d I get so much damn gear!! Back on the water. Boat feels tight. Feeling fat again. Stretch. Paddle to “my spot”. Ready and. . .

Roll, Roll, Roll onside, roll, roll, roll offside. C to C, Sweep, sculling recoveries, laybacks. Grab the Greenland paddle. Do it all over again add in standard roll, storm roll and vertical sculling roll. Then lay on the back deck and catch my breath. It’s at this moment when all the day’s stress is gone.

Ok, now clean forward stroke. Reverse stroke. Keep the damn boat straight! High brace, Low brace. Scull for support, great onside, weak off-side need to work on this. Sweeps. Keep the boat on a dime. Why is it I can’t keep this boat on a dime anyway? Well, try again, and again, and again. Remember, model the stroke. Get on an edge. Slow, easy. . .

Draws. In water, out of water, sculling draw. . Go forward get up momentum. Bow draws. Pry? YIKES! almost lost it again. Never pry. . . Slide paddle from Bow to hip to stern. Neutral blade. Good. Open it up. Just a bit. Lay on the paddle turning in a nice wide ark. Look behind you, you’re safe just lean out on your paddle. Wrap right round to your goal.

Water & Candy Please.

Now work on that static. Still not there. leg down. . Arch the back. nope. . glug, glug, glug sweep back up. Hand roll?? Look at the bottom, look at the sky. Simple. NOT! Made it once, but VERY sloppy. . . No repeats.

Rest.

Ok. Paddlefloat onside, off-side. Scramble. Flip, scull, sit. No problem. Re-entry roll. No nose plugs. Ooops, choke!!

All right, let’s be Nigel Foster and stand up. wobble, wobble. . . I’m Up! I’m Up! Oh, Sh#T! I’m down!!

Lay on the beach. Stretch. Watch the clouds. Paddle back out. once around the lake and back to the car. Tired. Getting cold. Turn on the heater. Turn up Jethro Tull. Load the boat.

Go home. Find food. . . .