With chill mists swirling / like petticoats in motion
sighted on horizons / for ten thousand years
the lady of the ice sounds / a deathly distant rumble
to Titanic-breaking children lost / in melting crystal tears. – tull

Yesterday at 4am we were on the road and heading south to Chicago. Within about 3 hours we were standing on the beach all ready for the 2009 Windy City Sea Kayaking Symposium. Well, a few months early actually. The wind was howling and the air temperature was a comforting 30F. Not exactly a teaching day. Well, maybe. . .

Such frozen angry days are not exactly inviting. Still I feel a sense of being pulled into the mayhem.  My eyes scan for a safe entry and quick escape if necessary.  I scan the area for places to play and for areas where you simply become merged with the raw power of a nasty winter’s day.  On one side of the break, where the symposium is held, there is nothing but soup.  On the south side however, the waves curl in and reflect sending well seperated tall clean waves down a perfect lane until they lose their energy slipping into a small harbor. Now THERE you could play all day!  Just keep the car running, the heater on, and something warm in a thermos.

. . . I wonder where all those CASKA folks were??

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