Kayaking Adventure

This past Tuesday marked my husband and I's second wedding anniversary *awwwww*

 

To celebrate, we decided we would go kayaking (finally!). I have been kayaking once before with my sister (and let me tell you, what an adventure THAT was!) but my husband has never been. We keep meaning to go, but lack of babysitter/lack of kayak rental funds has been keeping us from actually getting out there.

 

While investigating where we should go, we went to the website of our first choice.....one page says they rent kayakas, another page says they don't. So we call the number on the website....It doesn't work. *sigh*

 

We check the website for the other place...Says they rent kayaks (yay!) although I have never seen anyone out there on kayaks, just canoes (to worry, or not to worry?)

 

So, we made our choice of location number 2, hubby took Wednesday off of work, we dropped the kiddos at the babysitter, and we were off...Hooray!!

 

After driving the 15 miles to said location, we get to the gate, and the girl informs us that yes, they do in fact rent kayaks, but they do not rent them on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursdays. *sigh*

 

We turn around, and head back down to location number 1. After driving about 5 miles down the road, we realize that our turn was about 2 miles back. TURN AROUND #2.

 

We find the road we need, continue on our way....OOPS.

Entrance to the park is on a tight corner, and we drive right by it. TURN AROUND #3.

 

There's a lot of trouble here just for some kayaking!

 

After that final turnaround, we did make it to the park, and found someone in the Welcome Center. She brought us down, got us fitted with our lifejackets, and dragged the kayaks down to the water for us, and let us go on our own.

 

*GULP*

"How do you get in a kayak from a DOCK?!"

 

The last time I went, we pushed off from shore. I was so afraid I was (already) going to tip my kayak!

 

Somehow, we both managed to get into our kayaks without getting wet, and after a minute or two of getting used to them, we were on our way.

 

What a BEAUTIFUL day to be out on the water:

 

There is just something about being out and away from the hustle and bustle of the world, and being so close to nature that is absolutely calming and almost meditative.

 

 

We paddled around for an hour and a half, enjoying watching the fish jump and the (tons!) of red dragonflies that were all over. 

They kept landing on the kayaks, and at one point I had two resting on my knee, then later two hanging out on my shoulder. Of course, I didn't enjoy trying to figure out how to get a life jacket off, then back on while in a kayak because a dragonfly decided he wanted to head down the back of it...but overall it was a great morning :)

Now...how to get OUT of a kayak, onto a dock!? (My husband used the "flop like a fish out of water onto the dock, then crawl like a zombie to get your feet out" technique ;-) )