Kayaking with Mara

(not me or my kid)

I was able to take Mara kayaking on a very mild river, thanks to a friend from work. It's the kind of thing I would never do alone and also the kind of thing that Cade doesn't really enjoy. (Ask him, sometime, to tell you the story of our canoe trip in Florida. The best part about it, according to him, is the name of the river--Withlacoochee!)

This trip was a 6 mile ride, and I'm now convinced that kayaks are much easier to navigate than canoes. Even though the river was very low, we sailed over some areas a canoe never would have conquered. Of course, the river was low enough that even the kayaks needed a push or a pull now and then.

I took a camera for Mara to use, but she was too scared at the beginning, and once we put it away, we never got it back out again. It's too bad, because there were some really pretty passes, especially the ones where the rock cliff hangs out over the water and the sun reflects off the water onto the rock surface. Next time I go (which I hope will be soon), I plan to take a disposable waterproof camera I can hang around my neck for quick access.

The trip reminded me of how much I enjoy activities like that. It's the kind of thing I think I would have been doing all along, if only I had someone to do it with. I thought about all the canoeing and white water rafting I've done in the past and mulled over some fond memories of camping along the French Broad River and at Rand Pond. I daydreamed about taking Mara out again, developing her love of nature and deepening her respect for its beauty, all the while showing her that she's a capable person. (I also daydreamed about going again without her, and soaking up the river and its journey for myself!) I hope for the chance to go out again soon, before it gets too chilly to be on the water.

My arms and back are stiff and sore, but there's something satisfying about that pain. Our river guide says that kayaking is one of the least strenuous exercises in terms of burning calories, but I surely feel that I got a work out. It just goes to show that there are indeed certain things that I will gladly wake up early to be able to do.

(not me or my kid)

In the end, Mara had a wonderful time, and coming down the last little ripple, I heard her laugh her deep belly laugh and knew that it had been a grand adventure.