Sarah Anne and I put the mud cookies away and turn the kayaking playlist back on, bracing ourselves for the four mile trek ahead of us.
The whole scene had a very spooky feel to it. Yes, it was breathtakingly beautiful, but it was also very frightening. The neighboring houses had no members sitting on their porches, there were no birds serenading us with their song, the lawns had no lawnmowers erupting over them. The only sound was the occasional mullet that would hurl itself out of the water and flop back into again. The water was the stillest I've ever seen it and the air was crisp with warmth. Just sitting there, I could almost see my previous worries evaporating up into the empty air. I sort of didn't want to move. It felt like time was frozen and I had found myself in an Edward Hopper painting, but if I moved, reality would strike and the waves would assume their place. That's what it felt like anyway.
I took a deep breath and began to gently pull my way forward. Sarah Anne followed as we traveled along the shore, under and around piers that had been destroyed by past hurricanes and abandoned by their previous caretakers. Leaving them alone in the water, each post jaggedly poking out covered in barnacles and slimy moss. We passed an eerie post that hung horizontally, and atop it sat about a dozen pelicans, eyeing us. Some would fly away and head for further ground when we passed by and others would remain, their eyes sitting in their fowl head following our every movement. Sarah Anne and I quietly came to a stop in an attempt to snap some pictures of the flock. The sun was blinding causing my phone's screen to appear black, but I went on capturing the moment anyway.
We drifted on by silently and once we passed the herd of birds, Sarah Anne asked if I would play some of the Pocahontas soundtrack. I don't think there is any music more appropriate for a kayaking excursion.
We make it to the Bay bridge and rest in its shade. I pull out my phone and tell Sae that we should make a fun video. We film each other paddling around, trying to be sneaky, and when we're finished I put the footage to the Pink Panther theme song. Just something fun for the Instagram followers..
Mallini's other opening was right next to the bridge, so we knew we were over half way there. We paddled on, we were both beginning to feel the strain in our shoulders, but as Sarah Anne put it, "The faster we go, the sooner we get home." Wise words.
This side of the loop was far more livelier than the other side had been. Fishermen lined the docks, they tipped their hats when we passed by and we veered to one side or the other to not get caught in their fishing line. One even suggested that we do circles around the fish and herd them towards the men. Sarah Anne and I would just laugh and continue on our way.
We passed the small harbor where Trea and I had seen the boat from New Jersey and then we passed Alligator Alley and I told Sae that we were getting closer. She sighed a sigh of relief as the house got more and more in our reach. To continue with the Pocahontas theme, I said, "The house is just around the river bend."
Arms burning, water bottles empty, collars drenched with sweat, we landed. My foot thudded against the ground and I wobbled when I stood. I checked the RunKeeper app to see how far we had gone.. 4.93 miles.
Sarah Anne hung her head when I told her. "We could just go right back out and do a few spins to put us at 5," I suggested.
She got out of her kayak, "If anyone asks, we did 5."
Distance ≈ 5 miles
Time 2:06:08
Min/Mile 25:38
Calories 485
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
A Little Answer
There is a question that everybody seems to ask me. My friends, family, colleagues, even my doctors, all ask the same question, "Jillianne, what made you want to get a kayak?"
So here we go, it's short, I promise.
It wasn't because I went kayaking or because I saw it in a movie or I heard that the cool kids in school had one. It must have been the fates, divine inspiration, two objects destined to be together: me and kayak. Because in all honesty, I just woke up one morning and I knew. The thought flooded every bone in my body, my heart ached from longing. I needed a kayak.
I would constantly be looking for one online, scavenging through eBay and Craigslist, searching for that perfect kayak. Whenever Patrick and I went to Academy, we always stopped by the kayak aisle so I could just look at them. At times I would even take a picture of them for my phone's background. My parents' emails were full of links and coupons that I had sent, hoping they would start to get the obvious hint and put their heads together to get me one.
Some say I was obsessed with the idea; I like to think I was in love with it. In love with the thought of being out on that still water with the sun beaming down on me, the sound of the water being paddled past me, the birds' chirps surrounding me, the canopy of trees casting its cool shade over my legs and face. It consumed my thoughts.
Until finally, after begging and pleading to anyone within earshot and my mother actually banning the word "kayak" from the household (me being the smart aleck that I am, whenever I said it and mother would yell at me, I would simply claim that I was saying the word backwards, which, coincidentally is still kayak), graduation and my birthday rolled around, and I received more than enough generous funds to buy everything I needed for college. Which meant that my dream was in reach. I took my wallet down to Academy one morning and purchased the love of my life.
And I tell you what, seeing my beautiful bright orange yak strapped to the top of the car.. there's not a feeling quite like it. And anyone who argues that are the ones who haven't been out there with me.
So here we go, it's short, I promise.
It wasn't because I went kayaking or because I saw it in a movie or I heard that the cool kids in school had one. It must have been the fates, divine inspiration, two objects destined to be together: me and kayak. Because in all honesty, I just woke up one morning and I knew. The thought flooded every bone in my body, my heart ached from longing. I needed a kayak.
I would constantly be looking for one online, scavenging through eBay and Craigslist, searching for that perfect kayak. Whenever Patrick and I went to Academy, we always stopped by the kayak aisle so I could just look at them. At times I would even take a picture of them for my phone's background. My parents' emails were full of links and coupons that I had sent, hoping they would start to get the obvious hint and put their heads together to get me one.
Some say I was obsessed with the idea; I like to think I was in love with it. In love with the thought of being out on that still water with the sun beaming down on me, the sound of the water being paddled past me, the birds' chirps surrounding me, the canopy of trees casting its cool shade over my legs and face. It consumed my thoughts.
Until finally, after begging and pleading to anyone within earshot and my mother actually banning the word "kayak" from the household (me being the smart aleck that I am, whenever I said it and mother would yell at me, I would simply claim that I was saying the word backwards, which, coincidentally is still kayak), graduation and my birthday rolled around, and I received more than enough generous funds to buy everything I needed for college. Which meant that my dream was in reach. I took my wallet down to Academy one morning and purchased the love of my life.
And I tell you what, seeing my beautiful bright orange yak strapped to the top of the car.. there's not a feeling quite like it. And anyone who argues that are the ones who haven't been out there with me.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
The Loop, Part I
Sunday morning, I drive over to pick up Sarah Anne. She comes out of the house with a little lunch box full of goodies, and I'm not just talking about food. I ask her what's in it and she pulls out a bag of Mud cookies - homemade -, some watermelon slices, and a bluetooth speaker. I'm excited to see that, music always makes the kayaking trips that much more enjoyable, and my phone speaker would never be loud enough for the both us to hear.
"The other day, someone told me I was looking a little more tan," she started, "I said, "Yeah, I'm a kayaker now."."
I get the RunKeeper app and the kayak playlist going and we glide on out. The water was as smooth as silk, making it that much easier to paddle.
By now, Sae has mastered the kayak. She still gets a little flustered when we have to turn around or back up, but she's always up for a challenge and never wants to fall too far behind me. I knew we were making great time when we were almost to the bay, and sure enough, we get the notification saying we're going at a speed of 17 minutes per mile.
"Oh my gosh!" Sarah Anne exclaims.
"That is so good! The fastest Trea and I ever go is 22 min/mile! 17 is fantastic!" I say.
"I knew we were bookin' it, my arms hurt. And I see you and I'm like 'How does she keep going?!' But then I remember you do this all the time.."
I laugh and respond, "If you want to go slower, just let me know! I want you to have a good time!"
"Oh no, this is great!" she smiles.
I told her we would take a break when we reached the mouth of the bay and we continued onward.
We reached the bay and I was without words.
In all of my kayaking adventures, I had never seen the water like this. There was not a wave in sight. It looked as if one could walk right on the water. The sky was crystal clear and the heat was tolerable. The kind of heat that makes you sweat but doesn't make you want to go back inside. My jaw hung open, I couldn't believe my eyes. There were no waves to pull you in a certain direction or slow you down, you only move the way you want to move. This was everything a kayaker could dream of.
Sarah Anne hadn't been out as many times as I had so I knew she wouldn't fully appreciate it the way I did. But I tried to explain the greatness of it to her as best as I could.
"I'm going to suggest something, and if you don't want to do it, say so. I'm only going to suggest it because I've never had the water like this and I know I won't have it again anytime soon," I paused, "but I think we should do the loop."
From the house, one can get to the bay two ways: the way that is taken in Down By The Bay where Trea catapulted the dead fish at me, and the other way I've taken everyone else. The house is right in the middle of the loop. The loop is where you go out into the bay one way and come back the other way and go to the house. Total distance is about 5 miles. Trea and I had always wanted to do it, but the waves in the bay were always too choppy for us.
Sarah Anne sighed, looked out at the movementless water, and said, "I guess we really don't have a choice."
"Really?"
"Yeah, let's do it," she smiles.
"The other day, someone told me I was looking a little more tan," she started, "I said, "Yeah, I'm a kayaker now."."
I get the RunKeeper app and the kayak playlist going and we glide on out. The water was as smooth as silk, making it that much easier to paddle.
By now, Sae has mastered the kayak. She still gets a little flustered when we have to turn around or back up, but she's always up for a challenge and never wants to fall too far behind me. I knew we were making great time when we were almost to the bay, and sure enough, we get the notification saying we're going at a speed of 17 minutes per mile.
"Oh my gosh!" Sarah Anne exclaims.
"That is so good! The fastest Trea and I ever go is 22 min/mile! 17 is fantastic!" I say.
"I knew we were bookin' it, my arms hurt. And I see you and I'm like 'How does she keep going?!' But then I remember you do this all the time.."
I laugh and respond, "If you want to go slower, just let me know! I want you to have a good time!"
"Oh no, this is great!" she smiles.
I told her we would take a break when we reached the mouth of the bay and we continued onward.
We reached the bay and I was without words.
In all of my kayaking adventures, I had never seen the water like this. There was not a wave in sight. It looked as if one could walk right on the water. The sky was crystal clear and the heat was tolerable. The kind of heat that makes you sweat but doesn't make you want to go back inside. My jaw hung open, I couldn't believe my eyes. There were no waves to pull you in a certain direction or slow you down, you only move the way you want to move. This was everything a kayaker could dream of.
Sarah Anne hadn't been out as many times as I had so I knew she wouldn't fully appreciate it the way I did. But I tried to explain the greatness of it to her as best as I could.
"I'm going to suggest something, and if you don't want to do it, say so. I'm only going to suggest it because I've never had the water like this and I know I won't have it again anytime soon," I paused, "but I think we should do the loop."
From the house, one can get to the bay two ways: the way that is taken in Down By The Bay where Trea catapulted the dead fish at me, and the other way I've taken everyone else. The house is right in the middle of the loop. The loop is where you go out into the bay one way and come back the other way and go to the house. Total distance is about 5 miles. Trea and I had always wanted to do it, but the waves in the bay were always too choppy for us.
Sarah Anne sighed, looked out at the movementless water, and said, "I guess we really don't have a choice."
"Really?"
"Yeah, let's do it," she smiles.
Friday, August 15, 2014
An Angelfish Among Fish
I'm not going to complain about getting the kayaks on and off the car, or the dragonflies filling the air, or even the heat. I'm too grateful and blinded by the fact that I actually got my angelfish, Patrick, to go kayaking with me. Sure, he listened to podcasts about League of Legends for a majority of the time, but whatever.
We pull up to the same ole house and I, with Patty watching, unstrap the yaks and place them in the water. I toss him a life vest and he begins to snap it on before I ask, "You're going with your shirt? Or are you going to go rogue and take it off?"
He blushes and quietly says, "Okay."
"I was just asking!" I laugh, "Trea always takes his off, so I don't know. You can leave it on."
"No, I'll take it off," he motions for me to turn around.
"Big baby," I grumble.
"What was that?" he laughed.
I turn back around, his shirt was off and life vest was on, "Nothing," I say with a big grin, "let's go."
After what felt like hours, my RunKeeper app notified us that we were traveling 1 mile every 37 minutes. When I heard this, I couldn't help from laughing.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! COMING IN AT A WHOPPING SPEED OF 34 MINUTES PER MILE, THE LIGHTNING FAST.... PATRICK!!!" I shout out to all of the surrounding homes.
Patrick glides past me in his kayak, lips pursed, "Okay, you're gonna need to stop."
"Stop?" I throw my hands up to my cheeks, "You mean we've actually been moving this whole time?" I laugh at my own joke, Patty continues down the way, unamused.
The sun was beginning to go down, creating a golden haze all around us. I snap a few pictures of Patty with sun beans coming in from behind him as we make our way to the golf course and float around in between two holes. I then start to paddle my way over to the shallow grassy part of the waters.
"What are you doing?" Patty asks.
"Fishing out a golf ball. Would you like one, angelfish?"
"Absolutely not. That's stealing, I'm not going to be a felon," he paddles away from me, "I'm going to stay over here. Completely unaffiliated with you."
"Whatever," I mumble as I pull a pink golf ball out of the muddy ground, keeping an eye out for any snakes, "I'm getting you one anyway."
After a while, I pause to take a picture of the setting sun, and a tuckered Patty again glides past me saying, "That's it, leisurely. Nice and slow. Leisurely pace. The world already moves so fast, why make it go faster?" He turns around and says to me, "You know, the turtle did win that race."
Distance 3.78 miles
Time 2:07:11
Min/Mile 33:38
Calories 467
We pull up to the same ole house and I, with Patty watching, unstrap the yaks and place them in the water. I toss him a life vest and he begins to snap it on before I ask, "You're going with your shirt? Or are you going to go rogue and take it off?"
He blushes and quietly says, "Okay."
"I was just asking!" I laugh, "Trea always takes his off, so I don't know. You can leave it on."
"No, I'll take it off," he motions for me to turn around.
"Big baby," I grumble.
"What was that?" he laughed.
I turn back around, his shirt was off and life vest was on, "Nothing," I say with a big grin, "let's go."
After what felt like hours, my RunKeeper app notified us that we were traveling 1 mile every 37 minutes. When I heard this, I couldn't help from laughing.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! COMING IN AT A WHOPPING SPEED OF 34 MINUTES PER MILE, THE LIGHTNING FAST.... PATRICK!!!" I shout out to all of the surrounding homes.
Patrick glides past me in his kayak, lips pursed, "Okay, you're gonna need to stop."
"Stop?" I throw my hands up to my cheeks, "You mean we've actually been moving this whole time?" I laugh at my own joke, Patty continues down the way, unamused.
The sun was beginning to go down, creating a golden haze all around us. I snap a few pictures of Patty with sun beans coming in from behind him as we make our way to the golf course and float around in between two holes. I then start to paddle my way over to the shallow grassy part of the waters.
"What are you doing?" Patty asks.
"Fishing out a golf ball. Would you like one, angelfish?"
"Absolutely not. That's stealing, I'm not going to be a felon," he paddles away from me, "I'm going to stay over here. Completely unaffiliated with you."
"Whatever," I mumble as I pull a pink golf ball out of the muddy ground, keeping an eye out for any snakes, "I'm getting you one anyway."
After a while, I pause to take a picture of the setting sun, and a tuckered Patty again glides past me saying, "That's it, leisurely. Nice and slow. Leisurely pace. The world already moves so fast, why make it go faster?" He turns around and says to me, "You know, the turtle did win that race."
Distance 3.78 miles
Time 2:07:11
Min/Mile 33:38
Calories 467
Monday, August 4, 2014
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'No Wake'
Since this is Sarah Anne's first time kayaking, I have no choice but to take her to Mallini's, the usual, since it's an easy route and plenty of scenery.
Back at the house, it's comforting to see that nothing has changed. Despite longer grass and deeper tire tracks, everything is as it was when I left it last.
Sarah Anne parks the truck at the edge of the water and I note that the tide is low, making it easier to travel under the bridges we'll be encountering.
"This is pretty," she smiles.
"Isn't it?" I laugh.
She unhitches the latch of the truck and lowers the gate so we can just slide the yaks right out into the water. I attach my new paddle to my new paddle leash and clip it onto the storage unit in the back of my kayak. Sarah Anne hops in her yak and I give her a little push out into the water before doing the same.
Now, Sarah Anne is one of my dearest friends, she's absolutely brilliant and I love her to death, but when I look back and see her rocking around in her yak, turning in one direction and then the other all in a single stroke, I can't help but laugh.
I watch her continue to struggle before asking, "You got it?" even though it was clear that she indeed did not get it.
But she smiles and responds, "Yeah, you go on, I'm right behind you."
I laughed but paddled on anyway, taking it slow. I didn't want her to get lost or get eaten by an alligator or something like that.
We yak down my usual route, whistling at the birds, answering the neighbors when they call out to us, "Lovely day for that!"
After a while I hear Sarah Anne say, "How do you go so straight?! You make it look so easy!" she says as she continues her perfect chevron pattern through the water.
Eventually, she does get the hang of it..sort of. I slow down as she gets faster and we meet in the middle.
"So does this kayak have a name?" she asks.
"Mhmm, Ohana."
"Oh that's so cute! Because it's blue! Like Stitch!"
I laugh aloud, "Yeah, it's pretty precious."
"What about yours?"
Taken aback, I say, "No, I've never thought about it. What would be a good name for it?"
She looks at my bright orangeish-yellowish kayak, thinks for a moment, and then smiles, "Sunburst, very hippie, very tribal, perfect for you."
"That is perfect. Perfect name for a kayak. I'll have it painted on in no time," I smile.
We continue down the way, and before long, we're in the bay. I stop paddling and Sarah Anne looks confused.
"This is when we take a break."
She nods and puts down her paddle, soaking in the view.
We take pictures and chat, bobbing up and down over the waves.
Sarah Anne points at one of the many signs posted all over that reads 'No Wake' and asks, "What does that mean?"
I explain that a wake is the waves caused by a boat or technically anything moving through the water and she responds, "Ohh! I was wondering. Those signs are all over the place and I was like "What an odd thing to put on a sign, you can't have a wake here?" but your definition makes more sense."
I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach, throwing my head back, "Oh Sae, you kill me!"
On the way back, I decide to take us through Alligator Alley. The chances of us actually running into a gator were slim, but it's worth it. She didn't want to see one, but I had my fingers crossed. I lead the way, pointing out all of the tiny crabs that line the banks of the water. There were thousands of them, the size of my thumb nail, crawling up and down the tree roots and grass near the water's edge. We travel under the first bridge, and I was shocked that Sarah Anne made it through without hitting something or getting her paddle stuck somewhere.
"Here gator gator gator," I whistle with a grin.
"Cut it out," I hear Sarah Anne say from behind me.
I laugh and continue on under the second and final bridge. She makes her way out and I push her in the shoulder, "Look at you! Made it through the wilderness, and no gators!"
She smirks and passes by me.
Just around the corner is the house, I paddle up and Sarah Anne says, "That's it!"
"That's it!" I laugh.
"But that was so great!"
I paddle up the boat launch and come to a halt, "We'll be back, don't fret, hun."
Distance 3.17 miles
Time 1:15:13
Min/Mile 24:29
Calories 298
Back at the house, it's comforting to see that nothing has changed. Despite longer grass and deeper tire tracks, everything is as it was when I left it last.
Sarah Anne parks the truck at the edge of the water and I note that the tide is low, making it easier to travel under the bridges we'll be encountering.
"This is pretty," she smiles.
"Isn't it?" I laugh.
She unhitches the latch of the truck and lowers the gate so we can just slide the yaks right out into the water. I attach my new paddle to my new paddle leash and clip it onto the storage unit in the back of my kayak. Sarah Anne hops in her yak and I give her a little push out into the water before doing the same.
Now, Sarah Anne is one of my dearest friends, she's absolutely brilliant and I love her to death, but when I look back and see her rocking around in her yak, turning in one direction and then the other all in a single stroke, I can't help but laugh.
I watch her continue to struggle before asking, "You got it?" even though it was clear that she indeed did not get it.
But she smiles and responds, "Yeah, you go on, I'm right behind you."
I laughed but paddled on anyway, taking it slow. I didn't want her to get lost or get eaten by an alligator or something like that.
We yak down my usual route, whistling at the birds, answering the neighbors when they call out to us, "Lovely day for that!"
After a while I hear Sarah Anne say, "How do you go so straight?! You make it look so easy!" she says as she continues her perfect chevron pattern through the water.
Eventually, she does get the hang of it..sort of. I slow down as she gets faster and we meet in the middle.
"So does this kayak have a name?" she asks.
"Mhmm, Ohana."
"Oh that's so cute! Because it's blue! Like Stitch!"
I laugh aloud, "Yeah, it's pretty precious."
"What about yours?"
Taken aback, I say, "No, I've never thought about it. What would be a good name for it?"
She looks at my bright orangeish-yellowish kayak, thinks for a moment, and then smiles, "Sunburst, very hippie, very tribal, perfect for you."
"That is perfect. Perfect name for a kayak. I'll have it painted on in no time," I smile.
We continue down the way, and before long, we're in the bay. I stop paddling and Sarah Anne looks confused.
"This is when we take a break."
She nods and puts down her paddle, soaking in the view.
We take pictures and chat, bobbing up and down over the waves.
Sarah Anne points at one of the many signs posted all over that reads 'No Wake' and asks, "What does that mean?"
I explain that a wake is the waves caused by a boat or technically anything moving through the water and she responds, "Ohh! I was wondering. Those signs are all over the place and I was like "What an odd thing to put on a sign, you can't have a wake here?" but your definition makes more sense."
I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach, throwing my head back, "Oh Sae, you kill me!"
On the way back, I decide to take us through Alligator Alley. The chances of us actually running into a gator were slim, but it's worth it. She didn't want to see one, but I had my fingers crossed. I lead the way, pointing out all of the tiny crabs that line the banks of the water. There were thousands of them, the size of my thumb nail, crawling up and down the tree roots and grass near the water's edge. We travel under the first bridge, and I was shocked that Sarah Anne made it through without hitting something or getting her paddle stuck somewhere.
"Here gator gator gator," I whistle with a grin.
"Cut it out," I hear Sarah Anne say from behind me.
I laugh and continue on under the second and final bridge. She makes her way out and I push her in the shoulder, "Look at you! Made it through the wilderness, and no gators!"
She smirks and passes by me.
Just around the corner is the house, I paddle up and Sarah Anne says, "That's it!"
"That's it!" I laugh.
"But that was so great!"
I paddle up the boat launch and come to a halt, "We'll be back, don't fret, hun."
Distance 3.17 miles
Time 1:15:13
Min/Mile 24:29
Calories 298
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