Yoga

We had a mini yoga session one summer morning.  There were couples sitting out on their porch, sipping their coffee, cheering us on.  It's not an easy thing (yoga on a board, not sipping caffeine on a porch, that's easy), but we managed.  Sarah Anne is obviously a yoga master when it comes to paddle boarding.  And as you can see, I am not.  I did a few poses, but they weren't worthy of photo documentation.  

Perfect Week: Day One

   Once again, I come crawling to you all on my knees.  I apologize for my absence.  This last weekend I was in Austin, Texas and I was pretty preoccupied with my wonderful family.  But school is now over, so I am faithfully yours.
   This week is the week I embark on a "Perfect Week".  A "Perfect Week" is when one goes kayaking, paddle boarding, water sporting, etc., for seven consecutive days.  I attempted one this time last year, but unfortunately I only made it to day 6.  Looking back, I have no idea why I didn't go on that seventh day.  I think I ran out of friends who were willing to go with me.  But this year is different.  I have people on deck for each day, everything is set, all I have to do is hope for good weather.  It's supposed to rain everyday this week, but where I live that usually just means afternoon showers.  Like today, it was scheduled to rain all day, but it only rained for about five minutes around 1 o'clock.  Not to mention, I've pretty much put all of my eggs into this one basket.  This week is the only full week when I will be able to kayak everyday.  Next week I'm flying to Atlanta to visit my father; and the first of June, I begin my nannying job, working from 8-5 each day.  Ergo, this week is my only chance.
   This morning at around 8 o'clock, Sarah Anne drives over to my house.  My mother has the volvo, and the volvo has the kayak rack.  Thankfully Sarah Anne is a dear friend, a dear friend who happens to have a truck.  We throw the yaks in the back of the pick-up, collapse the paddles so they fit in the back seat, fill our water bottles, and we head away.  It's weird having someone else drive to the kayak drop-off point.  Out of all the times I've gone, I think I've had someone else drive me there only two times.  But this is exciting, the weather is nice, temperature wise.
   When we arrive, the small white dog who lives at the house is yapping away, alerting everyone in the neighborhood that the kayaking girl is back.  The tide is in, and I mean in.  It seems as if everything is underwater.  Can something that's already underwater go underwater?  When we pass one of the many "No Wake" signs, I notice that one of them is almost half-way submerged.  That means that the water level rose about two feet.  Two feet!  We have to partake in the limbo to travel under the bridges and all of the docks are level with our kayaks.  That fact is good and bad.  If there was an alligator chasing our tails, we would be able to pull up to land no problem with the drop of a hat, but the alligator would be able to do the same.
   Once we get to a certain point in the water the two of us begin to cheat at the system.  The wind is strong and the water is practically flipping over at the chance to get us to where we want, so why should we resist?  We put our paddles in our laps and recline back.  Immediately we start to drift.  The water does the work for us while the two of joke about bringing sails with us next time.
   "I like it when we do this," Sarah Anne smiles.
   "I think everyone likes this.  Getting the same results with doing absolutely no work," I laugh.
   Our cutting corners is quickly punished.  Once we turn the corner, the tide is no longer with us and I start to feel like I'm trying to drive a parked car.  This was a workout I never signed up for.  The water that was once amiable and helpful had now become sassy and spiteful.  But after thirty minutes, we make the distance that normally takes us five minutes.  We get back to the house and cheerfully high-five one another for making it through.

GUEST SPEAKER: A Word From Sarah Anne

   Attention all #backontheyak readers, 

   This is Sarah Anne.  Maybe you remember me from some of Jillianne’s many kayaking excursions or maybe you don’t in which case this is awkward.  Anyway, I don’t have much time before Jillianne notices that I’ve hacked into her blog, and I still need to tell you all the truth.  You need to know the truth about kayaking.

   When Jillianne first asked me to kayak with her, I was genuinely excited.  Visions of high speed descents through raging rapids and close encounters with large boulders filled my mind and I was so happy knowing that we weren’t doing any of that.  We would be enjoying a peaceful cruise over the consistently calm waters of Mallini’s.  No daring escapades, no near death experiences, heck, we would even have life vests.  It couldn’t have been better.  Then the morning of our adventure arrived with the obnoxious shriek of my alarm clock.  Blearily, I looked at the time.  6:30 a.m. It’s at times like this when I start to question my motivations in life.  I am not a morning person and the act of rising before the sun goes against my internal programming.  However, Jillianne had her heart set on our trip and she needed my car so I chalked it up to my chance to be a good friend and hopped to it.

   After being guided to the right spot, we unloaded the yaks and after several shaky attempts, I managed to sit in the blue one without falling over.  Jillianne gave it a shove so that I floated out into the clear water where I gleefully splashed around as I waited for her to follow suit.  Gracefully she glided past and swiftly started to lead the way to our new destination.  With renewed enthusiasm, I grabbed my paddle, plunged it into the cool water, pulled back with all my strength, my eyes locked on Jillianne’s trail, and sharply veered left almost into a wooden dock.  Confused, I tried again, this time shifting horribly to the right.  I quickly glanced at Jillianne to see how she was easily rotating her paddle, almost as if drawing circles on each side.  Perhaps, the circumferences of my circles weren’t the proper size, I thought as I gripped my paddle, determined to master this technique.  Left.  Right. Left. Right. Left. Almost straight but still too far right.  My arms were burning as I kept zigzagging through the once welcoming water. Had the sun always been this hot?  Why was Jillianne still so far ahead?  Was that a vulture?  Suddenly, Jillianne turned around and asked if I was okay.  Pride took over.  Although it had felt like hours, it had only been maybe five minutes.  I couldn’t give up, not like this, so I smiled.

   “Yeah I got it, you go on ahead.”  Seemingly satisfied with my answer, she turned back and continued to paddle forward.  My smile turned grim as my paddle dove back into the water.  I had no choice but to survive this.  After all, there’s no retreat once you’re out on the water and you lack the skill to get out of the boat by yourself.

   Eventually, I managed to have a few moments where my yak went straight and I even managed to catch up to Jillianne when she stopped.  After a while, she told me it was break time and I dropped that paddle like it was hot.  I gulped down some water as she serenely gazed at our surroundings with a smile on her face.  Turning to see what was so wonderful, I nearly dropped my bottle.  Somehow, we had made it to the bay where the water was wavy with a deep blue color, the seagulls were chirping overhead, and oh my goodness was the sea breeze blowing.  As we bobbed up and down, I couldn’t help but marvel at the experience of being present in such a picturesque scene.  The morning sky was filled with wispy, white clouds that stood out against the increasingly blue background and the sun was illuminating the trees just right so that their green leaves looked like emeralds.  In this moment, I realized the truth behind kayaking.  It’s difficult, it makes you get up early, it makes your arms ache, it can make you question your sanity, and can bring you to some of the most astounding locations.  What’s even more amazing is that the more you go, the more you can see.  Even if you’ve driven past a place countless times or kayaked through it numerous times, there is always something just around the river bend that you’ve never seen before.  Maybe it’s the way the light refracts off the water’s surface or the way the current carries a cluster of leaves towards the sea, you never know what you’ll find.  Sure, it requires a bit of effort, or a lot of effort, but the chance to see the world in a new perspective is something that makes it all worth it.

   “Are you ready to head back?” Jillianne asked me, her kayak already pointing away from the bay.  I took one last glance at the scene before nodding my head.  We made it back in one piece, loaded the yaks back up into the truck, and before I knew it, I was back home sitting on my couch too tired to move.  My mom walked in and quickly asked about how it went.  My mind flashed to that deep blue bay as I replied, 

   “Not bad at all.”

   There you have it.  That is my unadulterated truth behind kayaking.  Maybe you have a different one, and that’s okay too.  It just gives me another reason to head back out there, back into the still water, because the more I kayak, the more I see and perhaps one day, I’ll catch a glimpse of another truth just waiting to be discovered underneath those glimmering waves.  

Trea in The Wolf

The Wolf

   This kayak adventure is not a new one.  Instead, it's a throwback, a homage if you will, to dear Trea.  He was featured in the first story on #backontheyak.  Sadly, that was the last time I saw him.  He's out doing his thing at college.  On his way to becoming a very successful doctor, I'm sure.  I miss him, of course, but we had our time.  As short as it was, it was still pretty rad.  So here's a story of one of the many times he accompanied me while kayaking.

   I pull up to his driveway and sit for a minute.  I don't even have to get out of the car.  The garage door grumbles open and he emerges.  He doesn't wave at me or smile at me.  Instead he smirks, walks right up to my window, and presses his phone against it.  I stare at it blankly.
   He points to the time and mouths, "7:31."
   I roll my eyes and laugh, "Oh my gosh.  God forbid, I'm one minute late.  You'll be alright."
   He just shakes his head out of disappointment.
   "Just get your kayak and c'mon."
 
   Trea and I have mastered Mallini's.  No shocker there.  After 7+ times of going in and out of the bay in every which way possible with each other, we decided the two of us are ready to graduate to bigger and better things.  The Wolf River.

   I turn onto the dusty gravel road and park next to some fishermen.  There aren't any other kayakers or paddleboarders, just some teenagers tossing the fishing line in the water.  So really we have the place to our selves.  That's always nice.
   We help each other put the kayaks in the sandy water and strap on our life vests.  Trea asks which way we should go.  Without thinking I say right.  We pass under a bridge and paddle by a few logs that Trea first thinks are gators.  It's fourth of July weekend so every now and then we play chicken with boats and jet skiers before eventually merging to the right so they can zip by.
   Now, as great as it was to get out of Mallini's and get some new scenery, the scenery on the Wolf didn't have much variation.  It consisted of only bush, tree, bird, log, bush, tree, bird, log, bush, tree, bird, log, bush, tree, bird, log.  After a while, that gets old really quickly.  There's no way to tell how far you've gone or how fast you're going.  You look back and think, "Is that the bush I just passed? Or the one I looked at 30 minutes ago?"  There were no houses to admire or people to wave at.  Just bush, tree, bird, log.
   After a while, Trea speaks up, "Oh Jillianne! You'll appreciate this.  I started a journal."
   I laugh, "Why?"
   "I just write about my day."
   "Alright, groovy.  How long have you been doing this?"
   He grins, "I started yesterday."
   "Okay," I smile at him, "you've got to start somewhere."
   We come across a fork in the river.  Trea continues on to examine a log that looks like a pipe that looks like an alligator.  I turn around.  I don't bother telling him, he'll figure it out, he's smart.  And if that fails, I have my phone.
   The way back is nice. Me and myself, as they say.  I try to get a grasp on how fast I am going.  Sure I have my app telling me my pace but that doesn't help.  I look for something in the distance that I can use as a reference point.  Alas.  I look back every few minutes or so to see if Trea has caught up to me yet.  Again, alas.  Still just me and myself.
 
   Finally, as I'm crossing under the bridge again, something rams into me.
   Trea.
   "I thought for sure you'd be asleep in the car by the time I got back," he laughs, "Or worse, that you'd just straight up leave me here."
   I punch him in the shoulder, "I'd never do that to you."


Distance  3.55 miles
Time  1:18:39
Min/Mile  22:09
Calories  319
 

It's KAYAK PLAYLIST 2, y'all

As promised, more music to jam to while hitting the yak.  There's something for everyone.  Whether you're a Disney fan or a Christmas fan, I've got you covered.  Enjoy.

Cum On Feel the Noise - Quiet Riot
In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell) - Robin Thicke
Interlude: Holiday - Paramore
Ribs - Lorde
I Don't Feel Like Dancin' - Scissor Sisters
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye - Lady Gaga
I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song) - Louis Prima & Phil Harris
Below My Feet - Mumford & Sons
Till Kingdom Come - Coldplay
I Sill Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
I Lived - OneRepublic
Blue Christmas - Michael Bublé
Everything Has Changed (Remix) [feat. Ed Sheeran] - Taylor Swift
Stubborn Love - The Lumineers
Kingfisher - PHOX
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
Song for Zula - Phosphorescent
Alligator - Paul McCartney
Happily - One Direction
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
Interlude: I'm Not Angry Anymore - Paramore
Something I Need - OneRepublic
Temperature - Sean Paul
Take a Walk - Passion Pit
Si tu vois ma mère - Sidney Bechet

Pops

   As some know, I'm taking this semester off.  I will not start college until January.  I needed time to think and I needed time to do things I should have done in high school.  Read books, not magazines.  Work seriously on my art.  Keep up with the world, not just the Kardashians.  And it's been going well so far.  I've completed over six novels, I'm putting together a show at a local art gallery, and I got a totally rad job at BCBG Max Azria.  Taking these five months off was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
   The only down side.. all of my friends are gone.  Well, all three of them.  Nonetheless, my options for kayak partners has dramatically decreased.  Patrick is still here of course, finishing up his last year of high school, but he hates kayaking.  So that's a dud.  My sister is around, but she's too glued to studying her precious notecards.  There's mom, but she's too tired, too busy, and far too grouchy.  So that really only leaves one person.
   My father.
   When I asked him if he would like to go, he responded with ample enthusiasm.
   "OF COURSE!  I've been telling you since you bought it that I would LOVE to go kayaking with you!! Thank you so much for asking me, sweetie!"
   It would be good.  He's a triathlete and an Iron Man so I knew he would be able to keep up with me and that he wouldn't complain.  I asked where he wanted to go and naturally he said, "It doesn't matter to me, Jillianne.  I'm just happy to spend time with you."  So I took him where I take all new-comers, Mallini's.  It was the perfect place for beginners.  Great sense of scenery, surrounded by houses, plenty of wildlife, all while having an easy compact route.
   The morning of our adventure, I check the radar and see that we may run into some rain.  I put heavy emphasis on the word "may", strap up the kayaks, waterproof my phone, douse myself in bug repellent, and drive on over to Dad's house.
   He comes down the stairs and meets me in his gravel driveway.  He had a long sleeve quick dry T-shirt that he no doubt acquired for free from one of his past triathlons, a pair of long khaki cargo pants that looked like they belonged to one of the members of Duck Dynasty, and a green Tilly hat.  He opens the car door and takes a seat next to me.
   "What on Earth are you wearing? It's like 90 something degrees outside," I ask.
   He looks down at his pants, "It's all breathable.  I don't want to get sunburnt."
   I make a gentle scoff and put the car in reverse.

   I'm disappointed to see waves when we pull up to the edge of the boat launch.  Clearly spoiled from my last kayaking trip..
   I give Dad a push out into the water and he rocks back and forth trying to find his balance.  We roll out and the thought of taking it slow doesn't even cross my mind.  After a while I look back and ask Dad if this speed is okay, is it too fast, too slow, what?
   "I don't know, you've got a nice little clip on you," he laughed.
   We make it around the bend and come to the area right before the opening to the Bay.  The waves pick up and I hesitate to keep going.  The worst thing is to get caught in the current, you end up kayaking on a treadmill going absolutely nowhere.  So we sit.
   The sun gleaming down on us, rain clouds threatening, waves rocking, mowers mowing, the usual drama in Mallini's.  After about 15 minutes of lounging in the yaks, I ask Dad if he wants to turn around.  His head pops up and he smiles, "Oh, I almost fell asleep, it's so peaceful out here."
   That makes me happy.

Distance  2.65 miles
Time  1:13:45
Min/Mile  27:50
Calories  275

A Video for your Enjoyment

Sae and the Sea

Bliss

No Wave

The Loop, Part II

   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

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.

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.

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


 

'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
 
 

Cousin Time

   I walk out of my room at 7 a.m. and smile at Graham who was sound asleep on the living room floor.

   "Graham," I call out to him. He moans and rolls over. 

   "Hun, wake up, we've got to go," I say.  

   He rubs his eyes and whispers, "Okay, I'm up."

   I proceed over to the kitchen and find Mom and Lois chatting about something or another.  Lois's face lights up when I walk in and asks, "Is he up? Are you two going?"

   I laugh, "Psh, of course we're going."

   On the ride over, Graham offers me some Wheat Thins as he looks out the window.  We pull up to the house and he asks, "Do you know these people?" I smile, "Nope, I just wave and smile when they ask if I need help."

   We put the yaks in the water and I hand Graham the better paddle and I take the.. less better one.  He sits in his blue yak and I push him out into the water.  Quickly getting in mine, I push out and paddle in front of him, taking the lead.  

   He follows closely behind before eventually getting the hang of it and surpassing me.   He asks me questions about my previous kayak adventures as we paddle onward.  I try to pick up the pace so we can make it out to the Bay and back all in our one hour time frame.  I point out "Alligator Alley" when we pass it and tell him that if he didn't have a plane to catch, I'd take him down there.  He laughs and says, "Next time then."

   The water is still and the sun remains tolerable.  Mullets hurl themselves out of the water around us and I tell Graham about the time a much bigger fish almost jumped right into Trea's kayak.  

   We make it out into the bay and we say good morning to the fishermen who are slowly beginning to know me as a regular.  I tell Graham not to go past a certain lone pier post, saying that past that point is where the water gets choppy.  We stop paddling and just sit and watch the sun reflect over the water as if thousands of tiny crystals were falling from the sun, dancing on the waves.  No boats are out yet and everything is as quiet as can be. 

   Over on the rocks a few yards away, a white bird catches my eye.  He was creeping up and down the rocks looking for something to catch in the water.  Its legs made up 70% of its body and his head was crouched down to the ground.  I slowly make my way over to him, trying to get as close as I can without scaring him off.  Graham follows and the bird stops.  He stares directly at Graham and crouches even lower to the ground than before.  Graham makes a face at the bird, I snap a pic, and then the bird takes off, flying directly over Graham, making his way over to the other set of rocks where there won't be any goofy teenagers bothering him. 

   I ask Graham if he likes it and he responds, "Yeah, this is pretty sweet," in one of the most sincerest ways I have ever heard anything been said.  

   I look at my watch and tell him we've gone about 1.5 miles.  He seems impressed and looks out at the open water one last time before we head back to the house. 

Distance 2.61 miles

Time 57:32

Min/Mile 22:02

Calories 228

Down By The Bay

     We drive down the dusty little trail and come to a stop as we reach the edge of the launch.  Trea and I sit in the car, watching the temperature go from 90 degrees to 91 degrees.  After a few moments of silence, I turn to him and say with a grin, "It's not too late to turn around and go home." He laughs but responds, "It's not a hobby if you don't enjoy it." So we unload the kayaks, attach our paddles, buckle our life vests, say good morning to the adorable family who allows us to use their boat launch at our disposal, and then head out.  We each press play on our individual Pandora stations and I hit start in my RunKeeper app to begin the workout.

     I take the front, leading us around the bend. The sun shining brightly down on me, the sound of my kayak's teeny tiny wake following me.  We travel around the island, whistling at the family of egrets sitting on an abandoned wooden bench.  The tide pulls us out with it, making it much easier to paddle through the swampy waters.  A few boats motor past us, the children smiling and pointing, before we reach a small harbor.  To our surprise, there was actually a boat all the way from New Jersey. We paddle under a small bridge, pausing for a moment to take refuge in its cool shade.  After a few more turns, we see the bay.  A shallow part approaches so we stay to the right in order not to get stuck in the murky sand.  The waves become greater as we drift out farther into the bay.  Trea catches up to me and grabs ahold of the side of my kayak.  We sit and chat and then all of a sudden we wash up on the sandy and rocky coast.  Trea's kayak crashing into mine, causing water to flood over, soaking my shorts.  Thankfully my kayak was self-bailing; Trea didn't have such luck.  He sees something floating a few feet away from him and asks what it is.  I say, "Either a Styrofoam cup or maybe it's the Kraken." He laughs and goes to investigate.  Turns out it's the head of a dead fish.  He picks it up out of the water and holds it up so I can see.  I cringe and he pulls it back as if he's about to throw it at me.  I shriek as he hurls it in my direction, he laughs as it just misses me and lands on the sand. "You're such a girl," he smiles.  I laugh, "I'm sorry I don't like fish carcasses being thrown at me."  I get out and pull my kayak onto the shore, taking a gulp from my water bottle.  Trea wrestles with the waves and heads back out in the water.  I stay on the beach, laughing at him, before eventually pushing mine back into the bay and not-so-gracefully getting into the yak.  We paddle back into calmer waters and then take a breath.  Trea turns to me and asks, "Ready to head back?"

Distance 3.24 miles
Time 1:22:27
Min/Mi 25:29
Calories 321