Kayaking

I went kayaking yesterday for the first time in a few years. Since I row an average of four times a week, that usually fills my "on water" time. But the day was cool and clear and I wanted to enjoy a different kind of boat experience.

Kayaking is a blast! While it's similar to rowing in some obvious ways, it's also different. First, in a kayak you face forward and can see where you're going. Also, you use your upper body, while rowing uses mostly legs and back.

What I most enjoyed was the scenery. I launched in Rowayton and paddled out to some deserted islands in Long Island Sound, about a mile away. By "deserted" I mean that no humans inhabit these small islands. However, they were filled with bird life. There were herons, gulls, cormorants and sandpipers. Since it was high tide, they were perched on rocks awaiting the changing of the tide to fish. I was able to get close enough to touch the rocks on which they were perched.

Can kayaking be a spiritually enriching experience? It certainly was for me. I loved gliding through the water with only a little effort. The scenery was spectacular. I especially appreciated the panoramic view of the sky: puffy culumus clouds were floating above me. Someone has said that clouds are "nature's poetry" and I agree.

Part of the beauty of kayaking is it's near silence. You can hear the sounds of nature (and of power boats, too!): water gently lapping the shore, the wind dancing on the waves, the songs of the different birds. It is definitely a soul-nourishing experience.