Day 19: Half an hour later, I was down there in the far end and as I swung 'round to follow the eastern shore (right side of the photo), a series of low swells came surging across the surface, threatening to take the kayak broadside. I angled into them and rode them out, but they were just the appetizer. The wind came up, pulling the water into meringue peaks and dashing them into the cockpit. "Where the hell did that come from?" I grumbled aloud. "So much for doing two laps!"
The camera was on the floor of the boat, but I didn't dare stop paddling long enough to put it in the dry-sack. If the wind had turned the boat sideways, I could have been in trouble. The western shore was somewhat calmer under the wind-shadow created by the surrounding hills, so I put my back into it and tacked for open water, away from the hazards of barely submerged stumps. Once across, it was easier going, though I was still fighting wind if not whitecaps. A quarter mile from the boat ramp, the wind subsided into a gentle breeze. What's a sailor to do? I made for the far side and finished off the day with a leisurely navigation of the south end, one "lap" made with respect to distance travelled, although I missed out a piece of the eastern shore entirely.
No comments:
Post a Comment