I’ve done my part…

…to stimulate the economy. That’s what those checks from the feds were for, right?

You may recall that last year I got an inflatable kayak. I loved it, and went out on the water pretty much every week. Until I couldn’t. Why? Leaks. Leaks which were patched and held. Until they didn’t. And were patched again, and failed again. Finally it was too much for me and I gave up.

In February I started calling marinas and boat sellers looking for a professional to do the needed repairs. No one would do it. Most weren’t even interested in talking to me. One kind man explained why he no longer did such patching…because those patches always fail. Sometimes quickly, sometimes not, no predicting the when.

So I did a lot of thinking and talking, and finally decided that I didn’t want to give up kayaking. Yet if I was going to buy a kayak it had to be light enough that I could load and unload it by myself, and do so easily enough that it wouldn’t discourage me from getting on the water.

By March 1 it was time to go visit Oak Orchard Canoe & Kayak and talk to the experts there. And reader, I bought a kayak! I made a lot of decisions that day and put down a deposit. I returned April 5, had the roof rack installed, and picked up my boat!

This sweet little boat weighs just 32 pounds, easy enough for me to pick up and carry a short distance to the water. (And all the places I went to last year, a short distance was all I needed to tote my kayak. If I decide I need to carry it farther, I can buy a set of wheels.) I bought everything I needed to load and unload this boat independently, and to store it safely in my garage.

I brought it home on a Monday. On Tuesday I put it on my lawn and did some practicing of getting in and out of it. Trust me, I am not a graceful person, but I’m pretty confident I can do it.

I also practiced loading and unloading it onto/off of my car by myself, without a pro standing by me and saying, “Now do this.” My first load took me just over 16 minutes, and that included me doing something wrong with the tie down straps, twice, and having to re-do it. Unloading took only about half the time.

I was really eager to get out on the water, and Thursday was slated to be the day – beautiful weather.

Then a conversation with a friend convinced me otherwise. Although I almost always went out alone last year, I didn’t start until late May. Now, even though the air is warm, the water is very cold. So there will not be a lot of other kayakers on the water to help if trouble ensued. Much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew she was right. 🙁

BUT! Today is a new day. A young woman I’m FB friends with has invited me to join her, her sister, and her mother-in-law for a paddle in a nearby creek this afternoon. YAY!!!! I’m VERY excited! In fact, it’s time for me to go outside and load the boat so I’m ready when she calls with confirmation of the time.