An Urban Boychick Takes on the Outdoors

Not much to report from today. There were tremendous thunderstorms overnight. I got up at 5 AM so I could get rolling early. I had a can of Starbucks espresso drink (so I wouldn't have to spend time making coffee) and some kosher for Passover breakfast cereal (sawdust in the shape of Apple Jacks). I threw the wet gear into the car to be dried out at home and got on the road. I wish I could have stayed for the last day, but I needed to get home for our Passover seder. The drive home through SC & NC was easy. As I crossed the NC/VA border I hit a wall of storms. It was a slog through heavy rain the rest of the way home. The trip home, stopping only for bathroom breaks, took nine and a half hours. Youch.

Today started off with a sunrise trip in Charleston Harbor. I got up at 5 AM, made myself a quick breakfast then headed over to the meeting point at 6 AM. From there we caravanned over to the put-in, about 5 miles from the park. We hit the water just as the sun came up – another beautiful day – and were almost immediately joined by dolphins. There were two to the right of us and a couple more out to the left. They stayed alongside for about ten minutes. That was really cool. The trip, while really enjoyable, wasn’t very organized. The trip leader’s initial briefing was just that we would paddle towards Ft. Sumter, but would turn around short of the fort so we could get back on time. Except if we wanted to. But then we wouldn’t be with the group anymore. He made no assessment of anyone’s skills, though he did set up a sweep to follow the group. It didn’t take long after launching for the group to get very spread out on the water. I was in the front group with the leader, who was paddlin...

Today I checked out of the hotel to fully immerse myself in the kayak festival. It was a quick and easy drive from Mt. Pleasant over to James Island Park (I had done the drive the day before to participate in the Nigel Foster Master Class). I registered, put the boat I’m trying to sell in the “Used Boat” area, then headed over to the put-in to unload my kayak. There I ran into Dan and Kathryn, two friends who I knew were going to be attending. They in turn introduced me to two other people I knew were going to be attending, but who I hadn’t met before (they live near Baltimore, the upper reaches of the Chesapeake Paddler’s Assn, and so our paths hadn’t crossed before). We helped each other unload, then I headed over to the Master Class area for my 10 AM class, which was Forward Stroke with master kayak racer Ben Lawry. Ben is the antithesis of Nigel Foster. Where Foster is laid back and teaches by having you experiment, Lawry has the intensity of a racer. He puts you through the paces,...

Today was the first day of the kayaking part of my trip. It was Foster, Foster and more Foster. The day started a little strangely. During breakfast at the hotel, another guest started yelling angrily at the hotel staff for having called the police on him the previous night. Apparently the police visit at 1 AM upset him so much he got no sleep all night! Ummm, maybe carousing loudly at 1 AM had something to do with your lack of sleep too. Surprisingly, he isn't in the room next to mine. After breakfast I drove over to James Island Park, the site of the kayak festival. The main festival starts tomorrow, and so things were just getting set up. the woman at the entrance gate had no idea where the Thursday classes were being held, but it wasn't too hard to find the right spot. My class was an all day session with Nigel Foster, who is one of the best known names in kayaking. This is the kayaking equivalent of spending the day tossing a football around with Peyton Manning, or hittin...

Not on the water yet, so if you're reading this for the kayaking angle, you can stop now. I spent today sightseeing in Charleston. I started the day by heading downtown and strolling along White Point. This is the southernmost tip of Charleston, and features a beautiful view of the bay. Then I strolled and drove through the quiet streets and alleys of the area, enjoying the antebellum architecture of the residential neighborhoods. I continued by heading over to the historic synagogue. The congregation was founded by Sephardic Jews in the 1700's, and has been in the same spot ever since. The present building dates to 1841. It is not merely a historic place; it is also still an operating congregation. I showed up at 10 AM, when the tours were supposed to start. I came in right behind an older woman, who seemed a little confused and lost. She turned out to be the tour guide. She explained that this was her first day back and she was still a little jet-lagged from her recent trip t...

Today is the first day of my trip down to Charleston, SC for the East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival. I have decided to go down a day early so I can sightsee in Charleston for a day. I've never been there before so I'm excited about going. I got on the road after getting the boys off to school this morning and spending some time how to cram all my stuff into the car. I wanted to try to fit everything in the luggage compartment so nothing would be a tempting theft target (the two kayaks on the roof are bad enough). That proved impossible, so I put my grocery bags in the back seat. I hope that no one is hungry enough to break in to steal my Power Bars and matzo. My first entertainment, as I was heading Southbound, was to see how far I would get before I saw a pickup truck with a Confederate flag. Unfortunately, that game was over less than 100 miles south of home, so for the rest of the trip I entertained myself with music, podcasts, and enjoying the bland scenery of I95. It'...

I have had a little extra time on my hands as my old job winds down, so I have found time to kick off the kayaking season with some spur of the moment solo trips. Easter Sunday I had Mson Neck park pretty much to myself. I tried poking up Kane's Creek but quickly got stuck in the mud. Instead I paddled "to the left", along the shoreline towards the Potomac. As usual, the bird life was great - bald eagles, ospreys, cormorants. Apparently they don't take Easter off from being birds. There I am to the left, taking a break along the shore. It was so quiet and peaceful. I wound up doing some yoga along the beach. In retrospect, it looks pretty goofy with the PFD and drysuit. Trust me, it was extremely peaceful and relaxing at the time. Today I kind of blew off work and paddled out of Columbia Island Marina in Arlington (well, technically, it's DC, but you'd never know it). I can't believe I've never launched there before - so close to home, and nice facili...