Back in the Paddle Saddle

I must be getting old in my old age. Or at least my friends are. I found myself in mid-March with virtually no kayak seat-time under my belt for the year to date - a far cry from the old Ice Pirates days of going out Thursday nights year-round. I tried to organize an Ice Pirates outing for Pi day (3/14) but got no takers - but I didn't give up. I kept trying and recruited Tall Tom to go kayaking with me on Sunday morning.

Our plan was to meet at Columbia Island at 9 AM. I got there about ten minutes before nine and to my surprise Tom, who is always early, wasn't there. It was daylight savings weekend and I so I immediately started wondering whether he had forgotten to set his clock and if so, what I should do - keep the boat on the car? go paddling anyway? Well, while I was still mulling this over Tom pulled in, right on time - which is late for Tom, if you know what I mean.

After spending some time admiring his shiny new Impreza (I am now officially the last kayaker on earth without a Subaru - do they make kayak racks for the BRZ?) we headed out with no particular destination in mind. We wound up going all the way up to Fletcher's - about a 10 mile round trip. As always he was out paddling me at the beginning, near-Yeti sized person that he is, but by the end we were both tired (out of shape!) and had slowed down about the same leisurely pace.

The highlight of the day - other than just the joy of being on the water - was spotting mergansers (the duck, not the kayak ) long Roosevelt Island.

A crisp and cool but thoroughly enjoyable day.

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An Urban Boychick Takes on the Outdoors

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