Last Saturday, I went kayaking!
Three weeks before that, after calling all my phones and not being able to reach me, a friend called and simply left me a message. He asked me to come to his house the next day. He said he had something planned for me that he thought I would love. He asked me to go kayaking with him and his wife.
I told him that it was out of the question, because of my asthma and my allergy. I may look so well all the time but people do not understand why I act like a wimp. (Last week my yoga instructor said I have a perfect form and even took my picture for her website. I told her though that I may be the fattest yogi.) Still, my friend invited me to come anyway, even for just a visit. Reluctantly, I accepted.
So along came that Saturday morning. He called early, at about eight, and told me to get to his house before noon to catch the high tide. I thought I had completely eluded the thought of kayaking that first time. They were assessing me, I thought.
In fact, it was an issue for me because I was up all night, unsuccessfully calling my manager in Thailand, having no water at the Muscoot, etc. My friend said he understood my situation but argued that I still had a few hours to catch a nap. I could see that he was determined to see me make a fool of myself. (I had kayaked once before but that was back in 1974 in a swimming pool at Manhattanville College.) Nonetheless, I decided to clear all my agenda for the day and went.
As it turned out, I truly enjoyed myself. They took me up to the Croton River where we kayaked for miles, for about three hours. The scenery was beautiful. We paddled by the most beautiful spot in the river, where a small waterfall lands on a deep pool with vines swinging from the sides on the bank.
They also showed me the place where they filmed the original Tarzan movie in 1932. They knew that I would appreciate the scenery, the quietness of the river, the crystal clear water and the deep gorges. They were not disappointed at all for I loved it all.
However, there was an instance when I had to be rescued by a stranger. I came back with the tide low and the water receded so fast. I was trying to stay close to shore, so eventually I was grounded. Luckily, a lady paddled by and pulled me back into the water. I was happy again. I tried to get her name after thanking her profusely, but she was gone so fast. My friend was ahead of me so she didn’t initially see me getting stuck. She was already out of her kayak to call her husband for help until she saw how the lady had helped me.
I admit now that it was a bit much for me. I fell and I have a few scars to prove that I was really roughing it. I had an asthma attack and bad sunburn. However, I told my friends that I would do it again when THEY recover from the ordeal.
This is what people do when they love you because they know you. I’ve only met them a few times. In the past, along with other guests, I was also invited for a scuba dive in the Sound, but that was over twenty years ago before he was married. (I’ve also gone scuba diving once before in St. John.) Since then, he would come to the restaurant a few times to invite me over for a few other activities like scuba diving, but I was already too sick by then.
At any rate, this kayaking experience has been the most outdoorsy activity I’ve done in my life in years. I’ve done it. I’ve kayaked. Yeah!!!
Later that evening, I attended yoga instruction, feeling determined not to be a wimp anymore!
Rujireka, 8/10/10
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