Paddled and swim-towed the Kayak

[Mrs. Peel]

We live on an open channel in the Florida Keys. I've been waiting months to feel well enough to get out on the water. Spent an hour or so a few days ago, and an hour and a half today. It's very low impact and a lot of stretching.

The only problem is, I think the kayak is too heavy for me to drag over the rock wall now. I used to car-top it single-handed all the time! So I guess I'll get some marine concrete and make a chute down the rocks.

Anyway, I saw a great big sea turtle and a little yearling one. It was calm and silent so I could hear them breathe when they came up for air. I also saw some stingrays and other critters. I paddled up a tidal creek and snorkled the 'yak back out. I practiced casting the size 7 fly rod, then swim-towed the boat about a mile toward home before paddling the rest of the way.

I'll be sore tomorrow from the swimming, and my bladder may complain about the heavy lifting, but I'm very, very happy.

[dg2901]

Sounds like fun to me!
Do you by chance have a camera?--if so, snap some pics of your next adventure!
:)

[KarenAnne]

Your post made me smile, so happy for you that you could have such a beautiful day!

[ICNDonna]

What a wonderful outing! I'm glad for you.

:)
Donna

[SharonA]

It all sounds beautiful. :)

[skeetor]

Very Cool! I live in Naples, Florida and also kayak. I have a Hobie Revolution, which is a peddle/paddle yak. If I get tired peddling, I can always paddle it. I haven't been out on the water in about a month but am getting the itch to go out again. A few months ago I paddled Lovers Key where a family of manatees were swimming underneath and around our kayaks. I even leaned over my kayak and touched the back of one. I was surprised how rough it felt. It looked like it was a female and had a baby manatee near it. It was probably one of the highlights of my kayaking being able to experience it. I would love to see a sea turtle and some rays. My husband and I want to take our yaks to the Keys. Glad you could enjoy being back out on the yak. It's so relaxing and peaceful isn't it? Nothing like it in paradise.

Renee

[Mrs. Peel]

Skeetor, you forgot to mention how manatees smell! Peeuuw. They are fun to be around, though. They come into our canals to beg for water. The ones around here always have propeller scars, which is sad.

Your kayak sounds state of the art! Mine is a perception prism. It has a very low profile and smooth hull, so not for beginners but easier to paddle, better in wind, and extra quiet.

Lifting the boat was definitely too much for me, though. I've been having stress incontinence and some frequency since. But I'm sure I can figure out a way to make it easier.

I hope everyone here who cares to can find a low-impact, undemanding way to get out in nature. It is very healing.

[skeetor]

LOL! Yeah, manatees can be stinky. Unfortunately the one swimming around me had some bubbles rise up around it and I thought I was in a horse stable! The one I touched had an old suture line on top of it's back where it was previously stitched up in rehab - likely from a propellier.

Is your kayak a sit on top or sit in? Mine is a sit on top. My husband and I want to try kayaking somewhere either on Key Largo or Islamarada. We're kind of nubies at it, only a year or so. My kayak is 12 feet long but my husband's Hobie Sport is only 9 ft, 4" so we really can't take it out into the gulf. We like kayaking the nice slow rivers around the mangroves and calm bays.

For all of you out there on this site, Karin is right. A nice easy low impact way to exercise is kayaking if you have access to a place that has a beginner level slow river, canal, bay or lake. It will do wonders for your health and spirit!

[Mrs. Peel]

Skeetor, Long Key has some nice paddling, but to get out in the calm, shallow water with lots of little mangrove islands, you really have to get down past the Seven-Mile Bridge.

On Summerland Key, there's a little back road that goes to the northern tip of the island. There's space there to park and it's easy to put in. You'll see a lot of critters, and at least a couple of keys have creeks that go under the tree canopy.

Just a note: You will see sharks. Learn to recognize nurse sharks, since they are not dangerous unless you try to grab them. All the other sharks, which will come to find out what you are, just don't get out of the kayak. They'll go away.

And mine is a sit-on with a low profile and smooth hull. Good in wind and easier to sneak up on wildlife for a peek.

Happy paddling!

[skeetor]

Mrs. Peel,
Thanks for the info.! Can't wait to check out some of these spots.

[VickiB]

I'm jealous! How wonderful it must be to have access to big water! In my mind I was out there, peacefully paddling along with you guys.

But then you came to the shark talk, and my imaginary kayak outing popped like a dish-soap bubble! guess I've seen Jaws too many times :lmao:

Vicki

[skeetor]

Not just sharks but gators. There are alligators in rivers, canals, etc. I don't worry about the wild ones since when they see your kayak coming along they duck under water and leave. It's the ones that are fed that scare me. I won't do the Myaka River in Sarasota, they're full of them. A friend of mine once kayaked that river and a 10 foot gator leeped over his kayak. He was ok but the thought of the gator's tail or any part of it's body hitting him when it leeped and could have caused him to fall out of his kayak is daunting!

[some_guy]

That is Great! Mrs. Peel

I'm glad you had so much fun, feels good to ignore the disease at least once in a while.

Cheers!

[carried_cub]

This is great, Karin, I'm so proud of you.