Two Days on the Water: Strokes, Capsizes, and a Storm
Friday we put our canoe on Oak Hollow and finally let someone who teaches this watch us paddle. Will said we were paddling okay and gave us a bunch of pointers and tips.
Will walked us through the strokes we have been guessing at for two lakes: the J-stroke, the sweep, draws, corrective strokes, how to lean the boat instead of fighting it. Sitting versus kneeling. Launching and landing. Working together so the canoe has one plan instead of two. I need to raise my seat on the canoe, because my feet feel trapped when I kneel. This makes me worry that I would get stuck if we flipped the boat.
Then we got to capsize recovery.
We did not climb back into the boat in deep water. We got it to the shoreline and got ourselves sorted there. That was the right call for us since we couldn’t get back in on the water. We even flipped the boat to see if having some water would make it easier to get back in. We ended up getting too much water in the boat.
Since I have a tube in my ear. I wore a silicone ear plug and the Earvolution Ear Band-it Ultra, and they kept the water out. I did not flip the boat. If it happens on a river, that is different. I am not going to practice inner-ear infections on purpose!
The Oakley Meta glasses came with us. The pictures came out great! Saturday was a different class and a different boat: kayak rescue. I got a great video of Marty practicing the heel hook!
We both practiced getting back in with help using the heel hook- assisted by another kayaker. You face the front of the kayak, put your outside leg into the cockpit, take the helper’s hand, get your body onto the back deck, lie flat, then turn yourself around into the seat. It looks simple until you are in the water doing it. <laughter>
Marty cannot swim very well. He took lessons as an adult and still struggles. I am proud of him. He rolled over in his boat. That is not a small thing. He has never come out of his boat before. He rolled it so fast that I didn’t get the video started in time! We did not get to self-rescue. A storm blew in with lightning, so we paddled like we heard banjos and made the launch before it got close. I have a good video of Marty doing the assisted heel hook.
I have been swimming since I was a baby. My parents always had a pool. They say I was about a year and a half old when I jumped in on my own, and I do not remember a time I could not swim. Marty is starting from a different place. He cannot put his legs out behind him and swim, which makes it hard to push a canoe or kayak in the water. He puts his legs in front of and under the boat. I told him we may need a YMCA membership for a few months to practice techniques. I am going to start training him on the frog swim — that is what I call it. It’s the easiest way to swim with your legs behind you, in my opinion. Then we will work up to regular leg strokes and being able to use your legs for power.
Two hours on Friday did not make us ready for Quiet Lake to Carmacks. Neither did Saturday. What they did was show us the gap in plain sight: strokes we can practice on any lake, a capsize plan that has to respect this ear, and swimming that has to get stronger before the current starts teaching. I have my ear protected just in case I do go under, but don’t want to risk it.
I am proud of Marty. He showed up, got in the water, and did a wet exit like a champ.
We have work to do. That is the point of these weekends.
Marty’s kayak recovery:
My Little Red Bike 