Kayaking Mendocino

It was my first time in a kayak.  After a brief how-to demo our instructor, Steve, pushed us off the beach.  I began paddling for the first time, anxious and excited.  With bent knees, I relaxed my grip and reminded myself to be one with the ocean.

As everyone entered the water I took a look around.  One of the guys from Canada had his black, scraggly dog in his lap.  The other Canadian had dreadlocks and a quite demeanor.  Robyn, had sunglasses, a beanie, and an ear-to-ear grin.  One married couple shared a kayak and a desire to go-go-go.  Our instructor seemed most at ease, no life jacket, no wet suit, only sunglasses, a pair of shorts, a white t-shirt, and a constant Stevie Wonder smile.  He pointed toward a dark entrance just off the shore.  Our first cave passage.

Gaining my aquatic bearings I was the last to arrive near the cave entrance.  While listening to the end of Steve's preparatory speech I realized the waves were not calm and placid but growing fierce.  We lined up waiting for the perfect moment to go for it.  Steve watched the breaks with his finger waiting in the air.

NOW!

The couple sharing a kayak sprinted first into the shrinking diameter of the cave.  Robyn went second, just ahead of me.  So far so good.  And the Canadians followed.  Daylight faded and my eyes slowly adjusted.  The cave walls were dark and rigid, and they smoothed out to a gloss as they neared the surface of the water.  The ocean sloshed, twirled, and created soft echoes before quieting, eerily.  Pulling my eyes toward the the activity of the water, each successive wave grew larger, as my dilating eyes followed suit.  Riding on a a giant rumbling belly before a sneeze, we felt the tension build exponentially.

Halfway through the cave a wave pushed Robyn's kayak sideways.  Frantically, she pushed off the cave wall to straighten herself as I slammed into her broadside.  Twisted and off angle, we looked at each other with a surge of adrenaline. We had moments to escape.  Digging our paddles into the water we let out a last effort scream, and just as the waves showed their teeth we straightened up, got sucked down away from the cave wall, and shot out like a broken bullet.

As the adrenaline subsided we turned our boats to encourage the Canadians.  But no one was there. Then Hugo arrived soaked and breathing heavily.  I didn't quite understand what he said at first but then the words sunk in: I flipped.

After another minute Steve came through with his continuous smile and nonchalant shoulders. "We lost him...no (grin) but he did get tossed."

What a beginning to our kayaking adventure.  After our faces regained their color everything thereafter was highlighted by the gift of continued life.  Herding together we headed across the bay into a field of giant kelp.  On top of the water lay big green bulbs, the size of softballs.  On top of the bulbs sea lettuce sprouted bright green.  Steve grabbed a handful and stuffed his mouth. "So good! You gotta try this."  Without hesitation, and because I was actually starving, this treat stacked up in my lap.  And from then on I ate my sea lettuce like wet potato chips.

Rounding a rock we floated up to Harbor Seals basking in the sun.  They were spotted like dalmatians and lounging on algae covered rocks.  Unalarmed, they squinted at us half asleep and feel back into a slumber.  A few words and we paddled on.

My first experience with kayaking in the ocean was full of so many new experiences.  The vacillating power of the ocean filled me with awe, fear, amazement, and a new respect for life simultaneously.  Life seemed more unpredictable in the ocean, more precious.  And the world lying beneath the surface of the water glanced through if I focused enough, if I gave it time.

When exploring nature and watching life exist outside of ourselves, we quickly see our characteristics played back to us.  The desire to live, eat, relax, be with others, love, and explore--these desires exist in all life, at every level.