We have a little time so I make scones for breakfast.
Gary takes me kayak accessory shopping. We come away with UV protective shirts, Croakies (compliments of Sandy), waterproof telephone protectors. I get a pair of river shoes.
The day is beautiful, sunny, hot. We pick our boats and get sized in to the foot pedal steering (rudders on these kayaks). We have 10 kayakers and 4 guides.
We get on the water when I get a call from Edith. Uncle Butch has passed away from complications of pneumonia or renal failure. We are not sure. I am broken, here in a beautiful place, on the east coast in the water. He was (is) such a strong thread in the weaving of my life. Tears spring up. Then I realize he is right with me, in all of this beauty, better than just yesterday because his pain is gone and his spirit is free. So I carry on with this trip we have planned, with Uncle B wholly in my heart.
The guides try to guess where we are all from and they are sure my accent is from New York. I think it so funny that mom's east coast brogue has followed me to California and now back to Essex.
We stop for a break on Choate Island. While the guides walk the group to the top of the hill I make 7 stone prayer on the beach. Because it is so, for Uncle B, for me. Be aware, be free, be focused, be here, be loved, be strong, be healed. In Hawaiian: Ike, kala, makia, manawa, aloha, mana, pono.
Once back in the water, Gary and I find ourselves lagging behind the others. That may be because we are the oldest (He is) or because we are sad.
The weather starts to change and the guides decide to get us in to the landing at Essex Marina. It is decidedly blacker than just a few hours ago. As we near the Essex river outlet, we realize that many big fishing boats are coming in to get out of the potential storm. They're coming in against the outgoing tide creates some hella-deep waves that cross over each other.
It is a tough paddle. The guides tell us to keep our paddles moving to keep our center of gravity stable. Serious waves that look like they will flip you over if you screw up.
Our lead guide Jackie gets us lined up like colorful ducklings and points us to paddle toward a blue portapotty on shore. This if we paddle toward this point against the current will wind up in a good place on the water to put in on Conomo Point beach. I am paddling like mad and the guide closest to me says "It's OK, relax, you have made it to the calm water for an easy put in". That was more than my skill level on a kayak. Oh well, my skill level is a little higher now.
No comments:
Post a Comment