06.09.08

Be Careful Who You go Kayaking with…

Posted in , Sports at 7:22 pm by Administrator

Turns out, I have joined many different Critical Mass-type groups that are posted on Meetup.com and other websites. There is a group for every hobby imaginable (though I still have not found one for Parkour). You name it. From bowling, rollerblading, to knitting, to mechanics enthusiasts. I joined groups for tri-ahtletes, runners, cyclists and kayakers. It’s an interesting way to meet people with similar hobbies and do some social networking.

The bike ride group has sent me several messages about meet-ups, but they always pick dates when I’m already busy. A kayak group sent me a message about a meet-up and it fit with my schedule. We met late Tuesday afternoon at Matheson Hammock park. Earlier, I had gone to a job interview in the area around Miami Metro Zoo. I don’t usually drive all the way down there, worse now with these shit gas prices. I met with “Fred” and “Jack”. Fred was in his early 40s and looked a bit rugged. Jack was in his late 20s like me. Fred has a large collection of kayaks and I rented one from him (some people collect porn, others collect kayaks). I had only kayaked twice before at Oleta River State Park, but had got the hang of it. Fred’s kayaks were the close feet ones, where only your torso, head and arms stick out. As I later discovered, they are also less stable in water.

Eight people were supposed to show up, but in the end it was only us three. No women, which sucks for me. So we went out kayaking. I hadn’t kayaked in this area which is the coastline along Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay. It is mostly mangroves, dotted with mansions (no poor people allowed). 50 yards from the shore, the water is still shallow, averaging between 4 and 6 feet in depth. Marine shrubs and other plants are easily visible. The waves are small but when you’re on a kayak, even small waves feel like they’re going to turn you over. Another funny thing was that as hard as I paddled, my kayak seemed to be veering out towards the far ocean. Fred said it had to do with the wind. Turns out that my kayak was about 10 pounds heavier. Gee, thanks, Fred.

Fred and Jack were expert hard-core, no-fear, all guts and glory type kayakers. Along the coastline we paddled south. After reaching a mangrove area, we paddled inland through a swampy section with several narrow and shallow canals and reached Chapman pond, before going back. The whole trip back and forth was 12 miles!! 12 fucking miles!! Thank God I’m in good shape. Anyone expecting 2 or 3 miles would have had gone into cardiac arrest. They’re lucky I’m not an attorney. Anyway, I kept up as best I could, usually 20 or so yards behind the supermen.

Along the way the way I get stuck in a sandbar and discover the energy consuming task of paddling your way out of a few inches of water inside a 50 pound kayak. By this time, it’s around 8pm or later. The coastline is dark with few lights. I start hearing a splash here and there along the water, probably fish. Fred and Jack start talking about how sting rays and little sharks swim around this area. Oh crap! Sting rays are passive, but they can kill a person with their spike if they feel threatened (Steve Irwin, RIP). And sharks, well, I don’t care if it’s 2 feet long. Those motherfuckers have teeth that can tear off your hand easily. I become paranoid and paddle faster. I can’t see anything through the water and the trip seems eternal. My arms feel like they’re going to fall off. I can’t take a break because then the kayak feels like it going to tip over, which isn’t good in these sting ray and little-shark infested waters. I have to tough it out. Be competitive, no breaks, no stops. Finally we reach the pier. The ironmen mention that this is a short trip for them. They usually do 20 miles or more. Oh, well. Whatever. The trip wasn’t bad, but in the future, I’ll kayak at Key Biscayne or Oleta River State park where I can do it at my own pace.

Permalink