Just Do It

There comes a point when there are no excuses left and you have to Just go do it.

On Thursday last week Mrs D and I visited a couple of places on the river to determine how deep it was and whether it would be a good place or not to come to grief in the new kayak, while I try to come to terms with it. That's the kayak that's sat uselessly in the back garden since I picked it up in February. What I need is water shallow enough to stand up in after a capsize.  We established that a good place might be near the Canbury stretch near Kingston. But the water is still running high and rapidly on the Thames.

Alex however came up with a rather better place for a first try, on the river Way near erm... Weybridge.  So, with his encouragement to get the master plan restarted again, we took said boat and body to the rather calmer location on the Way, while Mrs D came along as official photographer trying to capture the moment and, as like as not, one of those £250 moments for Harry Hill.

The river bank was rather overgrown and we had to find a spot to launch the boat, but that was duly accomplished. Eventually yours truly squeezed himself into the boat for the very first time and found it all had to be adjusted to get the legs in as well. All straightened out, and we took a Zen moment to calm and settle into the very tight cockpit. Rarely have I been more tense and we contemplated the tremors emanating from my central core radiating in all directions through the boat, and across the water's surface. After a few minutes we finally gained a sort-of balance, and very tentatively pushed away from the bank.

I had been expecting, and was fully prepared for, a half-roll out of the boat as soon as it was away from the bank. But, to everyone’s surprise, I was still upright and moving forward minutes later when the local lock hove into view. At this point I thought it better to grab the bank and consider this rather unexpected turn of events. Getting quite this far hadn't figured in the game plan. Now, not wanting to risk a swim on a three point turn, we retrieved the boat and pointed it back the way we had come. The return trip was still as shaky as the outgoing one, but nevertheless successfully completed without a capsize.

I still have the same trouble trying to keep my legs together to help with the balance and still brace them against the sides of the thinner cockpit than the oyster-shaped boat I’m used to. The steering wasn't wonderful either and seems to have stiffened right up. Probably because there's no lubricant on the cable run and it hasn' t been used.

I decided that it would be better to quit while I was ahead and enjoy the success of not falling in the water on the first outing. That no  doubt will come later. Alex likened my efforts to watching his son learning to walk. Looking at the video, what I liken it to is a portly, sad old git having a second mid-life crisis. I had the first one in the 80s and know what it feels like.

I'm quite pleased with a bit of success for a change. The boat feels as if it might be manageable with a lot of practice. I was really pleased with the pace I was covering ground, it was much faster than the oyster, even given that I was not putting any real effort into the strokes, just trying to stay upright.

 Unfortunately Mrs D was cheated out of her £250, maybe next time?  I need practice and to get focussed on the task.