I'm sharing my story about my adventurous
vacation on July 21-27 to western Massachusetts as I learned to not only
whitewater kayak and whitewater raft but to also do anything I set my
mind to even though I was literally in tears and scared out of my wits
and getting out of my comfort zone. You have seen my pictures of my
bruises "battle wounds (trophies)" that I received
from flipping and hitting rocks as I swam to shore. Monday, July 22, we
arrived at the reservoir with Zoar Outdoor to learn about flipping in
kayaks and the rescue procedure. I was very nervous and also excited; it
didn't sink in until we were in our boats and out in the water and some
are flipping. I got scared because first off I can't swim and secondly
not crazy about being submerged under water even though I and everyone
else has on PFD (personal floatation device aka life jacket). T-Rex and
Pine Cone were with me talking to me trying to encourage me that it's ok
to be nervous and I'm all in tears. So I decided get out of my boat, me
and Pine Cone take a few dips in the lake. I'm like that wasn't so bad!
Next, we work on me try to float and totally trusting in the PFD. I'm
still scared/nervous but I do eventually collect myself and lay back and
kick up my feet while somewhat relaxing but still tense. It's finally
lunch time, yay!! After lunch, I try another kind of boat, its called a
deck kayak - you just sit on it. I felt more comfortable on it versus
the kind you sit down it. On a deck boat when you flip you immediately
come off versus having to pull a strap and then push the boat off your
hips. Me and Mrs. Robinson were hanging out after lunch practicing on my
forward and backward strokes and eye focus and trying not to get ran
over by the others as the play games! As we head towards the group, they
all start cheering, etc for ME! I had my own personal cheerleaders,
sweet! It meant a lot having their support. Monday ends and I wasn't as
scared and nervous as before. Tuesday, July 23, we go back to the river
for the first half of the day until lunch. Mrs. Robinson wants me
floating by myself without holding her hand or Pine Cone's. I finally
trusted completely in the PFD and floated and became more relaxed. So,
she says we going to hop in your boat and work on flipping. Yep, that's
right the nerves kick back in! Mrs. Robinson and Pine Cone talking to me
and I'm trying to collect myself. I'm leaning to the right to flip then
I sit back up. Mrs. Robinson says, You got it just finish it! So, I
lean back to the right and over I go. I come up, they both tell me to
just relax and float. Mrs. Robinson paddles over to me, I grab hold back
of her boat and swim as she's pulling me in (rescuing me). Laughing
once I'm back at the boat ramp and dock, I'm like that wasn't so bad,
what the heck was I thinking? We continue doing this couple more times
and I'm getting more comfortable and then it's lunch time! By then, I'm
starving lol. We load up everything and go to the river. I'm thinking
I'll try it then I'll just hang out with Dang in the raft. Did I nope! I
did all 5 miles! With a couple flips along the way. When I flipped in
the river and was swimming, it seemed that I'd flip right before the
swallow part. I swear I'd hit every rock lol. We stopped on the river
for a break and I got my first current flip (the water/current flipping
me) and was swimming in and "my cheerleaders" cheered me on as I swam
in. If you've never been kayaking, going for a swim is just flipping and
then having someone come to you for you to grab hold back of their boat
and they pull you to shore. We finish the rest of the day and have
another flip or two. I won the most flips of the day award lol, not
really! Wednesday, July 24, we went to Shelbourne Falls that morning for
shopping and then after lunch we went rafting. Now that my friends was
AWESOME!!!! Thursday, July 25, me, Mrs. Robinson, and Pine Cone became
"Team Awesome" and kayaked the river together. We did the same portion
that we did on Wednesday in the raft. We had class I & class ll
rapids and lots of wave trains. It was nice having them two with me
during much of the day. Mrs. Robinson: see that rapid under that tree
limb? Me: yeah. Mrs. Robinson: We going through it. Me: um, ok!?!?? Me
& Mrs. Robinson went over that rapid - I don't remember if it was
class l or ll. I just knew that I was about to flip, I was prepared. I
was literally laying all the way back on my boat and I do some kind of
number with kicking my right foot up and waving both arms and saving
myself from flipping. It was awesome! We had a good laugh because we
have no idea how I saved myself. I apparently shifted my weight just
right. I could never had done it again if I'd tried. I wished Wombat had
gotten that on video or a picture, but sadly he was behind us and
didn't see it. I learned how to focus on where I want to go and just
keep paddling and guess what...you get there! It's crazy how that works.
We all took lots of spins turning around as we floated down stream and
took in the breath taking view of the mountains. Western Massachusetts
is such a beautiful place!! We were almost at the take out point. Me
and Mrs. Robinson were relaxing just coasting down with the current.
Ginger Snap and Dang were in the raft. As we pass them, Ginger Snap
says, "Jewels, you've done so good today without flipping." I smiled and
said I know, thanks. I didn't get completely past them and guess
what?!?? I flipped! Ginger Snap jinxed me! Thanks Ginger Snap!! She
said, "l'll keep her mouth shut from now on." I came up I had my boat on
top on me and raft right beside me so l pushed my boat over and grabbed
hold of side the raft. Dang asked if I wanted him to "save me" meaning
pull me into the raft. I declined. I grabbed back of Mrs. Robinson's
boat and realized its a bumpy ride to shore, lol. I was proud of myself;
l did all 5 miles again. I think that morning after breakfast talking
with Sparkles, I told her I was probably just going to do a few minutes
then hang out in the raft. My few minutes turned into all day!!
Friday, July 26, Graduation Day! I hung out in the raft with Dang. When
we were almost done and about to take out, we graduated meaning instead
of going together as a group on the last wave train and class ll rapid,
we did it by ourself one at a time. Of course we had folks at the end
of the rapid in various parts incase we did swim. I went last. I knew in
back of my mine that I'd probably flip. So, Pine Cone goes with me a
little ways helping me get started. She backs off, I'm looking down
stream at Clutch. Next thing I know I see a rock. I tried to get around
it but l wasn't fast enough. I got stuck - just my luck. Whenever you
get on a rock, you lend into it and that helps counteract you from
flipping. Luckily, I remembered to do that. I'm just hanging out on this
rock and Pine Cone comes to the rescue and pulls me off. As I'm hanging
out, I throw my right arm up in the air and I'm holding my paddle and
holler "wooooo." And I do have proof of that lol thanks to Wombat, our
photographer! After couple attempts, Pine Cone pulls me around and off
this rock. I wobble some and lean the opposite way so I don't flip but
that didn't last long. I flipped! Mrs. Robinson comes over I grab hold
of her boat but I can't flip over to my back because guess what...It's
shallow once again! So, I'm on my back with my feet up so they don't get
caught in the rocks as we go throw this wave train. Now that time I
literally did feel every single rock and even tried to hold me butt up
because of a rock but wasn't to successful I felt it and went Oh god!
Cherry Garcia said she saw me as I went over it and said, that'll bruise
- it did. I had 3 big ones on my tail. I finally get to deep water
where I can let go and float through the rapid. Once through it, Pine
Cone picks me up and we go to shore. I receive my necklace of luau
flowers. Now that was one heck of a graduation! I got back in the raft. I
deserved it!! Just past the take off area, there's a class lll rapid
that was optional. 6 people did it in their boat and all of them swam
but 1. Dang went down it in the raft. Me and 4 others were also in it.
When we went rafting on Wednesday, both rafts went down it. And that was
the finale of the week going down the class lll rapid whether in a
kayak or raft!
#teamawesome #nottoproud #beingbrave #overcomingfears #gettingoutofmycomfortzone
Thanks for reading!
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