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Kayaks and peril
Sep. 11th, 2010 11:09 pmToday the Partners In Climb and the boy and I went kayaking on the San Marcos River, for seven miles. The river is gorgeous, except where it's full of trash because people suck. We just had a nice tropical depression last week, so the water was very high and fast in places. Especially after the Blanco joins the party. And there are many snags.
Reader, I capsized.
This is the first time I've flipped a kayak, and I maintain that I wouldn't have done so had not the person ahead of me flipped. The current then washed me into them and the snag, and I couldn't get out while not killing the person in the water next to me. Next thing I know...splish. I came up under the boat at first, bumped my head, and had to swim free. Somehow, I managed to lose neither my boat, my paddle, my hat or glasses, or the pair of shorts I'd had draped over my lap. I lost my gloves--which were in my lap and not on my hands--but other party members retrieved them. (The other two people who flipped on that snag lost their glasses, but I have already made my sacrifice this year.)
Capsizing wasn't scary, but I did have an oh shit moment as I was catching up to my friends. I went from a submerged sandbar which was comfortably hip deep into a spot where I couldn't touch, and the current was very strong. Luckily someone was on hand to grab my boat while I swam for the bank--I don't think I could have made it hauling the kayak.
I knew I would flip a kayak eventually, ever since I laughed hysterically at the boy when he capsized on the placid waters of Town Lake. I'm glad I did so when I was with a large and competent group.
The bad news is that my dry-bag failed to perform its most essential function, and my camera got wet. It's sitting in a bag of rice at the moment, and will hopefully make a full recovery. If it doesn't I'll cry.
Reader, I capsized.
This is the first time I've flipped a kayak, and I maintain that I wouldn't have done so had not the person ahead of me flipped. The current then washed me into them and the snag, and I couldn't get out while not killing the person in the water next to me. Next thing I know...splish. I came up under the boat at first, bumped my head, and had to swim free. Somehow, I managed to lose neither my boat, my paddle, my hat or glasses, or the pair of shorts I'd had draped over my lap. I lost my gloves--which were in my lap and not on my hands--but other party members retrieved them. (The other two people who flipped on that snag lost their glasses, but I have already made my sacrifice this year.)
Capsizing wasn't scary, but I did have an oh shit moment as I was catching up to my friends. I went from a submerged sandbar which was comfortably hip deep into a spot where I couldn't touch, and the current was very strong. Luckily someone was on hand to grab my boat while I swam for the bank--I don't think I could have made it hauling the kayak.
I knew I would flip a kayak eventually, ever since I laughed hysterically at the boy when he capsized on the placid waters of Town Lake. I'm glad I did so when I was with a large and competent group.
The bad news is that my dry-bag failed to perform its most essential function, and my camera got wet. It's sitting in a bag of rice at the moment, and will hopefully make a full recovery. If it doesn't I'll cry.
