Kayaking

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The Lost Hat

 

                Springtime means time for other outdoor activities that members of the Onondaga Ski Club love to do besides our winter favorites…skiing/boarding.  The bikes come out, hiking boots and shorts, tennis racquets and flog clubs, softball gloves, canoes and kayaks too.  Although some members get an early taste due to weather breaks, usually the month of May is the real start. 

 

                Started a few years ago, an enterprising outdoor store up in Old Forge and Inlet created what they called Paddlefest, a weekend in May where anyone could try out on Fourth Lake the various paddle craft offered by this business.  A brilliant move, this allows those who have been thinking about getting on the water in a self propelled watercraft an opportunity to try out the many, many versions of kayaks or canoes.  Like skis, each watercraft feels and handles different, and what might be good for one will make someone else all wet.

 

                John Whelan put out the word that anyone interested in going up this year to contact him.  Marilyn and I have always enjoyed this event, sometimes spending some large sums of money up there.  We decided to take John up on his offer to meet him there, but also extended an invitation to him and others to paddle to the actual beach site at Inlet from my folks’ place on Eagle Bay, about a mile and a half as the crow flies.  We knew that parking in Inlet is always marginal, and to carry our own watercraft to the beach from the vehicle would be a pain in the whatever.  Our offer was accepted.

 

                Under a very overcast sky M&I drove up to Eagle Bay early on Saturday morning to open camp.  We had running water (bathrooms!), and opened windows to air out the camp.  The outdoor temperature was warmer than inside too, so we hoped to even things out before the others arrived.

 

                We were just unloading our kayaks when John showed up along with Jean and Bill Delaney, Dan McCarty, and soon Joan Salem and Terry Avery.  After the normal greetings and “What’s happening?”, we all set about taking our watercraft down to the shoreline, about 100 feet from the vehicles.  Then it was back to get all the gear we seem to think we would need followed by trips to the bathroom, etc.  There was a slight breeze, which of course made for some small whitecaps now and then on the lake.  The real problem was we were going to have to paddle across the lake perpendicular to the wind and wave action.  Being the one with the best sense, Joan decided not to partake, so Terry drove her over to Inlet to await the arrival of the survivors… er, the rest of us.  Once Terry returned, we made ready to paddle.  Terry was going to single paddle his canoe (even he was wondering if this was a smart thing to do!), while the rest of us got into our ‘skirts’ and squeezed into our kayaks.  The plan was to go over as a flotilla, staying together just in case.

 

                You all have heard the statement about the “best laid plans” I’m sure.  Some people can get their ‘skirts’ adjusted so much faster than others, and so we soon got very spread out.  Terry took the lead while Jean, Dan and Marilyn paddled just behind.  Bill, John and I made sure the beach was ‘cleaned’ before we launched so were some distance to the rear (heck, we’re just slow!).  The first group took off straight across over big water, but it was decided amongst us three to skirt the shoreline in case something happened.  Although I was off the beach first, I decided to hang back to make sure everything was going OK. 

 

                Bill was in the lead, John next with a kayak he was not too happy with, and me bringing up the rear.  We had paddled about 15% of the distance when I glanced over my shoulder in the direction the waves and wind were coming.  I do that to beware of incoming danger via big waves, etc.  Seeing nothing to become alarmed about, I brought my head back around to the front just in time to see John’s kayak finish a roll… well, not finish really… only 180 degrees.  No John!  Well, let me tell you about adrenaline.  I was ready to peel out of my kayak when I saw John’s arm come up and wrap around the bow of his overturned kayak.  Off of shore 30 or 40 feet, I paddled around John’s kayak all the time asking John if he was totally out of the cockpit… you can get hung up sometimes.  “Yes” was his reply as he hung there with glasses askew due to his PFD riding up under his shoulders.  This happens when you hit the water, and that can really screw up your mobility/flexibility… something to always keep in mind.  John was hanging on to the kayak with one hand, and his paddle with the other.  I asked him if he could feel the bottom under his feet yet.  “No” was the reply, so I asked him to let go of the paddle (Bill would get it), hang onto his kayak with one arm, and grasp the front strap of my kayak with the other arm/hand.  My plan was to back paddle both of us to shore or until he could touch bottom.  We were close to shore and working with the current, so I figured this would be the quickest way to get John out of the water.   It worked, and soon John was on shore.  I beached my kayak, and we got his kayak up onto a nearby rickety dock upside down draining the water.  Right side up again, I helped John get back into his kayak, and pushed him off into the incoming waves and wind.  He decided to paddle back to Eagle Bay, which was where the waves/wind were coming from.  This was good because his bow would be facing any ‘rock and rollers’ instead of getting them on the beam.  John would then drive over to Inlet.  Bill was going to paddle back with John, and probably I should have too.  Instead, I entered my kayak and took off across the big water alone to get to the Inlet beach the quickest way so I could let everyone else know that we were OK. 

 

                It gets very lonely out on big water with the waves and wind trying to push your watercraft around.  Many time the waves crashed against the side of my kayak sending water splashing high into the air over my head.  I thought about this fact a lot as I paddled my arms off trying to get to Inlet quickly so I wouldn’t find myself in need of a rescue.  I didn’t see any powerboats except at the Inlet beach way off there, and spent some time thinking about what I would do if suddenly overturned.  My route put me at least a quarter mile from the shoreline at the farthest point, totally alone.  I have swum more than that distance before, but I was much younger, and wouldn’t be dragging a submarine along.  Realizing I had made a poor choice, I really, really concentrated on keeping my kayak upright while keeping a racing cadence going as long as I could.  I did “hit the wall”, but was just a little ways off the beach.  I figured if something happened here, someone on shore would see my predicament and get the powerboat to come to my rescue.  Fortunately I was able to paddle slower now and finally made it to the beach where the others were wondering what happened. 

 

                After filling everyone in, we all hung around the beach a bit while Joan came over, then Sue and Tom Button joined us.  They had driven up for the day.  Soon Cheryl and Jim Maloney arrived.  John showed up too, but no Bill.  Then suddenly Bill was there with his kayak… he had decided to paddle over anyway after making sure John was OK.  Bill said he hugged the shoreline, almost hitting some large rock outcroppings just under the water’s surface.  Everyone was accounted for, so we went for food.  Then we walked around looking for things to spend our money on.  I don’t know about the others, but I found a perfect waterproof shell to wear when out in inclement weather while kayaking, and Marilyn got the superlite graphite paddle she always wanted since day one of our kayaking experiences.

 

                Four o’clock came, and we decided to paddle back.  Actually, Terry paddled back a bit earlier for he and Joan had to leave for another engagement.  A note he left at the camp indicated the wind died down so his paddle was much easier and safer too.  Leaving later like we did, the rains came which made for water, water everywhere.  Boy, was I glad to have purchased that waterproof shell.  Soon all of us paddlers and the Maloney’s were back at the camp where we decided to head up to the local eatery for some fuel. Before that though, we consumed a few bits and pieces of finger food, some wine/beer, and Jim presented us with a poem about kayakers he had composed.  That is posted below.

 

                Dinner finished, stories/tales/lies all said, everyone headed out for their next port of call.  Until next time, buy yourselves a canoe or kayak and join us.

 

                Oh yes, The Lost Hat title.  When John’s kayak decided to ‘bottom’s up’, his hat came off.  I went back to look for it on the return paddle, but I’m afraid Fourth Lake had claimed another victim.  Maybe I’ll come across it when I’m paddling in that area again if the lake feels like giving it up.

                                                                                                                                Michael P. McCabe

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