Closer to home

Clyde H shot of me from Sunday's paddle

Bob Gagnon, an avid kayaker here, had an article in the Spring 2006 edition of our club's Ebb & Flow newsletter entitled "Closer to home". The gist of the article discusses the kayaker's passion and how its connected to human beings' relationship to the sea. Its an interesting read.

Recently, Bob mailed me to suggest I might be interested in reading it and what I thought. I had read it 4 years ago but at the time I didn't give the content much thought as I was still pretty new to the sport. I was more concerned with learning skills rather than the esoteric aspects of kayaking.

It was interesting to read it again after progressing a little distance down the road towards being a competent kayaker.

Bob believes our passion for kayaking and the sea is because we came from the sea. Possibly. He also suggests there's a connection because we spent the first 9 months of our lives in a "small fluid-filled world". I can buy into that.

In any case, our connection to the sea has been embedded in our DNA as has our fascination with fire. Who can't sit in front of a campfire and stare into it for hours? In the case of the sea, we want to be in it and the kayak meets that desire like no other craft.

When I first began kayaking I felt I was fighting the craft, concentrating on staying upright and dry. Now, I feel a closer connection by "wearing" my kayak and letting it move with the water. Its beginning to feel like putting one foot in front of the other without having to think about it. I'm starting to feel closer to home.