The young Turk

September 6th and I hadn't had a day paddle since August 2nd when we did a cut-short paddle of 12.3 kms to Great Island.  Its been a strange summer paddle wise.

I checked ships log for the past 7 years and I've averaged 600 kms up to the end of August each year except 2012 when I had a shoulder issue and only paddled 460.  So far this year its been an anemic 390.  Its been a combination of things.  I hope to set it right this fall.

One bright spot is Shane.  As a newer, but accomplished paddler, Shane brings fresh energy and pumps me up when I'm less enthused.

I haven't been as regular at Wednesday evening kayak sessions this year but since early August its the only paddling I've done.

Shane and I paddled ahead of the other six staying close to the rocks trying to take in as much of the wave action as we could.  At one point we looked back and the group was well back having stopped to do some rescue practice.

I looked over at Shane and he was getting out of his boat.  He jumped out, clipped onto the bow of his kayak and started to swim towards the rocks, kayak in tow.

Once he got there he climbed out and pulled the kayak up onto the rocks beside himself.  Assessing that exercise worked out fine he got back in the water, I dumped the water out of the kayak (as pumping is so much fun) and we paddled back to the rest of the group.

Back in the cove at St. Philips, Shane does a bit of instruction leading Craig through an assisted rescue and the right way to dump water out of a kayak.

As the sun went down the small waves died and another Wednesday was in the books.

There are a few regulars and a handful of us pushing the envelope.  Sometimes someone new comes along with the same outlook as Brian, Dean and myself and brings fresh, youthful enthusiasm that I, for one, have fed off of.  Sometimes I need that.  So, thanks Shane, you young Turk.