Dancing With the Dolphins

I love kayaking, love it, love it, love it. It’s a fabulous way to be IN nature in a relaxed and meditative way. However, I no longer have an easy way to transport my kayak so I’ve had to be imaginative and (from the above photo) improvise.

My plan was to go kayaking on Saturday. I wanted to travel on the interstate to test out my strap down system for its maiden voyage on top of my little PT Cruiser. I’d been trying out various methods and decided that the day had arrived. During my practice sessions, people had driven down my street and stopped to ask if I needed help. I must have been quite the sight pushing that 16ft boat weighing nearly 100 lbs on top of my little car. But I decided the day had arrived to give it a go.

I drove for 2 hours, stopped a couple times to check my tie down system. I was heading to the intercoastal waterway near Cape Canaveral, usually relatively calm with mild currents on quiet days like Saturday. I found a spot off the highway to park my car and launch my yak. I was some concerned about one of the straps because I had had trouble during my practice sessions getting it to release properly. On my way out the door I had grabbed a pair of scissors and stopped at Ace Hardware to purchase another strap in the event that an emergency amputation was required.

After pulling, straining, jerking and lots and lots of cussing interrupted by moments of deep breathing along with trying to get spiritually connected to that stupid strap, I finally decided that it needed to DIE and I was more than happy to be the handler of the weapon…otherwise I would not be paddling that day and THAT was not an option! I severed the strap with one snip and launched my boat and off I floated.

The water was glassy smooth and lovely. Bright blue skies and fluffy clouds promised good weather and I was in heaven. Within a few minutes I noticed some splashing about 100 feet ahead. I paddled closer, curious. As I approached I wondered to myself, “Could it be dolphins?” Yes! Yes! Yes! A small pod of three dolphins, feeding, cavorting with obvious joy, thrashing and splashing about playfully. I got close enough to hear them blow air out of their blow holes. They let me very close…within 4-6 feet, seemingly oblivious to my presence. I hung out with them for an hour or more, just watching as they played and danced with each other, my spirit joining in with them, watching as they flipped over on their backs, exposing their baby pink bellies, smiling that adorable dolphin smile. What a privilege! What an honor! It was SOOOOOOOOO worth the struggle with my kayak and the stupid straps and the sunburn I now carry on my back.