Just back from 10 days at the lake...our usual summer stomping grounds, we figured we've been visiting Canadarago Lake in Richfield Springs for the past 25 years, less one or two when we waited too long to reserve the camp.This year we booked far in advance and added two days to our usual trip...those few days make all of the difference. Gives you 'extra' time to chill. One week's vacation is just not enough...two or three more days makes it better...of course, a month or two would be really, really nice!
In the past, we've spent days swimming, visiting with family (I'm from that area), travelling around that area to Cooperstown and sites thereabouts, and entertaining our boys. As they've gotten older they have deferred from vacationing with us, at times. During their later teen years they certainly didn't want to be seen with their parents and these days they have jobs that prohibit them from taking the same time or the same amount of time off that we have.
At the camp, we continue to swim and lounge about, and we get to sit on the party boat owned by the camp owners who rent to us, but we don't have the use of that power boat or other motorized water vehicles. We've used the canoes or rowboats to entertain ourselves afloat, as we enjoy 'discovering' other parts of the lake, and we've spent time and put in a lot of effort hiking them in and out of the water.
Last year, I bought two kayaks...the wife had commented on them several times and I surprised her with them, much to her pleasure. As it turns out, it's very pleasurable for me, too.
Kayakers around the world, forgive me, but I'm about to share a kayak secret. One that men around the world have talked about and, when they discover it, kick themselves in the seat for, as they realize they should have bought kayaks years ago.
Along with being lighter and easier to deal with in and out of the water, and there's little maintenance, there's a personal aspect that's very appealing.
You see, when you're in a canoe or rowboat with the wife and family, you are the hired help who can do nothing right. You are either paddling against others, not paddling fast enough or going too fast, you aren't holding the oar correctly, you're not relaxing or taking in the sights as you should, you're sitting too high or too low, you're going the wrong way, or you're hearing about all the things we did do, didn't do, should have done, or will do next time we go on vacation. And, of course, once you're fifty feet away from shore, someone has to go back...too boring, have to go to the bathroom, didn't want to go in the first place!
In a kayak, it's your own little world. As you drift away from your partner's kayak, completely out of your control, of course, as the tide is too strong or the wind is blowing you apart, you soon find out that you can't hear her. Before you know it she's too far ahead of you or you're too far ahead of her, and you're looking at things you want to look at, paddling at your preferred speed, and no one is telling you that you should be doing anything different at all.
You can't take anyone with you. Gee, I'd love to take someone for a ride, but I can't. They have to go out on their own. Gee, I'd love to talk about the sights and wonders as we paddle along, but you're just too far away for me to hear. Must be the sound waves bouncing off the water, but I can't seem to make out anything that's being said!!!
I never thought I would enjoy paddling around the lake as much. And while I miss the camaraderie and conviviality of shared boating, turns out there's plenty of time to tell me what I'm doing wrong back at the camp!
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