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KAYAKING

First-timer takes the plunge at MacArthur State Park

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life/northpalmlife@gmail.com


Photos by Pam Barker/NBPL

There's a first time for everything, and today was my first time to kayak. No reason to worry, right? According to Wikipedia, people have been using kayaks for 4,000 years, so it's not exactly unproven technology.

Fortunately, I had good teachers -- North Palm residents Marge and Dave Ihrig -- who guided me through the whole process at ​John D. MacArthur Beach State Park, an amazing natural resource located on 438 acres in the area of Singer Island.  Since there were three of us, we rented one double kayak, and one single. Dave and I took the double. My wife Pam was there to document the historic occasion.

Life jackets on (check); onboard items secured (check); kayak in launch position (check); wife asking if life jacket is really on good (double check) -- and we're off! 

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh -- your arms and the paddle work in perfect unison. In theory, at least. It would take a little more practice for me to attain that skill.  We were moving all right, thanks mostly to Dave. But one thing I did master: How to splash water on my clothes.

Regardless, it was a picture perfect morning. Early sun shining brilliantly across the water, a light breeze, the quiet only disturbed by an occasional fish or bird (not counting my grunting, of course).  And despite my IR (irregular paddling), we managed to go a respectable distance. Meanwhile, Marge returned to base, where I am sure she reported what a "natural" I was to Pam.

Soon it was time for us to get back as well. Safely back on shore, I congratulated Dave on his helmsmanship and eagerly awaited the "Kayak Medal" that I certain Pam would reward me with. Wrong. She decided watching a movie on turtles at the marine center was more interesting than watching me try to paddle a kayak. 

I can't really blame her.

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  • Home
    • Weather >
      • Hurricane Readiness
  • Cruise News
    • Cruise Reviews and Stories
    • Cruise Compete
  • Gigi in the 561
    • Gigi in the 561 Interviews
    • Cora
    • My Father's Tales >
      • My Father's Tales - Photo Album
  • Blogs
    • Gerry Pronounced Gary
    • Rock and Roll Rewind
    • Susan Goldfein -- Blog >
      • Susan Goldfein
  • Video
  • Travel
    • Snaps >
      • Snaps - Page 2
    • Island Destinations
    • October Odyssey >
      • Cartagena, Columbia
      • Panama Canal
      • Antigua, Guatemala
      • Cabo San Lucas
      • Birds and Bees Speakeasy in Los Angeles
      • We Love LA
      • Coast Starlight
      • Napa Wine Tour
      • California Zephyr
      • California Zephyr Part Two
      • Chicago
      • Amtrak Capitol Limited
      • Washington DC
    • Pam - Traveling in Style
    • Road Trip! >
      • Road Trip! -- Tucumcari, New Mexico
      • Road Trip! -- The Painted Desert
      • Road Trip! - Sedona, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - Sedona Wineries
      • Road Trip! Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
      • Road Trip! - Mogollon Rim
      • Road Trip! - Verde Canyon Railroad
      • Road Trip! - Jerome, Arizona
      • Road Trip! - California
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Celebrity Tour
      • Road Trip! - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
      • Road Trip! - Festival in Palm Springs
      • Road Trip! - Willcox, Arizona and Apple Annie's Orchard
      • Road Trip! Willcox Wineries
      • Road Trip! Chiricahua National Monument
      • Road Trip! Tombstone, Arizona
      • Tombstone, Part Two
      • Road Trip! - Epilogue
    • Traveling With Joe >
      • Beartooth Highway
      • North Cascades National Park
      • A Visit to the Philippines
      • Grand Canyon National Park
      • Glacier National Park
      • Yellowstone National Park
      • Hiking in Bear Country
      • Crater Lake National Park
      • Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
      • The Kerrville Folk Festival
      • Building Hope in the Rio Grande Valley
    • Unknown Yellowstone >
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Heart Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Summit Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Shoshone Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Grizzly Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Riddle Lake
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Pelican Cone
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Mt. Washburn
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Specimen Ridge
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Avalanche Peak
      • Unknown Yellowstone - Divide Creek
  • Contact
    • Pamela Barker - Author
    • The Story of StarText
  • Search