Cypress Bend

I got out Sunday and did some kayaking. After watching the Brent Reitz Forward Stroke Clinic DVD that Peggy sent to me, I couldn't wait to try out the techniques. I wanted to try some of the self rescue techniques too, but the water was really dirty. I got a lot of clay on my boat, shoes, and paddle just getting in the water. So that will wait until Gillham Lake June 2nd.

My older brother Don and his wife Susie joined me at Cypress Bend. It was a pretty day, but there were a lot of big boats on the lake so we had a lot of waves. It was pretty tough to paddle with all of the wave action. No way to go in a straight line. I practiced the power paddling that the video showed. It certainly does work and gets you somewhere pretty fast. But without a rudder, there was no way I could guide the yak where I wanted it to go without a lot of one sided paddling...too much wind and wave. Susie and Don's canoe kept going out towards the middle of the lake because of the winds and waves. And there were way to many boats flying by to be out very far from shore.

We paddled for about 45 minutes down to the boat dock at the end of the park. I got out and let Susie try to kayak. She really liked it. So, maybe they will be getting kayaks for their 36th wedding anniversary coming up soon!

It was so crowded on the lake that there weren't very many birds around. I caught one snowy egret, but it was really too far away to get a good picture. And I saw one blue heron fly over, but Don had my camera taking a picture of me, so I did not get a picture of it.

Well, before I left, I just had to take a picture of something pretty, so I took a picture of a pretty flower I saw. So I'll leave it at that, and hope to paddle at Bickham Dickson next Saturday. I know it has a lot of wildlife...including lots of alligators. Well...

Happy kayaking!

Cathy