There were a few trials and tribulations involved, but in the end, I got my new kayak out for its first voyage, and it was a success. As with everything, there’s a learning curve at first, but everything worked out in the end.
After inflating it in the yard just to figure it out, I was able to shove it in the back door of the van and carry it mostly on top of my bed so I didn’t have to deflate and reinflate it when I got where I was going. That’s a good trick to know about, though normally I won’t bother inflating it until I’m about to use it. My first destination was nearby Dorena Lake, which I enjoy riding my motorcycle around. From these rides, I know there’s a boat ramp about halfway down the back side, so that’s where I went. I packed everything up, carried it down to the water, and… chickened out. There was a strong wind, and the waves were a bit rough. While it would probably be nothing to an experienced kayaker, I don’t have that experience. I also didn’t want to take a chance on simply not having the upper body strength to get back to the boat ramp if I got blown away.
But I didn’t give up on getting out for a paddle, though. I was already loaded up, and Eugene is only half an hour away. I figured out where I’d rented a kayak for the first time last year, which was a calm, shallow canal built specifically for that purpose. Then I set a course for Alton Baker Park. It was an easy drive up I-5 until I picked up some stupid road rager because I’d had the audacity to pass a slow-moving truck while doing only the speed limit. At least, that’s my theory — it really made no sense at all. This guy was crazy and literally stalking me. I managed to ditch him a couple of times with some last-second unsignaled decision changes at exits, but he actually got back on the highway to taunt me some more. I ditched him permanently with a similar move in Eugene but set a course directly to the police station and waited in the parking lot a while, just to make sure he wasn’t coming back again. I thought about calling the police from the road, but I know from one similar situation years ago there’s nothing they can really do unless they see it for themselves.
Once my nerves calmed, I resumed my course to the park. It took me a few tries to figure out where I could actually launch my kayak, but I did, and then I was off and running… er, paddling. It didn’t take long to get a feel for it. This kayak has a nasty pull to the left, despite two fins that attach to the bottom that are supposed to help it track straight. You get what you pay for, and as far as kayaks go I didn’t pay a lot for this one. (I wonder if I can creatively bend the fins to the right to offset that pull…) It was still pretty easy to maneuver, and comfortable to sit in.
One part I enjoyed was that the birds paid no attention to me, rather than running or flying away like they do on land. I was just another critter on the water to them, it seemed. I didn’t try to get too close, but it was still closer than I can normally get to the wildlife, which was fun.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t go very far. Once outside the park, the canal was infested with weeds so thick I almost couldn’t get through them. When I realized I could be in trouble I turned around and returned to open water. I did a couple of laps around the more open area. It was a shorter paddle than I’d hoped for, especially after the ordeal I went through to get here, but it was still a success. I carried everything back to the van, dried off the kayak, deflated it, and packed it into the bag it came with. The only thing that doesn’t fit in there is my life jacket, which I’d already picked up at Cabela’s knowing I’d need it later. I’m glad I splurged for a mid-grade one instead of the cheapest one they had. It’s comfortable, and my arms still have their full range of motion for paddling.
It was the first of hopefully many kayak adventures in the future. I’ve named it the Delta Flyer after the super amazing shuttlecraft from Star Trek: Voyager. Being the cheapest, easiest kayak I could find, it has absolutely nothing in common with the shuttlecraft, which is funny. Maybe the one thing in common is that I picked it up far away from where I began this journey. Oregon might as well be the Delta Quadrant compared to New Hampshire or Florida.
Smokey Da Van 