So I have not been in the water for several days because I have been jogging during lunchtime at work, which leaves no energy left to swim after work. Saturday I took the kayak out to the boat basin/harbor on base and paddled out to the big buoy off the beach about 3/4 mile.
I had a little adventure. I don't know how to kayak and I don't think that I'm going to be getting into kayaking. I didn't feel like I could get into a rhythm at all. My kayak has a 400 pound capacity; I'm 245 currently and the kayak felt wobbly and unstable. I was ok in the protected water of the harbor and channel but as I got into the breakwater and then the ocean, I felt more and more uncomfortable.
The waves were 1-3 feet in the ocean and I had to be careful to face into the waves. There were several big sea lions lounging on the big buoy and a couple jumping on and off swimming around. They appeared to be taking turns resting on the buoy and nudging each other off. They were barking a lot loudly and it gave me the creeps. I had wanted to get closer but was too scared to because I thought that I'd flip the kayak.
On the way back in I got tired, my neck hurt, and I probably looked like an idiot. The harbor police boat slowly shadowed me in (they kept about 200 yards away) for safety, I suppose. Anyway, I got into the channel and then flipped the kayak and into the water I went. Very embarrassing with the harbor boat watching me. Thankfully they just watched. I flipped over four times trying to get back into the kayak and on my way. I was wearing a life jacket and could easily have swum in, but it frightened me nonetheless.
I had a flashback to when I was a little kid and almost drowned in a sunfish sailboat in rough water.
I'm comfortable swimming IN the water but not in a boat ON the water.
Here are some pictures of the kayak and the Pendleton harbor.
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