Paddling Your Own Canoe

Paddling Your Own Canoe

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Posted 2017-02-05 by Suze Cfollow
Messing about on the river
The sun is up, the wind is rustling through the trees and the river is gently lapping against the sandy bank. I'm digging my paddle deep into the scrunchy sand and pushing myself adrift into the lazy current. In my imagination, I'm leaving the mortgage, my bills and my squabbling kids on the shore. This is my alone time.


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Peace on the water
I've never been great at meditation, my mind skips about all over the place like an errant Labrador, but when I'm on the river, I get a sense of peace deeper than any yoga session. On the water, there's just you, your kayak and your paddle. The strokes are your mantra and the water is your mindfulness. When I first learned to kayak it was very different. I was easily the noisiest most uncoordinated person on the river. I talked to myself constantly to try to induce my craft to go in a straight line, hell, even just forwards sometimes. My "left", "right", "left", "left" soundtrack, usually punctuated by short bursts of swearing could be heard from miles away. In time, the process became more automatic, just like driving a car.


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River rules
Whilst you're not likely to get stuck in too much traffic, there are still lots of people on, or in the water. Kayakers, boats, paddle boarders, rowing teams, and the occasional swimmer are all sharing the waves. The banks are spattered with cyclists, runners, wading dogs and fishermen. People are generally considerate here, you're all enjoying the same space. There might be the odd motor cruiser blissfully unaware of the river rules that sends you rolling about in its wake, but generally it's a sociable place.

On course
You can learn to kayak at several venues in Perth. Some of the 'learn to kayak' courses run consecutively over a number of weeks and class sizes are limited with several experienced instructors on board. These courses attract all ages and many different types of people, sometimes there are groups of friends or family, but there are just as many people going on their own. So, whilst it's entirely possible to borrow a mate's leaky kayak to get started on the river, or places you can hire a canoe on an hourly or daily basis, there is a lot to be said for stepping up from the wobble inducing rental and spending some time actually learning how to do it properly.


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Learning the ropes
The confidence this gives you is worth its weight in gold. It's not just the mechanics of getting in and out, or the basic manoeuvres of the different paddle strokes, or even how to rescue yourself or others if you find yourself in a sticky situation. Doing a basic course allows you to try out different types of kayaks from the wide-based sturdy craft you start with, to sleeker, swifter kayaks that challenge your centre of gravity more. You'll learn to operate rudders with your feet and figure out which side of the river you should be on, in a safe, non-judgmental, fun, environment, where people are looking out for you and no pun intended, everyone is in the same boat. Some courses also offer a discount on club membership after your course which gives you access to many different kayaks and a chance to become fully involved in an active social calendar.


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Nature calls
Even if that isn't your scene, you'll still be more confident to venture out on your own and take a leisurely, introverted paddle upstream. This is what I love most, to simply glide through glass smooth reflections of the trees above you. Moorhens wade in the shallows, darters and herons pose suspended, like statues on their favourite fishing perches and pelicans glide like majestic galleons followed by nosey bobbing ducks.


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Unexpected Treasures
The second time I went out on my own I stopped to look at some construction work for a new cycle path. As I was taking a sticky beak, I terrified myself as a grey dorsal fin surfaced and broke the water, not a metre from my kayak. My ridiculous shark attack panic evaporated into deep happiness, as I realised a small pod of curious river dolphins had come alongside to inspect the work too. I sat and watched them play for a while, crying big tears of sooky la la dolphin joy, like the snowflake I am. Thus gaining the reputation of that strange woman who talks to herself and cries. More information on courses West of the city here and East of the city here

#day_trips
#family
#family -attractions
#fun_things_to_do
#near_perth
#outdoor
%wnperth
128451 - 2023-06-13 04:56:54

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