Kid, pool, kayak

Location: Lancing College Pool  (Arun Canoe Club)

It seems so long since last I was in a kayak.  Storms and flu viruses have worked in tandem against available free time and desire.  So a chance to get the kayaks in the pool for an hour seemed like a great idea, even though it did mean driving kayaks strapped to the roof rack in high winds and the possibility of a rain drenching while loading them up.

My eldest son, let’s call him Ell, had been desperate to come to the pool too.  It’s a late night for a six-year-old, especially on a Sunday, but a good experience none-the-less.  We had tried to take him once before, but on arrival the pool had turned out to be closed for some unspecified reason, which was all very disappointing.

This time however, it was open, so he and I rushed to get changed and get in!  It was his first time in his Dagger Blast.  I showed him how to get in, passed him his paddle and off he went, paddling out to the middle of the pool amid all the other club members, grinning ear to ear with joy and wonder at the discovery that he could do it just fine.  It is amazing to see a child’s reaction; the way they have no fear!  Perhaps they have not yet developed the imagination required to foresee themselves falling in if they lean the boat over too far, or perhaps they just don’t care!  First time adults sit stiffly in their boats while the kids flail around them at precarious angles, defying physics, gravity and all sense of justice!

After a while I called him back over to take him through the capsize drill.  He was keen to try it, but being so small, he simply fell out of the kayak as it rolled over!  No time to slap the kayak as a warning to others; just “splosh” – out!  After his first attempt he was reluctant to try it again, but I explained to him he had to learn it properly if he wanted to kayak, so were practiced some more.  Each time he became more comfortable with it until soon he started to really enjoy it, eagerly flipping the boat over and rolling out.  I suggested his buoyancy aid might be popping him out sooner than he would like, so he just took it off to try without! Very keen!

I joined him on the water in my Infrared, to keep him company, to keep him for terrorizing the first time adults and attempt to keep him away from the playboaters trashing around at the deep-end.  I practiced a few braces and rolls while there and discovered my left side roll definitely needs more work.  It is not as good as it used to be, so I need to dedicate some time to get it back, but that will have to wait for another session.

Another thing I noticed was how natural manoeuvring a kayak is becoming.  The pool can be a tricky place to navigate with so many other kayaks to bump into (Ell was doing a great job of that) but at last this seems to  be becoming semi-automatic for me.  Like riding a bike, the details of movement are dealt with by the subconscious, so you only need to think about what you want to do and your body makes it happen, maintaining balance and direction throughout.  Very cool!

Amazing how quickly an hour can pass when you are having fun, and also amazing how much a six-year-old can pick up during that time!  Definitely the best time to learn, and I’m glad he enjoyed it as much as I did.  We’ll be doing more of this!

-Mut.