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remcmber the hrst kavak I ever saw, and it rvason a black and white television set, the kind with t u b e s t h a t r e q u i r e d a m i n u t c ( ) r m ( ) r e t o w a r m u p . T h e r e r v a sa m a n s i t t i n g i n a l o n g , s l e e kb o a t t h a t
r v r a p p e da r o u n d h i s t o r s o , ( ) n t ( ) p o f a r o c k c l i f f o v c r l o o k i n g a d c c p p o o l . T h i s w a s a p e c u l i a r s i t u a t i o n . W'hv rvould hc sit in a boat on land? \f ith a whisk of his trvo-bladed paddlc, he pushed off, plummeted a dozen or so feet, crashed through thc watcr's surface and disappeared. The boat surfaced, bottom up, and I thought frrr sure the man was dead. In an instant there rvasa great commotion, water churned ever\.rvhere, and suddenll' he rvas upright and vertical, paddling down the rivcr. I was awestruck. One time I rvondcred about the name Kayak. It's an odd rvord for sure, tvo k's, two a's and one 1,. l i k e t h e v e s s e l i t d e s c r i b e s ;a w o r d t h a t u n f o l d s a n d I t ' s a s y . m m e t r i c a l1 y 1 ; 1 d - x p a l i n d r o m e - m u c h t h c n s c a m l es s h ' f o l d s b a c k u p . L i t e r a l t h i n k c r s f a v o r t h c d i r e c t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a s " m a n - s m a l l b o a t , " w h i c h m a k e s s e n s e .F i g u r a t i v e t h i n k e r s a r r i v e a t a d i f f e r e n t v i e w , t h a t b e i n g " c l o t h i n g f o r g o i n g i n t h e w a t e r . " T h e o r i g 5 i n a lk a t ' a k s r v e r e t a i l r > r e dt o a p e r s r > n ' ss i z e, m u c h l i k e c u s t o m - m a d e c l o t h i n g . T h e s e b o a t s h a d a h o m e i n t h e N o r t h c r n r e a c h e so f N o r t h A m e r i c a , m o s t l l ' f < r rh u n t i n g b u t a l s o f o r n a v i g a t ing the shallorv waterwavs. I look dorvn at mv floating bathtub, h^ppy for the stabilitr'. N{any'\'ears have passed since I rvatchcd that man on television, and I still have ne\rer paddled a boat as sleek as his. I do paddle a lot, but I far,or a more gcneric boat. Nlv hard-chinned, open cockpit ka1,2p more closelv rcsemblesa floating bathtub than a hvdrodvnamic, long-distance paddling machine. I n e c d n o s p e c i a l s k i l l s t o m a n e u \ r c ri t . I u s e n o E s k i m o r o l l s , n o a c r o b a t i c i n s e r t i o n s i n t o t h e w a t e r , a n d no technical gear. I simplv drag it dorvn the sand to the water's cdgc, toss m)'gear inside, and go. If I swamp, so be it. I just srvim awa)',no harm, no foul, and just a little wet for thc rvear. And on a hot day, n o t m u c h f e e l s b e t t c r t h a n a g o o d d u n k i n g , e x c e p t f < r rm a v b e a n i c e c r e a m . I { a 1 , a k i n g a r o u n c l C h a t h a m i s a l i t t l e s l i c e o f H e a v en . I v a r 1 ,m ) ' t r i p s t h r o u g h t h e b a c k b a y s , t i d a l f l a t s , a n d c r e c k s , p l a n n i n g m y s o r t i e s a r o u n d t i m e , d e s t i n a t i < - r na,n d a c t i v i t r ' . I l e t m ) , m o o d g o v e r n m y itinerarv. (.II,\TII,\\I I],\R\ INN 11,\(l,\ZINIJ
Time Time seems to stop when you're so close to the water's surface, but the tides do not. Glance at a tide chart to be sure you paddle with the current, and then go. First light brings beautiful colors, with blues, lavenders, and slivers of orange and yellow. If you're an eady riser, a sunrise paddle whets the appetite for an enormous breakfast on the Chatham Bars Inn veranda. It does not get much better than savoring eggs Benedict, sausage, toast and copious amounts of coffee while studying a recently paddled bay. Sun-lovers favor the blue sky, heat, and, of course, the vitamin D from the midday rays. Paddle until you sweat, then take a dip and lay out on the sand. A wake-up call comes in the form of the rising tide's water lapping at your legs. Of course, there is the romance of a sunset excursion. The sky is ablaze in orange and red, the air is cooler, and the water is less crowded. Be sure to schedule a late dinner reservation, and leave time for a cold glass of white wine or a beer.
Destinations Chatham offers so many water types that it is virtually impossible to cover them all in a month. There are ponds, rivers, bays, harbors, creeks, and flats to choose from. No matter, allow your mood to tell you where to go. If you feel spunky, put in at Oyster Pond at high tide, paddle down the Oyster River on the dropping tide, and arrive at Morris Island. Drag your boat onto the sand, perhaps dig some steamers on the flats, and take a swim. When the wind kicks up you'll know that the tide has turned, and you can return from whence you came. Ponds, rivers, and flats, all in one relaxing day that seems to pass oh-so-slowly. On a summer day, your options seem limitless. Pleasant Bay is protected by the Nauset Beach Break and makes for a nice jaunt. Nearby Cockle Cove Creek and Mill Creek are easy to maneuver. Or try Ryder Cove on the high tide. Leave some time to watch the boats sail in and out of Chatham Harbor. A popular trip is from Stage Harbor to North Monomoy
Island. If you're quiet you'll see schools of
striped bass swim under your boat.
Activities Many paddlers depart from Stage Harbor for North Monomoy to see the seals.The harbor seals are cute, but my favorites are the horsehead seals. The latter are significantly larger than their brethren, and they
GettingStarted
have z giant snout, much like their namesake. And as I pass the seals I am reminded of one of life's little ironies. Some 3,000 years ago, an
Some companies in the Chatham area offet lessons, guided tours, or, if you
Eskimo created the first kayak by attaching sealskin to a wooden frame.
prefer to go on your own, kayak and gear rentals. Here is a brief list to get you
The Eskimos favored the seal's skin because of its natural u/ater repel-
started on your adventure.
lency. cies that travel back and forth between the islands and the mainland.
CHATHAMKAYAKCOMPANY 397BarnHill Road
OSPREY SEAKAYAK ADVENTURES
Monomoy Island is a birder's paradise, with over 285 avian speCommon shore birds are gulls, among them the evil black-backed
West Chatham, MA
Pleasant Bay
gulls, the comical laughing gulls, the omnipresent common gulls, and
508-241,-5389
South Orleans, MA
the seasonal gannets. I like the gannets the best, for they fly high in
www.chatham kayakcompany. com
catch a herring. Cormorants, those prehistoric-looking
birds, stand
508-240-1211 www. ospreyseakayak.com
the sky and then plummet to the water and swim with their wings to
GOOSEHUMMOCKSHOP
post with their wings extended. They have no oil glands and if they
Route 6'\
RIDEAWAY
did not periodically dry their wings they would sink like a rock. The
Odeans, MA
37004 StateHighway Eastham,MA
Chinese used them to fish with, by tethering a rope to a tight ring,
508-255-0455
placed around their neck. When the bird tried to swallow the meal,
wwtw.goose.com
508-247-0827 www.tideawavkavak.com
the ring prohibited the feast. The bird was reeled in to shore and the owner extracted the fish from the duck's mouth. Oystercatchers, with their fast footwork and bright, orange bills, race along the water's
And what kayak adventure would be complete without commemorative pictures?
edge. There are many mote birds to watch; from peregrine falcons to
If you don't have a waterproof
a dozenvarieties of sea ducks. Don't forget your binoculars.
Not only will the housing keep your c^mera dry, but the hard lens means you
Of course, you can also toss in a fly rod to catch striped bass, a rake to dig clams, or a bucket to collect seashells, sand dollars, or sea stars. Your possibilities are seemingly endless.
0
camera, check out the Aquapac Hard Lens Case.
can shoot photos underwater. Aquapac also makes waterproof bags for clothing cell phones, and, get this, iPods. For more information,
visit www.aquapac.net
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