An intimate ocean-going journey
An Awesome Sea Kayak Adventure on the Ocean
My husband and I had a unique adventure in the San Juan Islands, off the shore of Washington State. We signed up for a sea kayaking tour, hoping to see orca whales.
We had canoed on lakes. This was to be our first experience in a two-seater kayak. Tim, our guide, taught five couples how to paddle a kayak. Then we launched into the immense expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Our party was totally exposed to the elements.
The weather greeted us with cloudy mornings and sunny afternoons. Kayaking through choppy water required intense concentration. I felt as if we were of one spirit with the ocean. Brent & I soon realized the paddling technique differed from that of a canoe. Our upper arm and shoulder muscles ached from unfamiliar usage.
We paddled through kelp beds and schools of jellyfish. A sea lion played with us for a while. It dove underneath our kayak and resurfaced on the other side. It was special to be intimate with a wild mammal that way.
We beached at Posey Island and set up camp. Our kayaks were some distance from shore to prevent the tide carrying them away during the night. A Sitka deer and two fawns occupied a space apart from us.
After a pancake breakfast we paddled to Roche Harbor, beaching on a rocky shore. Everyone strolled over slimy, encrusted rocks, skirting seaweed and tide pools. We entered a bustling tourist town. Our intent was to buy wine and beer for our dinner.
Fancy sailing yachts docked nearby, rocked with gentle waves. Several cyclists cruised the streets. We hastened to return to our kayaks. The busy aura of civilization was too much. Our group longed to return to the peace and harmony of the ocean waters.
That afternoon the current of Spiden Channel snared Brent and me in its grip. Tim yelled for us to turn our kayak toward shore, crosswise to the current. Our tired arms felt relief to be paddling unimpeded again.
We kayaked across the San Juan and President channels toward a campsite on NW Orcas Island. A couple of porpoises surfaced and dived around us, blowholes resounding. Exhausted, we finally beached. One couple stepped out of their kayak and fell into the brink at once. Tim explained that prolonged kayaking often gave one rubbery legs that won’t respond.
We rested on a rock outcrop after a spaghetti dinner and observed a sea otter swim and catch his dinner. More porpoises swam by with the current. We’ve spotted many bald eagles every day and the sunsets were always spectacular.
The next morning we paddled with the current down the length of Orcas Island, past many summer homes. We stopped at Yellow Island, a Nature Conservancy, to hike through gorgeous wildflowers. At that beach, it was my turn to fall laughing into the ocean. My legs refused to cooperate.
We ended our adventure at Friday Harbor. After racking the kayaks, we said our farewells and departed for home in our cars. Brent and I agreed that we probably wouldn’t be sea kayaking again. We preferred the arm motion of canoeing instead. But it was glorious way to experience the San Juan Islands with its natural beauty. (We didn’t see any Orca whales.)
This is written in response to a prompt about the sea by Dr Singh.
I was captivated by the articles of the two writers featured below.
Nan Hutton writes a powerful meditation on Oneness with All people and things.
I love the fall. It is a time to reflect as suggested in this article by Carmelita.
Honoring earth, wind, and fire is also a practice I follow. A poignant read.
