A writer friend recently took a class on kayaking. For her
first on-the-water session, practicing strokes and techniques in a bay
surrounded by harbor and wharfs, she chose a sit-on-top kayak, very stable but
sluggish at achieving speed. For her second outing, she chose a cockpit-style
kayak, fast but oh-so-sensitive to that nasty rocking motion that can lead to .
. . you know what. Here are six lessons she learned after her capsizing:
1. Careful what you wish for
When paddling the bay in the cockpit kayak, my friend ostensibly
did not wish to capsize, but a
secret, buried nook in her writerly brain said, “Yes! Let’s experience the
whole shebang! What great grist for the writing mill!” (Or something like
that.) Well, she got what she wished for, and although a character in one of
her future books may experience the whole shebang, she promises to ignore that
pesky daredevil voice next time.
2. Things can always be worse
She could have
panicked, flailed about, taken the (marvelously skilled) instructors down with
her. She could have drowned. She did not panic, flail or drown, and now she
knows how she will (hopefully) always react. She followed instructions—held
onto her paddle and the kayak—while the rescuers talked her through the correct
method of re-seating herself. Good job, swimmer!
3. Being wet is . . . wet
Sure, many of us go swimming, maybe
snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving. However, getting your hat wet, your shirt
soaked, your glasses sluiced with salt water is not so fun. Swallowing a gulp of
icky water, also not fun. My friend should have held her breath, but since she
wasn’t really anticipating a dunking, she wasn’t quite prepared. Something to
remember next time . . . And after the wet comes the chill and the shivers. She
soldiered on and kept paddling—toward the dock and into dry clothes.
4. Face your fears
How many of us challenge ourselves and try to face our fears in an
adverse situation? Capsizing is usually the fear of most newbie kayakers. My
friend can now say, “Been there, done that.” You can survive, you can recover,
and you can capsize again—even deliberately, for training purposes (brrr). But
now you’ll know your response, how you’ll cope and carry on. Priceless
knowledge.
5. Life is short, so get out there and experience it
Well, maybe
not this way. But kayaking is a bucket-list item for many people, and a popular
sport in my area of the world. Feel the wind tickling your face, the choppy
swells smacking the bow, the water streaming through your fingers. Watch the
shorebirds call and scatter, soaring a foot above the waves between kayaks.
Hear the seals and the loons voicing their opinions. Smell the briny tang of
ocean. And yeah, taste the water while you’re capsizing. The full monty.
6. Publish that book while you can
This last lesson to be learned applies to you indie
writers out there. While you’re underwater, gazing up in dumb bewilderment at
the hull of your kayak, realize that if you don’t make it out of the water, you
won’t be able to accomplish two things: you won’t be able to finish writing
your latest masterpiece, and you won’t be able to publish it on Amazon or anywhere
else. Your loyal fans have waited a long time for your latest tale, and you simply
can’t disappoint them. So get back in your kayak.
Well, this has been a
roundabout way to confess that, of course, it was I who did the capsizing. Lots
of people do it, no biggie, right? And a further confession: while I was
grabbing my paddle and lunging after my kayak, my feet suddenly felt sand
beneath me and I stood up . . . in four feet of water. I was so close to an
island that I was thrashing about on its submerged shore. I whined my annoyance
to the dozen people paddling desperately toward me: if I was going to capsize
and participate in a teaching moment with the class, why couldn’t it have been
in really deep water? Darn it! (Although I’m sure I would have reacted with the
same fearless calm even if in really deep water. Heh.)
And since I’ve just
survived death by shallow drowning*, be assured that I’ll shortly be publishing
the latest installment in the Animal Guild Series: Book 9, Sev’s Vision—where
it all comes together. A cast of thousands, armies on the move, magic and
miracles, you know how I rock and roll.
Climb back in your kayaks, dear
swimmers, and stay afloat.
*While this post is light-hearted, any risk of
capsizing should obviously be taken seriously, so proper preparation and
training are a must. Take a class, wear your personal flotation device, and
listen to your instructors. They know what they’re doing, and they totally
rock.
