Teaching a Friend

For the last few weeks I’ve been teaching and encouraging a friend to sea kayak. We’re both preparing for the Race Around the Bay, a 4 mile paddle/33-mile cycle/8-mile run around Little Traverse Bay, sponsored and organized by Northern Michigan Sports Medicine in Petoskey, MI (more on this event soon). As someone who loves paddling, and aspires to be an instructor someday, the opportunity has been rewarding. The fact that I get to help a friend learn is an added bonus.

After quite a few stints in my Greenlander on flatwater, and not being a stranger to kayaking or being on the water, I suspected she was ready for some more lively conditions, so last week we made a 4 mile crossing from Petoskey to Harbor Springs and back. A west wind with considerable fetch brought 3’ and occasional 4’ swells to the bay, and Harbor Point funneled winds to make the final mile or so even more interesting.

It took me the entire first half of the round trip to begin to let go of my concern for her. But on the return paddle, I quietly smiled inside at her revelry of being out in these conditions, enjoying them and appearing to be completely at home. I heard a few whoops of joy and watched some instinctual bracing, all which caused my smile to spread to the outside. We made the 7 mile round trip in under 90 minutes.

Conditions often define the level to which people want to pursue kayak touring. For me, although I love paddling of any kind, getting into lively and challenging conditions is what I most enjoy about the sport. Watching a friend get the same enjoyment as you do from an activity you love is like sharing a great secret.