So I get into the water and start rowing. Turns out that rowing is not that hard, but making sure you are going in a straight line is not my cup of tea. I spent most of my first few minutes being sideways. I was like I was unwillingly 'drift'ing on the water. And while I was trying to figure this out (with my buddy laughing her ass off at my inability to kayak), I managed to go and get myself stuck in some shallow water on some rocks. Not knowing how to get out of there, it took me around 5 minutes to get out of that mess, all the while holding back my partner. Finally, after going downstream sideways for a while, I finally caught up with her. But I still couldn't figure it out. All this while we had other kayaks, canoes, and even tubes overtaking us because I was so ridiculously bad at kayaking. I think I was even slower than what you would be if you are just drifting downstream.
But after a while and some tips from my partner, I start to get a hang of it. I start going in almost a crooked straight line. So I start going forward. We even managed to overtake few of the canoes and the tubes. I keep growing in confidence. I would kayak fast, and then would turn around and drift backwards waiting for my partner to catch up. Really stupid move, and I will figure it out later the hard way.
So then from somewhere, we hear a rapid coming up. I didn't even think to worry about it. I decided to lead and get into the rapid first. But for some reason I decided to enter it sideways, and within one row overturned and fell into the water. My first instinct was that everything is fine, I will just get back up on my kayak and keep rowing, since I still have my row with me, let me just hold on to the kayak. In one second I realized that the water is freaking cold, and that there is no way I can hold on to the kayak or the oar and I let go of both of them. I couldnt even handle myself as I tumbled through the rapid, unable to get a rapid footing on any of the rocks, bumping my knees and ankles against them. I did grab my shades and a shoe but was screaming and gasping like a girl all the while. So bumping and bouncing I finally make the shore, having lost my kayak, oar, water bottle, a shoe, a spare t-shirt I kept with me and my self esteem. But I was amazed to see my partner save my kayak, oar, shoe, water bottle while going through the rapid herself. It was just awesome. Then she brought my stuff up to the shore where I managed to get out of the water, all soaking wet.
Now I grabbed all my stuff and got ready to start kayaking again. I got on the kayak somehow, took five strokes, hit a fallen tree in the water and tipped over and fell in the water again. This time the kayak and the oar didnt go too far from me, but I lost my shades, shoes, and water bottle. My partner picked out the shoes and the water bottle from the water, but the shades were never to be seen. A bit frazzled now, I start kayaking again. And luckily the river calmed down completely and it was all easy going from there.
But after sometime I heard another rapid coming up and my heart started beating fast again. When I saw it, I realized it was less half of the previous one and the previous one wasnt even a rapid. So I again decide to lead, but this time make sure that I enter it straight on, all the while mumbling "please dont fall over please dont fall over please dont fall over". Luckily I survive this one and then till the end, it was all smooth rolling.
After we got out of the water, my partner said she asked if I am ever coming back to kayak, and I said "hell yeah". In fact, in retrospect, I am glad I fell and then survived, so this way I have this story I can tell people instead of me just saying "Oh I kayaked for 3 hrs". But I guess all my false notions about kayaking are gone and next time I hope I will be more attentive and hence better.
