2009.07.05
Open Photo Gallery
Coming up - fireworks! But first: EB's and his new baby, henceforth known as "EBB2":
So Amber and I decided to kayak the Charles for fireworks - we were joined by much more experienced kayakers rhysara and c1, who had their own equipment (AND HOW - Rhysara managed to get all her luggage on her monstrous beast of a craft:)
Last year I noted "Hmm. 34 years old and I'll still veer off my path to steer towards a pigeon for a bit..." -- apparently you can add a year to 34, and change the pigeon to "swimming geese"...
I worry that not enough of the composition class has stuck with me, or else I would have seen this lovely arch of a bridge as a framing device rather than just notice by accident after: (And maybe hold the camera straight for once)
Getting near the fireworks site we found this lovely beast of a pontoon highrise homebrew craft. Braver souls than I!
Twilight came...
Rhysara asked that I make a LJ-icon-able photo including the bow of a kayak and the fireworks... a challenge, since the fireworks were usually high up. This is the best I could do, though I think the square cropping should still be interesting:
- If you're wavering about the hoody (being too warm at first, but useful if an evening chill sets in) wear it now, unless the day is truly sweltering.
- It's a bit over 4 1/2 miles each way. So get paddlin'!
- You do need food, but not that much food...
- The strategy of not drinking too much so as to avoid emergency port-a-lot trips to shore is a good one.
- Yes the anchor is super handy. Ideally with about 100 feet of line but a bit less will do.
- Anchors should ALWAYS be tied to the bow, not the stern, and if you're clever, look how the big boats are pulling from their anchor to figure out which way you'll be facing. HOWEVER - if you are facing directly into the fireworks, you are at risk for having a lot of smoke and ash blown in your face.
http://kirk.is/photos/misc/2009july4/ - full set of photos from the 4th Kayaking!
I always live by the motto don't do anything you'll have to explain to the paramedics.
http://c1.livejournal.com/216148.html - C1's coverage of the event