Yet Another Adventure – Kayaking on Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Posted by Jan Ross on October 16, 2012

I lifted the kayak paddle out of the water and droplets spilled down the surface of the paddle, dripping into the clear, cool water of Elkhart Lake and onto my bare arm.

That was fine.

I didn’t mind getting a little wet.

It was a beautiful, warm day with not a cloud in the azure sky. The others had paddled ahead and I was alone on the vast expanse of the lake, surrounded by dark green trees and lakeside cottages peeking out from between the lush foliage.

The only sounds were the seagulls that had flown over from the Great Lakes squawking and arguing about something or other and the quiet drip drop of water from my paddle.

I liked kayaking. No, that’s not entirely accurate.

I loved it.

I had been a little hesitant. Not nearly as afraid as I had been when I got ready to zipline but the kayak was so slim and tiny. So very, very slim and so very, very tiny.

I buckled on my life vest and stood with my bare feet planted in the sand of the beach as Doug Dier with Ecology Outfitters explained how to get in the kayak, how to paddle, not to be nervous, they were very hard to tip over. We would be fine.

Just relax.

So I did.

Getting my life jacket on.

I straddled the kayak, slid my legs in, then my butt, and snugged myself into the kayak seat. I picked up the paddle and Doug gave me a gentle push into the shallow water. I hovered there for a second in the crystal clear, spring-fed water of the lake, then gently pushed off with my paddle. I rocked a little so I dipped the paddle in the other side to steady myself. The rocking didn’t bother me. If I tipped over, so what? The day was warm, the water was clear and fresh and I was a good swimmer. If I tipped over, it would be fine.

Just fine.

I didn’t tip over.

Ready!

I began dipping the paddle in on first one side, then the other. I experimented with the peddles my feet were resting on to see if I could turn the kayak. It was easy. I turned the kayak around and watched as the others entered the water with me, some successfully, some not so much. Doug paddled up beside me and asked if I had kayaked before. When I said I had never been in a kayak in my life, he laughed easily and said I was a natural.

A natural.

How many times do you think I’ll be telling that story?

A lot.

Kayaking on beautiful Elkhart Lake.

We spent two hours on the lake, paddled over to the other side, enjoying the view, the lake, the day. I watched Doug and learned how to hold the paddle better, how to make the kayak skim over the water like some sort of exotic water bug. I could make it fly so fast, the wind lifted my hair and blew it back.

This is SO. GREAT.

We paddled leisurely back to the beach. It was a lot of paddling. My shoulders were a little sore. I thought I would pay for it the next day with extremely sore shoulders but I never noticed a thing the next day. I guess I was doing it right.

I’m a natural, after all.

Full disclosure: Our kayaking experience was provided by Ecology Outfitters, but as always, I will share my honest opinion about any travel experiences I have.

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