As
of the summer of 1999, I had what you might call 'no
paddling experience'. Sure, I'd been in a canoe a
few times…probably five or six times to be exact.
But each of those times was confined to a few hundred
yards of lake front paddling. All-in-all, I'd probably
logged about 3 cumulative miles in a canoe.
While
doing some random web surfing one evening in 1999,
I ran across the Texas Water Safari Web site and knew
that this was something I wanted to do.
But
I had several obstacles to overcome. First, the previously
mentioned inexperience problem. Second, I didn't own
a boat, or know anybody who did. Third, I didn't know
anybody who would be likely to paddle with me or be
my team captain.
I
solved the third problem first. I got married. Instant
Team Captain.
Next
I purchased a boat. I really wish I had researched
this a little more first, as the boat I bought was
the LAST boat anybody in their sane mind would even
begin to think about using in the Safari. But at last
I had my boat, a 12' long x 28" wide, bright
red Dagger Delta kayak. Short and wide, which I now
know equals stable and SLOW. And at a dry weight of
58 lbs, heavy.
So
over the next two years I started paddling. A lot.
I would load my kayak on top of my Jeep and take it
to work with me everyday. When I got off work, I'd
head over to Town Lake and paddle for an hour or two.
Weekends, I would head over to San Marcos and start
learning the nuances of paddling on the river, avoiding
strainers and sweepers, and the joys of portaging
a too-heavy boat.
The
good thing about my short and slow little boat is
that it's indestructible. Plus, I figured that training
in this boat would make it all that much easier if
I ever got into a real boat.
I
entered my first boat race in May of 2002, the Texas
Water Marathon. The night before this 40-mile
race from Cuero to Victoria, I rented a boat from
Texas Water Safari-legend John Bugge. John set me
up in a 17' fiberglass Sawyer canoe. I would also
attempt my first Safari in this boat.
