Mr. Stinky's School of Kayaking

[teledave]

After much thought about getting into the sport I bought a kayak last weekend. I just happened to run into a smokin' deal on a used boat up at the Nanthahala, I got Mr. Stinky to check it out for me and he concurred that it was great buy and a great boat. So last Saturday I road tripped up to Nanny again made this baby mine. What follows is a bit of a journal of my experiences too date.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/2005_0820_133223AA.jpg

Mr. Stinky put about sixers worth of hard work into it, and got it all tweaked out just right for me on Sunday afternoon. After a bit of begging, borrowing, and stealing we managed to get me completely outfitted (Thanks, KC) so there was only one thing left to do.

On Monday night we headed out from work and hit the river for Lesson #1 in Mr. Stinky's School of Kayaking. Pretty much this consisted of how to get in the boat, how to get out of the boat (VERY important), how to hold the paddle, and how to take a whiz without hitting your skirt (almost as important as how to get of the boat).

Evidently, I showed sufficient competency in all of those areas to progress to Lesson #2. So last night we took off to the river again for my second session in a kayak (ever), and just for kicks we brought along the disposable camera so now I have some pictures for your amusement.

The spot we went to this time had much bigger water than on Monday night.
I eased out into it to try a little surfing.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Dave01.jpg

And lookie there, I still remeber how to use the ejection seat in that thing. I managed to practice that particular move three times last night.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Dave02.jpg

Heading back upstream to the surf spot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Dave03.jpg

I could be getting the hang of this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Dave04.jpg

Oops, I got kicked out a bit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Dave05.jpg

Doing allright here.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Dave06.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/89326-R1-16-25A.jpg

After seeing this I'm amazed I was able to stay upright.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Lesson2.jpg

Enough of the student, here's the teacher. Sorry these aren't as close-up, I haven't mastered the zen of photography and kayaking so I had to shoot from the bank.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Kendall04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Kendall05.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/Kendall07.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/KendallCrop.jpg

So that's pretty much my experience at kayaking to date. Saturday we're heading up to the Nantahala for Lesson #3.

[bad_roo]

Saturday we're heading up to the Nantahala for Lesson #3.
The same lesson as #2 except Mr Stinky's drunk and therefore trickier to understand?

[teledave]

The same lesson as #2 except Mr Stinky's drunk and therefore trickier to understand?

Yes but I've spent many years in a highly selective linguistics program so that I am able to decipher drunken Mr. Stinky talk. The Pentagon is thinking about using it as code for our next police action, so I can understand the average person's lack of comprehension of it.

[SkiingBear]

The same lesson as #2 except Mr Stinky's drunk and therefore trickier to understand?
Wait, you mean Mr Stinky wasn't drunk for lesson #2? I didn't realize that Mr Stinky was ever sober...or is this a matter of degree thing?

[Mr Stinky]

Roo,that's understandable although I didn't get the name Mr Stinky by only indulging in alcohol.Skiing Bear, the degree of drunkeness is not always an issue when it doesn't have to be. :the_finge Ha Mr Stinky

[teledave]

A drunken Mr. Stinky can easily teach me at the level I am at. In his defense, he was the best boater I saw on the river on Saturday. Not sure if that is a testimony to his ability or just the ineptness of the others though.

From Saturday, Mr. Stinky

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/903317-R1-09-14A.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/903317-R1-05-10A.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/903317-R1-06-11A.jpg

Myself

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/903317-R1-04-9A.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/903317-R1-17-22A.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/teledave/903317-R1-11-16A.jpg

[seldon]

<--- uber jealous after spending about 2 weeks kayaking this summer and now suddenly out of a place to kayak on a regular basis...

[Beaver]

The problem with these little boats is they don't give you big booming enders. The type that throw you out of the river.

Nice pics. I wish I could still paddle.