[Paddlewise] Moon eclipse and kayak

Kayakers,



There are days in which opportunities pass in front of us, and others when
you can jump in.



This was the case last Wednesday when the Moon, the Earth, the Sun, the
Mandinga Lagoon and ourselves in kayaks coincided. I dont know who felt
more honored, if the Moon, the Sun, the Earth, the Lagoon or ourselves. I
think ourselves, but Ill use the next opportunity to ask them.



Anyway, it was 8:30 PM, when the Moon had started to loose glamour under the
Earth shadow, as it started to cover the Sun light. Alejandro (novice) and
myself in our double Tabasco, and Jose Rivera in our single Veracruz,
started the journey from my Veracruz place in La Laguna, North bound towards
Las Matosas, with the shy and hiding Moon on our right back quarter, rising
and loosing luminosity.



Medium wind from the Southeast sent waves to our back right quarter, and our
badly balanced kayak kept turning right out of course. This happened because
Alejandro, sitting in front, is slightly heavier than I am, but I wasnt a
month and a half ago, when I still ate like a member of Royalty. This is a
relevant information because the double Tabasco is designed for husband and
wife or father and son, going nicely straight with the heavier person
sitting in the back. So, I was spending more time correcting course than
moving forward, while Alejandro undertook the paddling task like a stubborn
Buffalo trying to break a fence.



Meanwhile Josi, taking it easy, paddled in straight line watching us pass to
his right and then to his left in our endless zig-zag. He was enjoying the
light-dark that was being created while the Moon was dimming, handling waves
with ease and joy, while we were going like Moses in the search of the
Promised Land.



It was funny because when I tried to lean to my right for a left turn, I
felt a tremendous opposition that anchored the boat, or shifted it to the
other side. My colleague, in his fight and lack of experience, would
immediately counteract my effort. I am used that when leaning, the partner,
sitting loose, lets go, trusting my balancing abilities, but this time
Alejandro followed his conservation instinct, since he was committed to see
himself all the time on the upper side of the air-water interface. It was
until we reached peaceful waters that I explained to him the advantages of
leaning for easy turns, and so when he cooperated, our speed improved and we
had better aim to our objective. It was then that we started leaving the
single boat behind.



So far so good, we were enjoying greatly. Jose was doing what he pleased and
liked. Alejandro was fascinated with the adventure and the outcome of his
monumental effort. I had the great challenge and liked the physical effort
that meant to keep the boat oriented to take it to good end.



Needless to say, while all this happened, the Moon, the Earth and the Sun
kept increasing their intromissions, and we enjoying their coincidental
alignment.



Arriving in Matosas (9 km) (about 5 nautl miles) I was determined to make a
better weight balance, either switching places with Alejandro or placing
some weight on the stern, to sink the derriere and to avoid the
weathercocking, and guess what,.. as soon as we stopped by the dock,
wetting on my right side there was a big  concrete brick (and only one),
with as much water as it could take. Immediately we placed it on the concave
stern deck.  So, we started our journey back with no lights, and guess
what..the kayak was completely neutral. So figuring out, I realized that
either Alejandro is heavier than his assumption or I keep loosing weight.



By this time, the Moon was almost totally covered, there was just enough
light for us to see where we were going, with no flashlights. Jose had a
little light that seemed more like a scared glowworm. Now the Moon was on
our left side and was starting to show itself again shinning the channel
previous to the big Laguna.



You can imagine what a joy this was,. The Moon being born again, the light
increasing, the waves coming from our front left quarter would hit and
splash our faces, chest and cabin, but the kayak was totally neutral, and it
was so easy to change course, and the brick proudly saying I told you,
thats why I was there.



Now the story with Jose was different. We started leaving him behind in the
channel and again in the open, and no traces of him. Half way in the big
Lagoon, we waited for 5 minutes and called but nothing happened. We kept
going, following a South course, using the growing Moon to our left, and the
tail of Scorpion in front with Antares, its brightest star, slightly to our
right. When you use a constellation for bearing it is harder to loose
course, than when you use a tree or the like, because as you get close, it
can have a different orientation with respect to the real target. Stars are
too far away to change their relative positions, only keeping in mind earth
rotation.



Finally we arrived to the town of La Laguna and I realized that there are
more lighted houses than before along the water line, and it took me a
little while to find the light of our launching place. This small detour
gave Jose enough time to approach the beach seconds before us, to make the
obliged comment about how surprised he was to arrive before, and you know,
all the teasing proper of the moment, etc. He was having a ball, even though
he knew better. Meanwhile the Moon was asking for attention again. She was
saying goodbye to the last traces of shadow, and was getting ready, shaking
like a dog to get rid of all the leftovers, for reappearance as a full round
shiny disk with splendor and glory. We brought the kayaks back to the
shelter and entered the house to prepare some Tuna with mayonnaise, jalapeqo
pepper, legumes and some crackers, to accompany some well deserved keg
Coronas, kept carefully cold and ready. Willing or not Alejandro paddled at
full force 10 nautical miles on his first time on a kayak. Not many can say
that.



Thanks Alejandro and Pepe for sharing with me a great nature show and a good
training night.



Best Regards,



Rafael

El cayucochief

Mexico

www.mayanseas.com
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