RE: [Paddlewise] Slow Paddling Year

The last few years have been slow paddling for Linda and me, beginning in
2005 when I had my quadruple bypass operation in May. We changed our plans
that August from paddling Pukaskwa to paddling in the Apostle Islands, and
then I came down with a lengthy bout of flu at just the wrong time, so no
paddling at all in 2005. 

In 2006, we made two trips to the Apostle Islands, one on Memorial Day
weekend and one the weekend before the Fourth of July. The water was
unusually warm during the second trip, and we enjoyed rolling in the clear,
shallow waters in front of our campsite on York Island. We had so much fun
that the day after our return we spent a couple of hours playing on Lake
Calhoun in Minneapolis. But while playing with Greenland sculls, I turned
sideways in my cockpit and capsized several times onto my back. The next day
I had a stiff neck and pain shooting down my right arm, symptoms of a
herniated cervical disc. The pain was worst when sitting, so long car trips
were out of the question, and we regretfully cancelled our postponed Pukaska
trip again. The neck problem persisted till the holidays, and we did no more
kayaking that year.

In 2007 Linda had health problems, so we paddled only once or twice locally,
and then started a week-long trip in the Apostles, postponing Pukaskwa once
again. However, Linda strained an arm muscle during our first-day crossing
on calm water to Devils Island, so, with forecast strong winds and not
wanting to stress her arm any further, we returned to the mainland two days
later, cancelling the remainder of our trip.

This year Linda again had health problems that kept us off the water till
July 16, my 64th birthday. I celebrated by rolling my kayak 64 times over a
couple of hours, with Linda anxiously standing by to make sure I didn't
overdo it. It was the first time I had rolled since my neck problem, but I
survived it, and three weeks later we were back in the Apostles for a
week-long trip, during which we paddled 45 miles, stayed at five campsites
on three different islands, and had a great time. 

Other things have kept us off the water beside health problems. Weekends
tend to be for family events, grocery shopping, house cleaning, gardening,
and other chores, among them construction projects and lawn care for me. For
long trips, we have to arrange for Linda's house plants and garden to be
watered, her pond fish to be fed, the birds to be fed, our cat to be fed,
and for someone to look in on her mother, who lives with us and turns 97 in
a couple of weeks. Also, this year the Olympics and the election kept us in
front of the TV more than usual.

However, two weeks ago I retired, and Linda plans to retire in another five
months, so we will have next summer off together. Maybe, among other things,
I will have time to make more paddles. And maybe we will even get to
Pukaskwa.

Chuck Holst

 

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