August 4, 2002

Summer Vacation

How many kids get a three week all expense paid vacation to Japan for their 12th birthday?

The day before, Katie and I spent the better part of an hour putting the K1 together. It was nice having someone to do all the bending over ;)

We arrived at the base beach on Lake Ogawara about 10:00 am. After carrying both boats to the edge of the water we headed north, into about an 8-10 mph wind.

We had planned to cross over to the fishing village across the lake, but the wind was such we would be taking waves in the side both ways, and I didn't think Katie would enjoy the crossing. So we headed north along shore, passing the base beach and then the Japanese beach. A half dozen jet skis buzzed about, sometimes coming close enough to show off and then scamper away.

At the Japanese beach, 2 giant swan shaped paddle boats were out, along with one shaped like a helicopter. Katie started out with the rudder down on the K1, but she is so short she had difficulty working the pedals. She raised the rudder and easily paddled into the wind till we were about a mile and a half north of the base beach.

When we turned around Katie got a few sodas out of my rear hatch and we drank them as we drifted along being pushed back south.

When we finished our sodas we rafted up and clipped the kayaks together with my contact tow. I stowed Katie's paddle and split mine in half. Each of us canoe paddled our raft with me paddling on the left, and her paddling on the right. (Note to self - this seems like a better option than towing if out with a group and caught without a spare, or someone having directional problems) After a short distance I took a paddle jacket out and put the paddle halves through the sleeves. Katie lowered the rudder and we sailed all the way back to the launch with her steering and me holding up `the masts'.

After landing we loaded up the boats onto the car and Katie went back to play in the water a while.

Later that night Katie said "Dad, thanks for taking me kayaking today."

She won't know till one day when she has kids of her own, that it was me giving thanks.

Woody