Kinzel ~ "A String Lake Summer Day"

Today is the day! This is the day I will learn how to kayak! I will have fun, I just know I will. This is what I kept telling myself, but I was only trying to hide my fear!

I was sitting on the ground next to String Lake when my dad’s voice broke into my spaced out existence. “Get in!” he yelled.
“Oh...Yeah...Sure.” I hopped into my kayak and snapped my life jacket shut. We were going kayaking.
“Ready?” mom asked.
“Me? Sure,” I responded. Before I could even blink, I was floating in my kayak for the first time! I felt so good inside! I knew I could do it on my own. It felt like I won the lottery!
I started playing around with my balance. I leaned to the left. I leaned to the right. It felt weird, like I was going to fall in. It was scary, but I was good at balancing. I had not fallen in...yet.

Anika, my friend, finally got out onto the water with me. “Kinz, let’s go!” she hollered to me.
“Ok! Coming!” I yelled back.
“What I meant is, I will meet you at the lilly pads,” Anika responded.
“I will meet you there!” I shouted. I decided to stop and rest a while. Thinking about my new fun sport, I realized everything was wonderful. Clouds, as puffy as fluffy marshmallows, danced in the sky. The Tetons were bold, bright, and shining in the sun. And, my kayak with its neon orange made everything look brighter. The water pretty turquoise that calls out to me “come on in, the water is great, swim with me!”

The the first thing I realized when I looked down was that I was alone. At first I was scared. What will I do if something happens? I Watched the fish playing, sand swirling, plants dancing, and twigs swimming up and down all below me!!! I took a deep breath and continued paddling to Anika. “Left, right, left, right, left,” I said to myself.
When I got to the lilly pads, Anika showed me some tips. The first tip she gave me was how to hold the paddle in the right position. I was holding it like a canoe paddle. I was supposed to have one hand turned under and the other turned over. It felt very awkward. She gave me another tip for adjusting my foot pedals. “Grab the handles and pull up and toward you. Push it down then when you are ready to adjust them.” It worked. I brought them closer to me so it was easier to control the kayak. She is still my best coach!

After my lessons, we focused on the lilly pads. Their bottoms were slimy and gross, but they begged them to reach out and touched them. “YUCKY!” I said. then their voices blasted our ears! ”hey we are not yucky, don’t touch me!” they called to us We started laughing for no reason! Then I heard screaming, and all I said was, “Uh oh ........................” It turned out to be just my mom yelling out to us.
“KINZ! ANIKA! IT’S TIME FOR LUNCH! COME ON!”
So I paddled over, jumped out of my kayak, and grabbed my lunch. As I opened it, I sarcastically said, “Oh goodie!” I hopped up and grabbed my life jacket so I could sit on it, but, instead, into the water I fell. I’d fallen into the freezing, cold water! the water was my friend he wouldn't hurt me! until, the annoying voice interrupted my thoughts with laughter, “ha ha i got ya, swish swish swish!” i jumped up “WOW! That’s cold!” I screamed. Good thing I was wearing my swimming suit! It was the coldest way to end my first kayaking experience.











KAYAKING
Kayaking
Always wear sunscreen
“Yippee!” you scream after jumping in the water
Always bring a life jacket
Kayak with your friends
In the water, your boat floats
Next to your friends you paddle
Go, paddle faster and faster until your gone