08/26/2007

Friend floats a plan that flows into action

By Ed Hungness
Local columnist edhungness@
yahoo.com

Read Ed's past columns here

Living in northern Michigan and being almost 63 years old, I have been in my share of boats and canoes.

In all these years, I have never plopped my backside in a kayak. As a kid, I can remember that kayaks were something that Eskimos (now properly called Inuit) used. They were constructed of wood and sealskins. I don't know when they started becoming popular. I suppose it was when someone discovered how much easier it was to make them out of fiberglass. I'm sure the seals appreciated that immensely.

The word "kayak” means "man's boat” or "hunter's boat” but they are no longer limited to just the male species. There are almost as many different styles of kayaks out there as there are tennis shoes, but that's the topic of a future column. They have been designed for white water, surf, ocean, racing, recreational … the list goes on and on.

I have a good friend named Dave who lives with his wife in a beautiful cottage along the Manistee River. I recently got a call from Dave reminding me about a previous plan we hatched to do a day trip down the Manistee River in kayaks. I had always wanted to try one but thought that a nice calm lake would be a better place to attempt my maiden voyage.

The big day arrived and Dave picked me up in his truck with our craft hanging over the tailgate. Life jacket in hand, my wallet and cell phone in Ziploc bags and a half-melted Snickers in my pocket, we took off on our adventure.

We drove south on M-66 past Taffletown and put in below the bridge in the old campground. I must admit I was a bit nervous thinking that I would dunked just getting in the thing. Dave said that "if” I made it all the way without getting wet, I should be proud. I didn't like the "if” part.

At first I felt like I was sitting on eggs, so I was hesitant to make any sudden moves. After a few minutes, I became more confident. Then the current grabbed me and before I knew it, I was proceeding downstream backward thinking that the end was near.

Soon I figured the whole thing out, relaxed and took in the beauty of the nature that surrounded us. There were few cottages and even fewer people along our eight-mile float. It was totally quiet except for the sounds of our paddles dipping in the river, the birds and our conversation.

If you've never experienced it, I encourage you to give kayaking a try. It's another great way to enjoy outdoor Michigan.

Ed Hungness and his wife owned their cottage on Fife Lake for six years before moving there after his retirement in 2005. His writing draws from life experiences, fond childhood memories and a love for the outdoors and northern Michigan. He can be reached at edhungness@yahoo.com or care of the Record-Eagle.