Crashing Down the Humber River

It's Sunday morning, I wake up with an angry rotator cuff. Not good. I do the stretches my chiropractor has given me. They don't help. Luckily, I still have full range of motion and It's a beautiful day. I have an appointment for a kayaking trip on the Humber River to look at the fall colours. This is only the second time I have been in a kayak and I am looking forward to a day on the water.

After a good lunch I arrive at Kingsmill Park. As I am waiting for the other 13 people in my group to show up, a young man walks up to me and introduces himself.

"Hi, I'm Jordan, I'll be your guide"

Jordan is about 5'11, medium build. He is tanned. Although it's the end of October, it's a fairly warm day. He is bare chested under his life jacket. He has black pants and black Blundstone boots. Both are covered in mud. He has close cropped curly black hair. I can see myself in the reflection of the aviator sunglasses he never takes off. He tells me all about the river, it's currents and it's local wildlife inhabitants.

As he speaks, I am thinking about how Jordan is like a sort of male version of a water nymph. I'm under his spell and floating in time until he says to me,

"You have your own life jacket. You must have paddled a bit.

My dream bubble bursts with a loud pop. I do what any good spokesperson does when they are on their back foot. I try and look confident and provide a general sort of non-answer.

Truth is, I bought the life jacket that morning at Canadian Tire because it was on sale for $22 and I thought it might be a good investment in my aquatic future.

When it's time to take our kayaks down to the river, Jordan helps me with mine. I get launched.

We head downstream. Because it has been such a dry summer the water level is low and the current is quite strong in places, we are quickly pulled forward. I start to paddle. I quickly find it's not like paddling on Moonstone lake. The current pulls me to the side. I can't track straight.

As we get further downstream and I get a bit of a rhythm going. Jordan paddles beside me and gives me some tips. "It shouldn't be about your chest and shoulders," he says, "it's in your biceps. Also, try and control the boat with your hips" He does a demonstration for me.

As we turn back upstream, I give myself a bit of a talking to and start to really concentrate on my stroke. I don't even bother looking at the leaves. I am vaguely aware of their beauty, but I have other issues. This is tour of novices, and even though I am starting to get it, other people are really not. Over the next hour, I am cut off constantly by other kayakers, hit three times by the same family of first time canoers and side-swiped by other canoes in our group who can't manage the current.

As we get up to the final bend in the river the current is so strong that people are being cast back down sideways. It's a log jamb of kayaks all bumping up against the bank and into each other. Some people make it through. I simply don't have the strength. I am too tired. I am forced to portage over a gravel spit. Jordan gets out of his boat and helps me.

When it's finally over I pull myself out of the kayak and drag it up over the embankment. I am covered in mud and I ache all over. My rotator cuff is on fire.

As I am getting on my dry shoes I see Jordan. He says to me "You paddled well." I cast my mind back to the moment I rammed into the dock at the Toronto Yacht club and I laugh a little on the inside.

It's been a frustrating day, but I have learnt a lot. As I walk towards the subway I am already planning the future. I can't wait to find a place where I can get a little more coaching and get back on the water in the spring of next year.

Never quit,

Mary

Coming up: Toronto Women's 5km Run and some Caribbean Adventures.