🛶
I began canoeing back in 2016 when my husband was gifted a canoe by his landlord. I had never done much canoeing, but immediately took to it. Being on the river felt like entering a magical space. Although we were near humanity, it still felt separate, immersed in the gentle flow of the river and energy surrounding it. We witness Great Blue Herons, Cranes, turtles, muskrats, beavers. We’ve halted paddling to watch deer graze. We work our way over rocks when the water is low, lift our paddles to let the current carry us. We’ve rescued a stray dog, cleaned up debris. We’ve canoed in lakes, entering secret places covered in water lilies. We’ve canoed in the Long Island Sound, the coast becoming tiny as we explored around the islands. Being on the water is such a special way to experience these spaces I often am in. It is a way to experience the magic of nature that is respectful and at one with it. In 2020, being able to still go out on the river was one of the few fine threads that kept me tethered to the goodness of the world. I now pay closer attention to the bodies of water I cross over or drive next to, thinking about whether or not we’d be able to get access to explore. We make a point to go out on the water with our family, many of them using kayaks. I’m grateful to have found another way to experience our natural world, and it’s one I hope to share with many more friends.
5d ago
