Taking the Plunge

After discussing the idea of getting a double for years, we finally decided to do it when I joined John for the last 200 miles of his 800 mile-journey on the Missouri River (http://www.jarvinenj.blogspot.com/). The double would allow us to paddle farther each day, and it would open up new opportunities for more challenging ocean kayaking. It was time.

The learning curve was steep for me, as I was the one in the stern controlling the rudder. To say I had some trouble in the beginning was an understatement, but I quickly learned to use a light touch on the pedals--or else! It took four trips for the rudder control to become second nature and something I didn't have to mentally focus on all the time.

Having a double meant we could set out on some dream trips, and thus, the summer of 2014 became the summer of kayaking. Ellen

                              John buttons up big blue on Vargas Island.