Water-logged

Been working pretty hard on basic kayaking skills since grandma's funeral.  I get like that sometimes.  Like I need to push myself beyond my limits and bleed a little, just to confirm I'm alive.

I've been on the water everyday since the funeral.  Funny I couldn't even keep course in the morning on the 16th; but by lunch time I was paddling standing up :)  

It's indecent that I should have so much fun right after my grandma's vigil, especially since I was supposed to be at the cremation that morning.  But paddling near the 8-Goddesses felt as though grandma was watching over me.

I've been working on:

1) deep-water re-entry (cockpit reentry) -- (pretty good)

2) C-to-C rolling -- pretty good (90% success)

3) sculling for supports while I float horizontally on the water surface and the kayak tilted 90 degrees (shaky ... still working on it)

4) High brace turn (180)

5) low brace turn (180)

6) X-rescue, all-in capsize (need better communication)

7) swimming in canoe (gosh, it's hard work!)

8) carrying patient(s) on bow, stern, and both (not bad)

9) towing (V, long tow, chain tow)  (so so, need to work on strength)

10) deep water emptying (no success)

11) brace for support while moving forward at high speed (easy)

12) Cross bow rudder (easy)

13) Eskimo rescue -- paddle presentation (I forgot how to place the paddle!)

IMO the dragonfly-style deep water emptying technique is bovine.  I would re-enter and bail water out in any RL situation.

Anyway, Dennis ditched ... I mean, postponed our trip this weekend, so I think I'll do a solo.  I was tempted to camp on Double Island, god knows I can use some quiet time.   But I don't have my camp gears together yet, plus, I want to see the canoe polo game on Sunday.  So I'll probably end up doing a day trip on Saturday and then just rest on Sunday.

I was hoping to start a water-marathon: i.e. spend at least a few hours on water everyday, regardless of the weather -- including T8 and thunderstorm -- for, say, a month.  This is actually a good time to start, since I've been going at it for a week already and my body is already starting to ignore the pain signal.  Unfortunately, I think Denny will kill me if I don't go to the canoe-polo game.  

BTW, the two collisions near Lamma really freaked me out.  I was riding the train when I saw the news, and right away fear exploded inside.  I know how foggy that channel gets, but I  always assumed ferries and tankers are equipped with GPS and anti-collision system, AND that they use them.  But apparently not.

I will be a LOT more careful -- I mean paranoid -- when I paddle that part of HK again.