Eat, Drugs, Kayak

My guy and I finally got our butts wet in a Kayak today!

Before we put a toe in the Pacific Ocean, I insisted on a big breakfast and a handful of drugs. Okay, so maybe not a handful, but I did take my antibiotic for my, ahem, running injury (which by the way, I am feeling much better, but my injury is still swollen and red...and if you don't know what I am talking about read yesterday's blog), and one LESS DROWSY FORMULA Dramamine.

The Hike, Bike, Kayak people fitted us for life vests and helmets and walked us to the beach. Robert and I were riding in a tandem and the other people in our trip - 3 women - were all in singles. Our guide, Jonathan, had the cutest, pink, single Kayak.

Jonathan handed each of us a paddle and gave a brief lesson on how to turn left, right, straight and stop. In tandems, the smart one sits in the front and is in charge and the brawny one sits in the back and follows directions.

Guess where I sat?

Robert in back and me in front!

We sat in the Kayak and Jonathan gave us a push and told us to keep our nose to the west right into the surf. Well the brawny one behind me somehow managed to let our kayak turn sideways and the next thing I know our little orange ocean kayak is broadsided by a huge wave. Okay, so it was only about a foot tall, but it was enough water to soak me.

Our first stop was the La Jolla Sea Caves.

The bluffs are covered with Cormorant birds and a lot of bird poop. If you look closely in the bottom picture there are 5 sea lions sun bathing. The pictures are not the sharpest. I splurged on a digital waterproof camera and tried to learn how to use it while out kayaking WITHOUT my glasses. Next time I will have the settings right.

We went around the above bluff and Jonathan said he was going to take us one-by-one into a cave. He led the first woman in and we heard a lot of commotion and some faint yelling.

What the heck?

We waited for several minutes and the woman came out in Jonathan's cute pink kayak.

She was soaking wet, had lost her sandals and sunglasses when her kayak toppled over.

Jonathan took a long time to come out of the cave and he came out a different entrance.

Poor Jonathan. His legs and feet were all bloody.

I turned to Robert and said, "We aren't going in there."

Good thing the Brawny one did not argue.

We regrouped and paddled to the kelp beds.

I saw three people out swimming in the ocean. They were about a mile out from shore and at first I thought they were sea lions. It didn't look very safe to be out swimming so far from shore. I was a little edgy just being that far out in a kayak!

The birds were tormenting a sea lion who was eating a fish. Every time the sea lion would rip a piece of fish off, the birds would swoop down and try to make it their own.

While we sat there swaying in the ocean watching nature take its course, I realized I was a bit woozy. I don't know if it was from the Dramamine or from the swaying.

When we turned to head back to shore it seemed so far away. I asked Jonathan about how far we were from shore. My mouth fell open when he said, "About three-fourths of a mile."

What?

Three-fourths of a mile.

I just swam that far in a triathlon a couple of weeks ago. It seemed far, but not THAT far.

Wow, I can really swim far!

Almost back to shore.

We made it to shore without a hitch.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I prefer wearing a wetsuit to a life vest.

I let my guy drive home and thankfully my Less Drowsy Formula Dramamine didn't work. I was so drowsy I slept all the way home and didn't once tell Robert how to drive.

Back to train-n-tri"ing" tomorrow!