We bought a canoe at the end of last season with the plan being to use it this season. As luck would have it, the weather has not cooperated, with lots of choppy not-canoe friendly waves on the Lake on most days.
Yesterday, however looked pretty calm so whilst spouse went to town I put the waterproof housing on the camera and headed out.
I did pretty well until I rounded a small point and paddled into a bigger cove and the lake current spun the canoe 90 degrees and then quickly another ninety degrees. At first, I corrected this situation but quickly found myself being spun about repeatedly. I didn't panic as I had all the gear I was supposed to--but this was perhaps the fourth time I've ever been in a canoe in my life. I just had no idea how strong the currents on the seemingly calm lake could be.
I should have realized though with the crazy weather--the 70-year record rainfall--that the lake which is quite deep this year, could behave unpredictably. Anyway it was a learning experience. Our canoe is a light one. Two people would have given it a bit more stability. Also, fighting it is dumb. As soon as I reverted to a more Zen approach which was, "OK it seems the current is taking me this way--I'll go with it until it doesn't and try another way when it stops being so strong," things got a lot better. I ended up coming in from being stuck in the middle of the lake on a diagonal then in more shallow water regaining control of exactly where I needed to go. Still, it took at least a half-dozen attempts to make it in to our beach.
I noticed a number of beach-goers seemingly watching and I fervently hoped they would not ask me if I needed help. At one point when the current calmed but was still too rough in the direction I wished to go I just pulled out the camera and acted nonchalant. At worst I thought I'll just get in the water and swim, towing the canoe behind me. But it did not come to that and I got off a couple of good snaps with the best being after I landed back on our beach.
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