Superstar

We went kayaking again yesterday to celebrate Labor Day and the end of summer. It was kind of the most beautiful day ever, so I'm glad we were outside.

This time I had my own kayak, whereas last time Marissa and I shared a tandem kayak. I was nervous and I actually took a spill at the end of our initial trek down to the beach, but that was only to avoid getting taken out to sea by the current. I doubted my abilities to kayak my way out of the ocean. I headed toward shore and while the nose of my kayak hit the sand, the tail was flipping around behind me and headed out to sea. So I tipped over. Some nice people helped me and my kayak onto the shore, and one person downriver a bit grabbed my shoe that had fallen off my foot. The current was so strong that, after beaching the kayaks, Marissa and I walked out into the river, lifted up our feet and were carried, fairly rapidly, into the ocean without any effort on our part. Kind of like a ride.

After we jumped around in the waves for an hour or so, we decided to head upriver, which is when I discovered I'm kind of a good kayaker. It was only my second time ever kayaking and I beat Dr. K getting out of the current. He said, "I have to beat Kellito" and I thought, "I don't think so" and I paddled hard and he didn't beat me. His trail-running legs were no match for my swimmer arms apparently. I just kept paddling and before I knew it only me, Dr. K and Pei-Yu (another guy from Jason's lab) were around. I could see everyone else in the distance behind us. Honestly, I didn't mean to be that far ahead, it just kind of happened.

My shoulders are sore today, but I kind of feel like a rock star.

I also felt very humble and grateful yesterday, paddling along the riverbank on such a gorgeous day.