out in nature
Whitewater Kyaking ... Just Picture Yourself Here !
by ashley Mc ewan
There are so many reasons people are drawn to kayaking on rivers ! Many people love water ; it can feel relaxing … and reviving . Some folks have hiked out to the overlook at Great Falls and noticed brightly colored specks out on the waterfalls — wow , it ’ s people in kayaks — and imagined trying it some day , too . For me , I love to escape the everyday , beltway-bound world and float in a place where herons reign . I love to flip over on a hot summer day and listen to the rocks click on the riverbed deep below . Life in the DC area centers around the Potomac River and you might feel yourself drawn to it , too .
As a kayaking instructor and director at Calleva ’ s River School , I have been privy to the many and varying paths that my students take : why they started , their successes and struggles , how they have built their interest in a recreational activity into a lifelong pursuit and life style . This is the story of how the first year can go . Indulge me and insert yourself here …
So you sign up for “ Zero to Hero !” This is a month-long commitment to paddle three times per week . It is a lot of time to dedicate to something you aren ’ t sure you like yet , but jumping in with two feet is the best way to enter the water . Students come to class on the first day a little bit wary . They may have done some recreational boat kayaking or whitewater rafting before . They were told what to
Zero to Hero on day one !.