To the Spheres

Photo by De Keukenhof.

By Fred as a colleague, it is possible that you are enthusiastic kajakvaarder is in a kayak without ever be proven wrong. By the last kanobeurs bought, used, Meridian ("a fast boat", I heard Fred say) than I was Sunday, April 17 in Sassenheim for my first real kayak trip. 20 km should not be too difficult, I thought.

Sunday, April 17, 1994
I am still awkward in the kayak and my peddeltechniek is zero comma zero. I have therefore already difficult enough for the meevarende canadees to track. After about an hour sail is the first break. I did not have to ask, but it seems to me extremely well. Then we wind against the Haarlemmertrekvaart. The cramped vaarhouding translates into 'dormant legs'. Fortunately, we run into a ditch and there is a break. Again at the right time. We are halfway through and from now on we will have wind in the back. Unfortunately I have trained vaarders advantage of more wind than I do. So should I not quite doorpeddelen too far back to hit. I snak to a break that just will not come. Part of the group goes through 'big water', but I take the ditch binnendoor wisely. After 5 hours peddelen comes my car back into sight. After disembarking step I even miss (dormant legs), so I get my first kayak adventure, in addition to blisters, still wet feet left. So now, but soon a lot of practice, so that the fast boat also quickly propelling.

P.S. Of the balls I have seen little, but sometimes kayaks and paddles that came out from the crowd.

Confused ?

My first kayak trip, now exactly 14 years ago, was through canals in the area of the Netherlands where the flower bulb fields are and the Keukenhof Spring garden fair is held. The Dutch title of my first ever kayak article was "Naar de Bollen" that translates to "To the (flower) Bulbs" and also references a traditional 1930's song by Louis Davids. I would not dare to put the lyrics of that song through the Google translator... But I could not resist trying it out on my first kayak trip report. I am a teenager now (in kayaking terms). A teenager for the second time in my life. Springtime!