Paddle Day 30: Heat and a "Murmuration" of Swallows

FourisFine1's photo of  Starling Murmuration

It was the hottest day yet, paddling in the protected and warm waters of Long Island Sound.

For the first time this year, my feet started to get warm in the wool socks, NRS Hyrdoskin long neoprene pants and NRS knee high neoprene boots.  Fortunately it was a calm day, so I could easily change out of the boots on the water.  Once I had on my NRS low paddle shoes I tried to find the most comfortable foot position.  The left foot was fine, but why was the right foot so different?  It took me a while to realize that the foot braces for my SmartTrack rudder were adjusted differently for my two feet.  That must have been the case for the last 300 plus miles!  No wonder I had noticed a little discomfort with one leg and not the other.  I clearly do not listen to my body enough!  So a quick on the water adjustment and both legs were happy again!

It must be that when the waves are rough and the paddling a challenge,  as it has been for almost every day up until now, I don't pay enough attention to the small issues that can make such a difference in comfort and efficiency.  Duh!

Once at Saybrook Point I landed at the Harbor One Marina, summer home to huge yachts, and the occasional long distance kayaker.  They told me about the last guy they helped out a few years ago, but said I was the oldest they had seen.

Deb with Aurora, Ann and Stephen

Had a great time with Ann Courcy and her two children.  Aurora and a friend have formed a club at school to "Change the World".  They are working now to raise money for the Safe Passage children.  She showed me the wonderful flyer she had put together to spread the word around her school and community.  It was so inspiring to be in the presence of a young woman who IS going to change the world!

In the evening we took a ride on their Boston Whaler to see the swallows landing in the marsh at sunset.  It was a National Geographic moment, seeing the huge flight of swallows swirling and dancing in the air right before sunset.  When starlings do this acrobatic performance, it's called "murmuration", and I think that term is the best description of the swallows as well.  Too bad my little point and shoot camera didn't capture it.  But it is a lovely memory!

Paddle Day: 30                                                          Date: Sept. 4, 2014
Start: Niantic                                                            End: Saybrook Point
Distance: 12.82 miles                                                Total distance: 330.38 miles
Max speed:  5.5 mph                                                 Moving ave.: 3.6 mph
Kayak storage: Harbor One Marina                             Host: Ann and Dave Courcy