Paddle Day 14: Grey skies, Rain and Fighting back tears

Fighting back tears...

It was meant to be day with the company of women on the water.
One woman was planning on rowing with me, but she called in the morning concerned about thunderstorms based on the ominous looking radar.  But no thunderstorms were forecast.  Another woman and her daughter wanted to kayak with me, but couldn't get their kayaks to the launch site.  Maybe it was the grey overcast skies and rain that discouraged folks.

Deb carrying her bags down to the dock at the Eastern Yacht Club

Leaving Marblehead...

Lowering the rudder as I left the Eastern Yacht Club

As I rounded the Marblehead Light, I was actually glad I was alone.

Passing the Marblehead Light

It was appropriate it was a grey day, complete with rain.  The universe was crying and it matched my mood exactly.

I had just heard that one of my childhood friends died unexpectedly at work.  Jay was my first teen sweetheart.  My first good-night kiss on the check was from Jay.  He was one of my fellow nerds in high school.   Jay was the cousin of one of my best friends, and married another of my best friends.  

Paddling in the rain, fighting back tears, and then just crying and letting the tears mingle with the rain and splashing sea water - salt and fresh mingled together.  

Recalling the good times in the past.  A whole group of us would meet in the band room before school, and the conversations ranged from science to poetry to philosophy.  We talked about how the science nerds were getting the kudos in our community where we had lots of PhD scientists and engineers from the chemical and the electronic research facilities.  We thought the world would actually be a better place if the students who excelled in the arts and the humanities got the kudos.  Jay was one who excelled in both the humanities and the sciences.  I was impressed when he became a historian specializing in colonial hand tools among other things.  Jay was the Director of Historic Trades at Colonial Williamsburg, and it was fascinating talking with him about his work.  He and his wife came to visit me when I lived in England and he was researching some rare hand tools.  His colleagues refer to Jay as "... humble, kind and extraordinarily smart".  Too true, but then I have to mention his humor as well - there was so much laughter when Jay was around.  

Today's paddle  - dedicated to Jay....

Jay Gaynor

Lynn Rotarians (wonderful, wonderful hosts Linda and Steve)

Paddle Day: 14                                Date: August 2, 2014
Start: Marblehead                            End: Swampscott
Distance: 6.93 miles                        Total distance: 154.37
Max speed: 5.5 mph                        Moving ave.: 3.7 mph
Kayak storage: Lynn Rotary Club   Hosts: Lynn and Swamscott Rotary Clubs