I checked the tides before I left on my voyage and went before sunrise because there was an outgoing tide. It assisted my paddling and made it easier all the way to the island. There was light outside, but no sun yet.
My new kayak arrived in the mail a few days before the voyage. It seemed seaworthy, but I wasn’t sure yet. I am a good swimmer, so I knew I could swim to shore if it capsized. Also, I didn’t install the second seat, but I inflated it and used it as a life preserver just in case I needed it. I thought somebody else may actually need it, but nobody ended up needing it this time.
As I hopped in the lagoon by my house for the first time inside the inflated 2-person kayak, I hoped that it’d stay afloat. The oar seemed short and like water was dripping from it into the kayak which concerned me, but I didn’t think I could do anything about it, so I hoped the small amount of water wouldn’t sink the boat over time. I brought a bag with a few things and one of them was a rag, so I threw it in the water in the kayak and it absorbed it. I figured I could empty it out later if there was more water.
I stopped at the entrance of Hilo Bay for a couple of minutes to survey the way ahead. It appeared that the sand underwater was dredged and the ocean currents were behaving oddly, but I knew I could paddle and the tide would push me into the bay and it did. However, before I left I ate some dried organic pineapple and hoped it’d give me strength. The bathroom was locked, but I knew that the island wasn’t very far and I could hold it until I got there.
I paddled into open water and turned right. It was a little rough, but not too bad and I hoped the boat wouldn’t capsize, so I hugged the coast as I paddled toward the island. I imagined a rougher situation like a storm easily capsizing this kayak because it wasn’t very big or stable.
Some fishermen on the shore told me to look out, so I did. Their lines were in the water about 100 feet away from the shoreline. They were sitting in trucks and standing while they waited for fish to bite their hooks. I hoped that they wouldn’t get upset at me and that I could avoid their lines, so they wouldn’t have to reel them in.
The last little leg of the first half of my voyage was tricky because I had to paddle around some small, menacing rocks and land the boat on a small sand beach. It wasn’t very shallow, so I just needed to avoid those rocks. It wasn’t too windy or rough especially protected by the nearby jetti, so I maneuvered the boat to the sand landing without too much trouble.
All of my preparation, hard work and hoping finally paid off. I made it to Coconut Island and I could rest. I sat at a table and relaxed, used the restroom, drank water from a big cup that I brought after filling it up there and regained my strength. Even though I didn’t feel dehydrated I knew I was, so I drank lots of water and didn’t bring it because I didn’t want it to spill.
On Coconut Island the tide changed as predicted, so I knew it’d give me a push home. After taking pics, stretching and applying sunscreen it was 9:17 a.m. which meant the tide changed, so I hopped in the boat and sea again to sail back. I could immediately feel the sea’s surge pushing me in the right direction like it pushed me in the opposite direction just an hour ago.
I paddled around the fishermen and their lines without much trouble, but the next section was much tougher than last time. In fact, it was extremely hard trying to get into the lagoon from Hilo Bay and it shot me across the mouth to the sand, so I walked the kayak on the sand, into the lagoon and launched again.
During this ordeal a kayak with several kayakers that looked like they were part of a group or company entered the lagoon in their kayak. They came from the opposite side though, so it appeared much easier. They also had many more people rowing and a more seaworthy kayak than my inflatable one. Nonetheless, I did the best with what I had.
I wasn’t ashamed for entering the lagoon the way I did. I hoped I could enter, so I paddled as hard as I could and when the kayak went diagonally across the mouth of the lagoon to the sand beach I didn’t fight it. It’s good to go with currents unless they take you to bad places.
Since this was my first paddle in a long time my muscles were sore. I forgot how kayaking actually works your entire body and especially the biceps, back and shoulders. After I made it into the lagoon I figured I could make it back to where I launched, but I considered walking. I figured I could easily land on the left where vehicles park and launch their boats and walk.
When I was younger I used to kayak at the gym and it was one of the first machines that I consistently used because it was low impact and I couldn’t get hurt. I was only 16 years old, but I rowed and developed those muscles. I’m 5′ 10″, but because of a childhood back injury I didn’t grow to my full height. My reach or wingspan from fingertip to fingertip is 6′ 3″ which is generally a person’s height, so that probably would’ve been my height. Nonetheless, since my arms are extra long for my height we learned that I was good at certain things like volleyball, wiping a table at a restaurant and rowing.
In my exhausted state, several hours after I originally embarked a fisherman started yelling at me. He was facing me about 40 yards away and I was approaching a tunnel. He wanted me to paddle through the opposite tunnel which was the wrong way because it was on the left to avoid his line in the water in front of the tunnel on the right. Unfortunately, I forgot that I brought a megaphone with me because that would’ve been the perfect time to use it.
I didn’t have the energy to paddle to the opposite tunnel and I wasn’t sure how safe it was. Also, I knew if something happened to me this fisherman wasn’t going to be there or care. I apologized as he reeled in his line that was blocking the tunnel and he said he should cast it into my boat and tear it, so I sink. I said sorry brother and he said he isn’t my brother, but by that time I had paddled and floated past him and he wasn’t following me.
I hoped this man didn’t harm me and his threats gave me some incentive to paddle harder and continue without letting up. I noticed that my paddle was slightly broken, but still usable. I thought I might be able to fix it later on land and I did, but I couldn’t fix it in the boat.
Music has always inspired me when I’ve been tired or needed to workout. In my bag was a speaker connected to my Spotify, so I played some music and the beat made me paddle quicker and more consistently. It also put some pep in my step so to speak and inspired me to have fun, keep hoping and I’ll make it even though it hurts.
On the homestretch the meandering lagoon seemed to say goodbye. I finally made it back in 4 hours total and burned about 1,000 calories padding over 2 hours.
PICS IN WORDS 