For the third class of outdoor pursuits, we went canoeing. Now I know that doesn't sound too drastic or exciting, but believe me, it was pretty intense. We began b
y getting all of our gear and knowing the terms for it. Then we picked partners (Teresa and I were together) and got a canoe. We all practiced how to maneuver our canoes in the little dock area and then headed out to the Menai Strait. We were going with the tide so it was pretty easy going. I was in the back steering the whole thing but I didn't find it to be too hard. We started to get really close to the Britannia Bridge but we missed the tide by 10 minutes and had to paddle to the side. We were able to go under the bridge but we had to paddle around the side of one of the columns. We went into a little calm area and had to pull our boats up over this little rock area. Unfortunately when I got out of the boat
I stepped into some water that was deep and it went over and into one of my boots. And I'll let you know that it was extremely COLD water. But I had it easy because one of the canoes capsized and the girls fell in. So they were extremely cold. But by this time it was time for lunch and we pulled our canoes on to shore and made a fire. It was really neat because we learned how to make fire with flint and steel and ate our lunch all around it. We also got marshmallows to roast and we even popped popcorn! After we cleaned up, we were ready to head back out. The two girls that had capsized did not want to chance it and go under again so we tied two canoes together with a wooden pole between them and made a raft. So they became the group of four and then there were three more canoes and then our instructor in a canoe. At this time, the tide was going at an extremely fast rate and it looked pretty intimidating going out there. Teresa and I switched this time, so she took the steering and I went to the front and did the power paddling. We first learned how to ferry glide where the canoe is diagonal to the current. We also learned how to break in and out by doing the bow cut. The bow cut is done by the person in the front (unfortunately me) and when we went into the current I had to put my paddle in the water and hold it there really hard which causes the canoe to spin around to another angle. After this we both paddled really hard and then crossed the eddy line back to safety. The eddy line is a line that separates the current and the slow moving water. As you can see, it was better to be in the eddy, across the
eddy line away from the current. Well we were learning how to cross the eddy line, which was pretty spooky for me. I have figured out a fear that I have. I am very afraid of dams but only because its the thought of getting sucked under by the current and not being able to fight it. Well, when Teresa and I ventured out to the current, we would lose control of the canoe for only a few moments, but then we would be able to fight the current and get across the eddy line. It was during those few moments that I would be panicking inside. Everything ended up just fine, but this day certainly made me come out of my comfort zone. We followed Sally by going around an island to another eddy line where we had to go over a very small but still scary looking rapid. Teresa and I were the first ones to follow her and as we went over the rapid, Teresa pushed the paddle backwards instead of frontwards a
nd it caused our canoe to tip. It tipped so much that water started to come into it but luckily we righted it correctly and very quickly so we were okay. Once everyone was in the eddy, we all practiced riding the wave. It looked pretty easy when Sally was doing it. We had to go up against the small rapid but put our canoe parallel with the current of our water so actually we would have to do much at all. We could really just sit there. The group of four finally got it after a few times. The picture above and to the right is when three of them stood up. But when Teresa and I got up there, we couldn't quite put it in the right position and the current kept catching the nose of the boat and spinning us around and carrying us off. But we caught ourselves at the right time and paddled back in. After about the fourth time, we finally got it! That felt pretty sweet. The picture above and to the left and the picture to the right below is one of our attempts to try and ride the wave. After everyone had ridden the wave, we went out into the current again and rode under the bridge to cross another eddy line that was behind a column. Then the big challenge of the day came, we had to cross t
he rest of the Menai Strait to shore. Teresa and I went after Sally and that was a very tough because somehow our canoe just had a mind of its own and wouldn't turn correctly for us. So the current swept us pretty far down but we made it across the eddy line but it took a lot of paddling to get back up to Sally. Once everyone was across, we went back out into the current and let it carry us back to the Conway Center. Sally challenged us to stand up in our canoes so we did (even though it was difficult because none of us could feel our feet at the moment). But then she took it another level and had us put our feet on each side of the ledge of the canoe, straddling it, and stand up. For some reason, I actually tried it, and I made it! It was the coolest thing ever! Everyone came together then and we each tied our boats together. Sally had us then do the hokey pokey in our canoes! So we had to stick our hands in the water, turn around, do the hokey pokey, shake it all about, that's what its all about! It was pretty hard. Then we were each categorized as a fruit and then we played fruit basket upset! It was really hard to move around and switch seats with someone in another canoe. Trying to cross into another canoe is very hard, especially when one cannot feel their feet. But we were coming close to shore, so we untied each other's boat and then raced back to the dock. Once we unloaded everything, we took the bus back to Bangor, and that is where I took a nice, long, and hot shower. It felt wonderful. And don't worry, I have feeling back in my feet again.
y getting all of our gear and knowing the terms for it. Then we picked partners (Teresa and I were together) and got a canoe. We all practiced how to maneuver our canoes in the little dock area and then headed out to the Menai Strait. We were going with the tide so it was pretty easy going. I was in the back steering the whole thing but I didn't find it to be too hard. We started to get really close to the Britannia Bridge but we missed the tide by 10 minutes and had to paddle to the side. We were able to go under the bridge but we had to paddle around the side of one of the columns. We went into a little calm area and had to pull our boats up over this little rock area. Unfortunately when I got out of the boat
I stepped into some water that was deep and it went over and into one of my boots. And I'll let you know that it was extremely COLD water. But I had it easy because one of the canoes capsized and the girls fell in. So they were extremely cold. But by this time it was time for lunch and we pulled our canoes on to shore and made a fire. It was really neat because we learned how to make fire with flint and steel and ate our lunch all around it. We also got marshmallows to roast and we even popped popcorn! After we cleaned up, we were ready to head back out. The two girls that had capsized did not want to chance it and go under again so we tied two canoes together with a wooden pole between them and made a raft. So they became the group of four and then there were three more canoes and then our instructor in a canoe. At this time, the tide was going at an extremely fast rate and it looked pretty intimidating going out there. Teresa and I switched this time, so she took the steering and I went to the front and did the power paddling. We first learned how to ferry glide where the canoe is diagonal to the current. We also learned how to break in and out by doing the bow cut. The bow cut is done by the person in the front (unfortunately me) and when we went into the current I had to put my paddle in the water and hold it there really hard which causes the canoe to spin around to another angle. After this we both paddled really hard and then crossed the eddy line back to safety. The eddy line is a line that separates the current and the slow moving water. As you can see, it was better to be in the eddy, across the 
eddy line away from the current. Well we were learning how to cross the eddy line, which was pretty spooky for me. I have figured out a fear that I have. I am very afraid of dams but only because its the thought of getting sucked under by the current and not being able to fight it. Well, when Teresa and I ventured out to the current, we would lose control of the canoe for only a few moments, but then we would be able to fight the current and get across the eddy line. It was during those few moments that I would be panicking inside. Everything ended up just fine, but this day certainly made me come out of my comfort zone. We followed Sally by going around an island to another eddy line where we had to go over a very small but still scary looking rapid. Teresa and I were the first ones to follow her and as we went over the rapid, Teresa pushed the paddle backwards instead of frontwards a
nd it caused our canoe to tip. It tipped so much that water started to come into it but luckily we righted it correctly and very quickly so we were okay. Once everyone was in the eddy, we all practiced riding the wave. It looked pretty easy when Sally was doing it. We had to go up against the small rapid but put our canoe parallel with the current of our water so actually we would have to do much at all. We could really just sit there. The group of four finally got it after a few times. The picture above and to the right is when three of them stood up. But when Teresa and I got up there, we couldn't quite put it in the right position and the current kept catching the nose of the boat and spinning us around and carrying us off. But we caught ourselves at the right time and paddled back in. After about the fourth time, we finally got it! That felt pretty sweet. The picture above and to the left and the picture to the right below is one of our attempts to try and ride the wave. After everyone had ridden the wave, we went out into the current again and rode under the bridge to cross another eddy line that was behind a column. Then the big challenge of the day came, we had to cross t
he rest of the Menai Strait to shore. Teresa and I went after Sally and that was a very tough because somehow our canoe just had a mind of its own and wouldn't turn correctly for us. So the current swept us pretty far down but we made it across the eddy line but it took a lot of paddling to get back up to Sally. Once everyone was across, we went back out into the current and let it carry us back to the Conway Center. Sally challenged us to stand up in our canoes so we did (even though it was difficult because none of us could feel our feet at the moment). But then she took it another level and had us put our feet on each side of the ledge of the canoe, straddling it, and stand up. For some reason, I actually tried it, and I made it! It was the coolest thing ever! Everyone came together then and we each tied our boats together. Sally had us then do the hokey pokey in our canoes! So we had to stick our hands in the water, turn around, do the hokey pokey, shake it all about, that's what its all about! It was pretty hard. Then we were each categorized as a fruit and then we played fruit basket upset! It was really hard to move around and switch seats with someone in another canoe. Trying to cross into another canoe is very hard, especially when one cannot feel their feet. But we were coming close to shore, so we untied each other's boat and then raced back to the dock. Once we unloaded everything, we took the bus back to Bangor, and that is where I took a nice, long, and hot shower. It felt wonderful. And don't worry, I have feeling back in my feet again.
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