Originally Written on 08-30-2020, Edited & Posted 6-24-2021
I went to Key Largo (@johnpennekampstatepark) with my dad & sister today. Dad wanted to get an easy dive (SCUBA) in before his certification had to be refreshed due to length of time between dives. Cool. We’ve been talking about kayaking for actual years, so today’s the day!
Here’s the thing. I’ve been in bed for months. Just this last week I spent most of my day in bed. I’ve been not so functionally depressed. I don’t do anything but read and watch tv and sleep. So this is big. And I’m going to post photos. And people are going to think things like “wow they do so much” or “wow she clearly isn’t sick” or “wow it’s Covid stay in you idiot!” And honestly I agree with that last one, but since this is fully outside and not near anyone I don’t love/live with, I’m risking it.
I’m traveling 90 miles south with a cooling vest, a big hat, an umbrella, a camp chair, a half gallon of water (with reusable straw!), and sunblock. I’m not really anticipating kayaking very long bc it’s hot and I expect to be a melting mess sooner rather than later. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if I last ten minutes in the sun even with all those precautions.
I’ve got my earbuds in for the drive. I am realizing how very much I miss live music. It’s something tangible I can feel, this need for that energy.
I stopped writing after that. We had fun. So much fun. Kayaking is hard. Real hard. Exhausting hard. But we paddled around in a two person kayak for most of an hour. The cooling vest was worth its weight, and then some, in gold. I never would have made it through even a fraction of the day without it.