Greening Sam and Avery

a shorter boat ride

I wanted to jump back a few days and just post a few more photos from our trip.  We took Sam on another boat ride to do some sightseeing, see more wildlife and let Avery get a chance to be on the ocean.

Both girls had a great time. No whales or petting sea lions this time but we did get to see some pretty cool fish up close from the window in the bottom of the boat.  Avery loved the boat ride! She could not have been more excited about the fish, all the other boats that we coming and going, and the pelicans and seagulls that were around us. Sam did much better this time too. We stayed close to shore and it was only about an hour boat ride instead of 5+ hours. The coolest part was when we got out of the boat and walked from the Sea of Cortez across a beach to the Pacific Ocean. Pretty cool little spot.

After the boat ride Sam still told me she didn't really like boats but was very excited that this time she didn't get sick! I am glad that she came away with a little bit better memories from a boat ride but I don't think I will plan on taking her deep sea fishing again anytime soon!

 

she doesn't have to love every kind of outdoor adventure

Deep sea fishing is not for Sam. She was sick pretty much the whole boat ride! We were all very impressed because she never cried, whined or spoke even one word of complaint. She just kept throwing up, everywhere, and on everyone!  Disgusting! 

We had a few minutes at the beginning where she was not sick and then a little time at the very end where she was feeling okay, but other than that her trip was pretty rough. It didn't help that the fishing was horrible and we only caught one fish.

Way to go Uncle Craig.

But Sam got to see some sights and when she wasn't sick she had a great time on the boat.

Sam sat up for a few minutes when she really wasn't feeling well and was able to see a group of humpback whales that were not too far from our boat. It was amazing! Even though she was SO sick I still think she was pretty impressed.

Sam got a chance at the end of the trip when she was feeling better to reel in the bait fish. She was thrilled and thought she had caught a fish! We didn't argue with her.

At the end of the trip the captain was emptying out the bait bins and feeding the birds and sea lions. He got one sea lion to come all the way up on the boat and we pet it!

So cool to see a sea lion that close!

As we headed back to the house Sam told me that she never wanted to go on a boat again. I talked with her about all the great things that we saw but she still insisted that she didn't like it and didn't want to do it again. I don't blame her. If I had gotten that sick I wouldn't want to either. BUT I think I am going to make her take another boat ride while we are down here! I know, I am a mean, bad mom, but hear me out. They have these little tourist boat rides that you can take where you get to see the sea lions in their natural habitat, visit some secluded beautiful beaches and some awesome rock bluffs. The boat stays close to shore the whole time, is a short ride and there are stops to get out along the way. I think this type of trip might be a great way to show her that not all boat rides will make you sick and miserable. There is a risk that even this short and calm ride will make her seasick, but it is a risk I am willing to take so that she goes away with good memories and a willingness to try it again. Do you think I am crazy?

Okay, gotta get ready for the beach later!

Day 309: sharing a love

I didn't grow up in a kayak. In fact I don't think we got one or I was even ever in one until maybe middle school at the earliest. But once we got a taste of kayaks my dad and I were hooked! There is just nothing like being able to explore the smallest of creeks, float smoothly over the shallowest of pools and get into places in such a quiet, calm way all by yourself. I find comfort in seeing ducks, turtles, snakes and birds from the seat of my kayak. I find peace out on the water in my kayak, a reconnection with what I love that I can't get in many other places.

I was the luckiest girl in the world that I had parents that understood that and on the day of my college graduation gave me my kayak as a graduation gift!

This love of mine has taken a backseat for far too long now. With young kids, moving and only having one kayak it just hasn't been high on the priority list. I have not made it the priority that it should be.

But when Sam, Avery and I explored Cherokee marsh the other day I caught the urge to see that little river and those back waters from the inside of my kayak.

So today we went!  And I cannot tell you how my heart swelled to be able to share that time with BOTH of my girls.

 
 
 
 
 
 
I am mad that we waited so long to get them in the kayak with me. They both did great and really enjoyed being out on the water.

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The Nitty Gritty!

First off, we desperately need to get the girls lifejackets. I am well aware that the swimming floaty they were wearing in the pictures above is not an acceptable life saving device! We will be getting on the purchase ASAP!

I also wanted to share just a little bit about how we made this work so well today.

I got the kayak out this afternoon in the backyard. I let Sam and Avery climb all over and play with both the boat and the paddle quite a bit. Then I showed Sam how I would sit in the boat, how she would sit between my legs and how I would hold the paddle. We talked in length while we were pretending about why we sit very still, what we might see and how she would need to behave. By the end of our playing time Sam was very excited and knew all the rules.

While I was in the boat with Sam I showed her how the boat moved from side to side easily and how it would be easy to tip over if we reached to far to one side. I think this helped to show her why we can't reach over to put our hands in the water. The whole thing was so new and surprising for Avery that I didn't need to control her very much. She sat very still and only moved when she got excited about seeing a bird.

Both girls sat happily in the boat, didn't try to reach into the water and didn't move around much. I was very proud of both of them.

Getting your kids out in kayaks or canoes does not require buying them. You can easily do a yellow pages, google or yahoo search for canoe/kayak outfitters in your area. I would suggest calling ahead to find out the type of water they will be putting you in, the sizes of lifejackets they have available and the length of time their trips take. These would all be important factors to iron out and would be different depending on the age of your children.

We have a river canoe trip coming up in June so this was our first practice run. I am planning on getting the girls out in the kayak a few more times (focusing on that since we have it so easily available) and then at least one adventure for all of us in a canoe. Practice makes perfect!