Things To Do For Two

Cost - Free if you own a kayak or around $20/hr if you want to rent one

One of our favorite places to spend time during the hot days of summer is my grandmother’s cottage. It’s on a really nice lake so when the weather is just right we can find a lot of fun things to do. Recently my grandmother bought two kayaks. That’s right, my 73 year old grandmother with a knee replacement bought kayaks…Anyway, we recently came back from a week at the cottage so we got plenty of quality time out on the water.

SHE SAID:

I have always been athletically challenged, but from time to time I like to venture out and try to force my limbs to coordinate themselves. I figured kayaking was pretty safe because it really only involves moving one set of limbs at a time. I hadn’t tried kayaking until now because I was sure I would end up capsized and trapped upside down in a drowning fit. If the same is true for you, read on.

Brad’s grandmother (“Grammie”) recently bought sit-on-top kayaks. Pretty self-explanatory. No climbing into. No trapping. No drowning (probably). So when we went to visit last, I decided to give it a try. It was super easy to get into and was very stable, so I didn’t feel like I was going to capsize, even when the wind picked up and a few waves appeared. Even though the kayak was completely open, I didn’t end up soaked. This, of course, depends on how frantic your paddling is.

What I didn’t anticipate was my husband deciding to play “bumper kayaks” at the deepest part of the lake. That was quickly resolved with a reminder of who feeds him.

Some things to remember when you’re out there:

• Safety first! – wear a life jacket.
• Relax. The tenser you are, the more likely your movements will be jerky and your kayak will rock more, whipping you into a panicked frenzy.
• If the water is kind of choppy, go against the waves on your way out when you have more energy so that the way back is easier. If it’s your first time try a short trip out and back to get the feel for it.
• If it’s sunny, wear a hat, sunglasses and lots of sunscreen (especially on the tops of your legs).

If you’re looking to give it a try, here are a few places in the HRM that rent kayaks. Most rent for $20/hour:

Paddle East Canoe and Kayak – you must kayak on site (Lakes Banook and MicMac)

East Coast Outfitters – located in Lower Prospect, NS

Sea Sun Kayak – located in St. Margaret’s Bay, NS

Though I don’t think I’ll ever be suited for ocean kayaking, I will definitely try lake kayaking again.

HE SAID:

Although I didn’t have the same fears of capsizing as Susan, I am just as athletically challenged as she is. Actually, even more so. I was still excited to jump in a kayak for the first time and give it a try. I immediately felt comfortable as the kind of kayaks we used were very stable on the water. Now, some people (cough, cough…Susan) like to paddle leisurely across the lake, taking breaks every few minutes to rest their tired muscles and take in the view. Not me. I have this weird instinct that kicks in that compels me to see how fast I can paddle and how far I can get before collapsing from exhaustion. It was all well and good until I realized that the farther I paddled, the farther I was from the cottage. You see, when you use my method of paddle ‘til you drop, make sure you turn around and head back somewhere near the halfway point of your strength level. Otherwise you’ll be out in the middle of a lake struggling to get back. Other than a few sore muscles and hands, all went well.

Now, a tip for the guys out there who might be planning to go kayaking with your lady. No matter how funny or harmless you might think playing “bumper kayaks” in the middle of the lake is, please for the love of Pete, don’t do it. Especially if the aforementioned lady has an ungodly fear of drowning.

Noted.

The only other thing I would mention about this activity is that the two of you may end up going two very different speeds out on the water. This is where a decision must be made. Either you both compromise and find a comfortable speed where you are both happy and can travel together, or you just decide to go your own ways and meet back at a certain time. Seeing as this site is about things to do for TWO and not ways to do your own thing, I would recommend the compromise.