Whitewater Wishes

When I moved to Charles City last summer, I had one bucket-list item in mind before I even started unpacking living room boxes. The Charles City Press office is located right next to the Cedar River, and if there was ever an opportunity in life to try whitewater boating –– well, how could I pass this up?

I took my first step towards that goal last Thursday, as part of Charles City Whitewater’s beginner kayaking clinic at the YMCA pool with three good friends, under the guidance of pros Hannah Ray J and Marty Colbert. Since my boating experience is rather limited to a few long-ago canoe flips during summer camp, they had their work cut out for them –– but it was a total blast.

That’s not to say I was ever good –– college yoga classes never prepared me for rolling a boat underwater –– but for the rest of my life, I’m convinced I’ll remember how to escape in the likely event of a flipped kayak.

Hannah and Marty are wonderfully patient instructors who love a good laugh, always helpful when you’re making a fool of yourself, and I came away with a basic understanding of navigating the boat –– all I really asked for at the start of the two hours. I’m no pro, and rapids are probably still out of my reach at this point. But it’s enough of a taste to hook me until my next opportunity. As my favorite Disney-Pixar traveler likes to say: Adventure is out there.

Kate Hayden is a reporter and the Arts & Entertainment editor for the Charles City Press.