My last white water kayaking trip, maybe for life

As Hopkins campus bustled with life at the start of fall semester, so did the outdoor trips organized by The Outdoor Pursuits (OP). I was lucky to get a slot for the beginner white water kayaking trip on Sep 20 since the other trips were full when I last checked on them in the previous week.

Before any trip, participants need to attend at least two roll sessions. I was 100% successful for every roll that I attempted. It felt great. I also guided new participants on t-rescue, paddling strokes or roll since there were not enough instructors.

On Sunday, 13 of us went to Antietam Creek. The water was chilly but the river was not high. I was stuck on river rocks at certain stretch of the creek. The river was calm and the only exciting part was the Antietam Dam.

At the dam, we did surfing, ferrying and eddy-in and -out. Somehow deep inside, I had this unsettling fear of injuring myself as compared to two years ago when I just wanted to have fun. I guess my guts is shrinking as I age. 

At our take-out, it was with a sad realization that this might be my last white water kayaking trip. To end it off, I did a roll with my safety gears on as compared to rolling at the pool.