Confessions of a Kayak Virgin: Getting Your Feet Wet in the Gila River
By Donna Clayton Lawder, Desert Exposure
Cowabunga, dude! Okay, cowabunga is a 1960s-era surfing term, actually, and not really applicable to a kayaking adventure, which is what’s on my agenda this morning. It just goes to show you — as I drive out to a pre-arranged meeting place, trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach — how inexperienced at water sports I am.
Oh, I’ve paddled my own canoe, thank you, and have proved myself to be a not-completely-worthless first mate on a sailboat or two. But up until this morning’s adventure, in fact, I’ve never set foot in the likes of these little boats.
I guess you could call me a kayak virgin.
I was seduced, if you will, to take this particular plunge via email. Today’s trip is part of the third annual Gila River Festival, an event organized by the local Gila Conservation Coalition and several eco- and conservation-oriented non-profit organizations. The festival has grown to span four days and includes guided hikes, talks, bird-watching walks, a “star party,” family camping at the Gila’s headwaters and more. The myriad experiences are aimed at increasing appreciation for the Gila River, and take place in a variety of locations from the Gila Cliff Dwellings to the Cliff-Gila Valley to Silver City. [READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE].