My first Canoeing

It's been a long time since I wrote a blog. This is the first blog I'm going to write after moving to the US and it's about my first canoe riding experience during this COVID situation. we are in-home quarantine since march 2nd week and this canoeing is our first outing after so many concerns and double-checking about safety measures.

I went boating a few times in India, among the tourist places like Ooty, Kodaikanal, and once in Pichavaram mangrove forest too.But in all those places someone ride the boat for us and we sat in the boat and enjoyed the ride, but this time there is no one to help me to row the boat and to teach us. We learn it and ride it. Yes, we did it.

 I was very much afraid about this COVID so didn't go out for more than 3 months not even to buy basic groceries, because the new jersey is 2nd highly affected state in the US. Slowly in June the number of newly affected cases is reduced and one of our friend Murali is a shifting to seattle in August, so we all together planned for the safest outing and that where we choose kayaking.

  

 Everybody choose a kayak(its a small boat only two members can ride), and we choose canoe(Its a big boat can accompany 3 to 4). I don't want to take a risk by taking two different kayaks, one for me and Magizh(my first son) and another for Mahesh and Inba(my second son, yes both of the names have the same meaning in Tamil, Happiness). Rowing the boat itself is a new experience and I am not sure how calm Inba will be(He is only 18 months old).

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 After reaching the place, we did online payment (if felt insecure planned to return back). I carried the disinfecting wipes with me, so disinfected live jackets and the pedals, we all wore masks and gloves. I carried two sling bags one was with Mahesh and another one with me. This sling bag contains, extra gloves, masks, hand sanitizers, and water bottles. This kayaking place is 20 mins travel from my home and we booked the boats for 2 hours. so total time we spend out is not more than 3 1/2 hours, so managed kids without giving any food,

                      

All set, we get into the canoe, Mahesh sit back with Inba, Magizh sits in the middle with a fishing net and I'm at the front. first, when I start to pedal in the water I was little scared, we thought to turn the boat in right it goes left, when like to turn left it turns right. Sooner we break the trick, in some 5 minutes not more than that, slowly the canoe comes to our control.

                      
            
            
               
          This canal is one straight path easy to go and come back, it is closely covered by tress in both the side, the view is priceless. we ride for the first 45 mins and stopped at a place,where we can get out of the canal. Since we are all new to kayaking, Murali alone went to the canal shore and took the Photo of all of us and return back to the kayak.  We spend some 15 minutes in taking photos and ride back to the rentals.
         

 This canoeing was one total brain breaking event for all of us, to over this quarantine pressure, 

        We started going to shops nowadays  to buy basic groceries slowly, even though the count comes very low in new jersey, we were limited our-self to visit the shops by monthly or 3 weeks once.
        let's hope soon we come back to a normal lifestyle and let our kids play free outdoors. 

                                                                        Stay safe.