Minky & Me

I, Dad, took Minky out last weekend, along with two of her teen siblings, on a kayak adventure – our first ocean experience. Due to full parking lots, plans went out the window, and ‘winging it’ soon led to a somewhat dangerous excursion exiting Newburyport harbor. The tidal flows were crazy. We found ourselves seeking beach shelter when we came upon a sandbar with waves breaking in three different directions. After a short portage, we managed to launch in an area of significant waves. A half mile later, we were forced to another portage at the breakwater separating us from the ocean. After a fine picnic lunch, I sent my two elder babies out into an insane ocean surf. If they survived, Minky and I were going to follow. They barely survived, crashing their rental tandem ocean kayak through an 8 foot wave. Sinead baled while Tristan paddled like hell. And they kept going, further and further out to sea. Somehow, this seemed success enough for me to attempt embarking with Minky. This went very badly; we gave up after a short, lopsided skirmish with the waves. As I watched my elder babies paddling inexplicably further out to sea, I imagined myself on the 6 O’Clock news. “…after pushing his inexperienced childern out into the pounding surf, onlookers were stunned to find Mr. Andersen attempting to launch himself, and his helpless 3 year old girl into that same surf. The teens were picked up by a Coast Guard cutter in Stellwagen Bay at midnight…” As it worked out, the teens handled themselves admirably, landing safely in Plum Island center. They got the car, and came and rescued Dad and Minky. As for Minky, she loved every minute of it. At particularly tense moments, Dad could hear her chiming in from behind, “Dad, I’m going to jump out and swim next to you… OK?”