Ice Out, Paddles In

As the weather has been getting warmer—finally—in the Ottawa region, our thoughts have been turning to one of our favourite outdoor activities: kayaking.

Last year, in early September, DW and I journeyed to Frontenac Outfitters, just north of Sydenham, to check out new kayaks. We left, having put a deposit down on two 2025 Delta 14 kayaks, to pick them up in the spring.

We were becoming anxious, worried that the kayaks would arrive while we were on vacation, risking missing out on a notification and not getting our new boats until the end of May. Last Wednesday, I called Frontenac Outfitters to get a status update and was thrilled to learn that the kayaks were in transit, would be arriving either later that day or on Thursday.

They notified us the next day that our kayaks were in.

On Saturday, we left the house bright and early to make the two-hour drive to Frontenac. Our car was packed with all of our paddling gear, with the hope of putting our boats into the lake behind the shop, to try them out. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain and, even though we had our skirts and rain jackets, it was coming down too hard to make our inaugural paddle any fun.

We had to make due with strapping the kayaks on the roof of the car and taking them home.

DW's lime-green kayak. Mine's still wrapped up, next to hers.

But I can't wait to get in the water. And now that I'm not working, perhaps I'll take a break from writing, during the week, and paddle somewhere close by.

Assuming DW let's me go on an inaugural paddle on my own.

We'll sell our old kayaks, which served us well for five seasons, when we return from our trip. It's going to be sad to say goodbye to our first boats: they were great for what we needed them for, but we'll be taking on bigger challenges this season.

Stay tuned.

They call this azure blue.