Me in a kayak...

Here is a picture Dave took of me kayaking in the Apostle Islands a few weeks ago. I'm pleased with how much my kayaking philosophy has changed since I first started paddling. Much less stuff on the front deck is probably the biggest thing. I did realize last week when I was out practicing rolls that my approach to securing a paddle float and pump inside the boat was somewhat flawed, since they came loose during a wet exit. On the plus side, not having them on the rear deck made it possible to simply hop up and plop myself back in the boat (something I learned during the pool sessions last winter). Other improvements are the Camelback hydration system attached to the PFD (much, much easier to stay hydrated) and the cool looking knife on the front deck (in addition to looking cool, I have also used it to spread peanut butter).