22 September 2009

8/31

Today was difficult. We set off with favorable conditions, and for the first time I was in one of the singles, Tropic Thunder. Learning to be lead boat, staying stable, steering without a rudder were all part of the challenge of today, which was then compounded by adding in the wild open ocean. Walls of water and a big chop, the wind against me all the way--it made for a wild ride. I still have not reached my optimum kayaking endurance level and pushed past my limits and into the land of dogged misery. Ken and Gene traded off babysitting and body guarding duties, which meant I was never unsafe, but not being able to switch out or take a decent break with food, water, sunscreen or stretching equalled one furiously tired and grumpy girl. At the end I ever started to get seasick, which never happens, and hopefully will never happen again. I was so slow paddling but it meant that at the very end, when Ken asked for a go, I could paddle like crazy and ride the breakers in to a perfect first controlled landing. I am glad today is nearly over but I also think it was an important day for me and for the group. Now we are here at 3rd beach, the rollers crash into a curving sand beach, dry skies, a beautiful stream of fresh water, grassy field for tents, rocks rising up out of the sand in shattered formations, and the charry smell of a driftwood fire. Ever cooking tonight was calming and low stress. The boats are safely moored, the tent is up, and I am in good spirits after a calming cup of tea and a chat with the fearless leaders. I tried to bathe in the creek earlier, but Dr. Bronners is as poor at hair cleaning as I remember. There have been some unusual prints in the sand, some sort of large canid? and I wish I could ID it for a bear or wolf or dog. Tomorrow we will move on along this rugged coast. Never did I think that I would ever see the wild shore of the Northwest Coast from both the land and the sea. Life moves in interesting patterns.

7/31

I am hiding in the woods in order to concentrate and also to hide from the sand and gnats and various other distractions. I can hear the crash of the waves at high tide and see the cheerful colors of our circus tarp peaking through the leaves. Gale force winds were predicted for today and and instead we were given calm water, gentle rain, and a favorable current. While I do not mind rain while paddling, it has made for a cold and messy beach camp, with sand everywhere and everyone slightly out of sorts. We switched cook and tent groups today, dispersing us girls into the wider group. I am not perfectly happy but it could be worse. Last night was some stereotypical girl bonding night talk. in honor of the last time we will truly be together. Today, paddling in the rain and mist and fog shrouded peaks just showing and deep cut valleys hidden from us, we paddled swiftly in a pod, followed by harbor seals, watched by lofty eagles, and examined by families of sea otters. We are now on the outer shore, and the ocean swells begin to lift our boats up and set them down gently in the next trough. This is Neptune at his most benign and I relished the travel today. The swells turned to white sprays of plume on the outlying rocks and small islands scattered around us like a child's imaginary world, untouched and sized so to offer endless exploration and still be home to the castle by supper time. Through the rock gardens we picked our way, at times poling through the matted seaweed like a pirouge down the bayou. Tomorrow is even longer than today, and many things are dependant on forces beyond us. The only thing we can do is live in the moment, plan for tomorrow, and accept the obstacles that are thrown in our way as learning exercises.

14 September 2009

planning for the future

Seattle Children's Theater
ACT Theater
Alaska Sea Kayaking Rangers
Amazing Grace Tall Ship
America's Test Kitchen
Backroads Trip Leaders
Sierra Club
Nature Conservancy
Girl Scouts
Organic Farms
High Mountain Institute
Cascade Land Conservancy
Naturalists at Large
NOLS
North Cascades Wilderness School
North Cascades Institute
Northwest Service Academy
Alpengirl
Parks and Recreation
Port of Seattle
Schooner Zodiac
Sierra Club
Camp Seymour

Some of the jobs and internships and companies I've been looking at. The one that I feel most suited for, and most excited for, is Logistics Coordinator with Salish Seas, working with sail boats and kids and getting things ready behind the scenes. I'm trying to rewrite my resume for something outside of the theater world, and it is slow going. It seems a daunting task, pointing out all my good points, asking someone to like me. Hope for the best.

11 September 2009

6 sticks of butter

1. Lemon Tart with pretty cut out hearts and candied lemon peel
1. Upside-down wine-plum cake (cross your fingers that it works out, still in the process)
4. Peach baby Dutch Babies, not so pretty, so I ate them
2. Couches that I have to carry up and down stairs
Lots. Of things to mail to lots of people

Also, dinner invites to arrange. Packing to finish for St. Louis. Exciting phone calls to wait for. Despite there being lemon juice and a fruit sticker in my hair, for once it is curling under on both sides instead of flipping out like a crazy-person's hair. So that is good too. There is a good breeze for sailing out on the sound today.

06 September 2009

away

Listening to world music, lounging in bed, reading the Sunday funnies, getting ready to say my goodbyes. It is the end of the summer, it is the end of the summertime adventures, time to return to real life, check in with friends and family, plan for the southern hemisphere summer, start projects and forward-looking future things, and try to stay busy and happy and full of emails and the occasional phone call.