| 2005.Mar.30 |
The winds of Mother Nature feed our passion to
make ever lasting memories |
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This talks about
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It was about 12:30pm Easter Monday up at Willow
Beach, Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. Not much wind,
but building to about 15-20km/hr north east. It was
foggy so the visibility of the distant shoreline was
gone. Nothing was to be seen in the distance as the grey
ice and patchy surface disappeared into the fog. I
take a
few runs with my kite and skis offshore to check out the conditions left
behind from a season of wind blown refrozen ice. The
occasional piece of soft melting ice jutting from
the surface, was left between the occasional patch
of slush/snow. Farther in the distance less and less
snow patches were yielding to a sold grey ice, now with
an ever so thin patch of surface water from the
recent warm temperatures. |
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The conditions look pretty good for some long runs. Before I left,
I marked my starting position with my GPS just in
case. Armed with my cell and GPS, I point my skis
and kite into the mist. The line I choose is
determined by Mother Nature as I really don't know
where I'm going other than away and out. Back on
shore I could still hear the clanking of machinery
as the town continued work on the water treatment
activity along the shore line. Farther and farther I
sailed until the riders back on shore had
disappeared from view. Time to head back I tell
myself. Okay so I turn around and follow my tracks
back. As the distance was not too far and the
impressions I had left on my way out were still
visible, I could
navigate back without worry. What I realized was
that it was a lot easier to trace the trail when I sailed
over those snow patches. All I had to look for was
two ski tracks on the patch. Back to base after
quite some time of following my tracks. I tell
my sailing buddy Steve, I'm going to be gone for a while. I want to
take some long runs. So I grab my remaining ice
screws and bag and head off again. |
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This time I feel a bit more confident about using
this
natural method of navigation; marking the snow
patches like I've left a trail of bread crumbs to
guide me through the foggy distance. This time, I
pick a different wind line; one with a bit better
angle so that my reach and return as far as power
were more balanced. I'm now just focused on the
distant surface, noting the changes as I sail. Some
debris had been left from the ice huts during the
season. The only remaining noticeable indications of
previous passers-by were all the
snowmobile trails that had been used frequently by sledders throughout the season to cross the lake;
still constantly reminded of humanity once before.
Even as far out as the middle of the lake, still
more trails. I stop for a moment. It's completely silent. That
kind of "silence
is deafening" feeling. Nothing moving as far as the
eye can see in every direction. I feel very small.
Now I realize that the warming surface has made my
feet quite wet. I have to keep going as they were
calling for decreasing winds. |
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The other shoreline is now in sight. Much of the fog
has dissipated. As sense of achievement I feel as I
look back and notice my starting point is much
farther away than the shoreline in front of me. I
keep going and notice my speed every so slowly
decreasing. It's now about 20-30 minutes since I
started. I realize that I've just experienced
something magical. The oneness with Mother Nature.
I've been embraced by the elements yet again. I feel
lucky that I've been touched. |
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As my toes were starting to get cold and winds
slowly
decreasing, I decided to turn around. I felt
somewhat like I hadn't reached my goal of the other
shore-line, but often it's the path that's the
experience not the goal itself. I'll be back
sometime to try again, if not this year next some
other. |
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On the way out, the journey was all about watching and
enjoying the ride. Let Mother Nature guide me where
she wants. Now the return was all up to me; find
those pair of ski tracks that I had left behind on
the snow patches. Looking at the now distant shore,
I remember passing two islands and use them as my
navigational aids as well. A little bit of powering
up
the kite to generate a bit more pull, I keep on my
ski tracks. The winds are still decreasing so I sine
the kite more to keep up a decent speed which was never much
in the first place; just a real comfortable ride.
After quite some time of watching my returning
shore-line I realize I've lost my returning ski
tracks. I recognize some of the remote obstacles on
the surface so I keep my heading. I arrive near
shore but I can't quite see my starting point. A
little farther to the left and I see it. A few tacks
up wind, now very difficult as there's almost no
wind left. A bit of ski skating and I'm back. What a
run! An everlasting experience with a longing to
return again for more. |
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There are many reasons to take up power kiting. This
type of experience is one of the many reasons that I
and others are drawn back to the lake. As I've said
so many times before, you never know when Mother
Nature will touch you, so you keep coming back
hoping for one more everlasting memory. |
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Ride safe and Experience The ElementsTM! |
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Grant Fitz |
