Kayaking on the Ashley
Gott’s Thoughts
Newton's first law of motion is often stated as: An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Strangely, this also applies to me when I believe I am going in the right direction. Coincidentally, I believe I am the unbalanced force, too. A prime example happened this past weekend.
Ellen and I went kayaking recently. There is a beautiful cypress swamp and a mini lake in our neighborhood that form the source of the Ashley River. One of my goals has been to kayak or boat on the entire stretch of the Ashley. So, with the flood waters creating an opportunity to complete a difficult stretch of the river above 17A, we decided to take on the adventure. It was a beautiful paddle as we went with the flow of the river. After we turned around to head back, the paddling was a little more strenuous and things weren’t as clear as to where to go due to the flood waters. Unfortunately, I paddled us into a flooded rice field that essentially became a dead end. However, due to my stubbornness, I kept going, thinking there was no way that I could be off the river. After getting stuck several times on submerged cypress knees, dunking my poor wife in frigid water, and creating some new variations on cussing, I decided to just pull the kayak through all of the backwater. We eventually found the river again and made it home before hypothermia set in.
Analyzing this series of events, I realize that a strength can be a weakness in some situations. Being confident and determined can serve us well most of the time; however, if our assumptions are wrong, we can end up being up the creek without a paddle. It is really important for us to be willing to acknowledge when we are wrong. Sometimes the best and safest path is to back up and start over. In some situations, slowing down, reassessing, and making mid-course corrections can save us a lot of pain and frustration. The real challenge is to know when to do so.
There are some things we can do to determine when a change in direction is needed. One major strategy is to really listen to the people around us who are looking out for our best interest. Another strong choice is to use the resources available to us (such as GPS or other technology). Most importantly, we may need to set aside our pride, own our mistakes, and learn from them. I’m hoping to put this in practice on my next adventure. I know my family would really appreciate that.