Natsukashii…
The word “natsukashii” technically means “nostalgic”, but there is more to it than that. It’s more like when we say “ahh the good old days…” or “those were great times…” It doesn’t even have to be that long ago…
In this case I am using it (possibly incorrectly) to refer to last year. Last year I started kayaking, when I say started I mean discounting all the splashing about on flat lakes and the six mile water. I mean white water kayaking and surfing the suckers. You can see some pics from a trip just before I left in the photogallery.
Anyways I was talking to PC just now about it, he has taken up the fine pastime in the past month or two and has been telling me about some trips on the sea and down the six-mile and really been making me wish I had one here. It’s not the first time either.
While at Takayama I went to take pics of the sunrise and ran into a guy who was on his way out on a sit-on-top, there was really no surf that morning though.
And recently I read “In the wake of the Jomon” by Jon Turk recounting his trip from Hokkaido (North Japan) to Alaska by small boat (”windrider” and kayak). I highly recommend any of the kayaking folks to read this (that means you lyle, steve, tom, etc) if the documentary that Ray Mears made in canada paddling a river in open canoes made you want to take a trip, this will make you want to head off to the Aleutians for a wee jaunt!
Anyways, my plan is to alleviate my craving for kayaking with a bit of snowboarding in the next few weeks, Aaron has promised to teach me the basics on how to go about it, so hopefully I will get a stab at that sometime soon!
So lads, first weekend I’m back, Whiterocks beach in a tent, up at 6 on the waves!
January 23rd, 2006 at 1:50 am
Snowboarding?! No way…! I’d love to give it a go.
January 23rd, 2006 at 4:00 am
hey John,
Have fun!
Some advice for snowboarding…….make sure you stretch before and after because the next day its hard to walk, oh and your bum will be sore too from falling hehe not that your gonna fall a lot or anything
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:51 pm
i’ll be sure to wear my bum pads
January 28th, 2006 at 9:26 am
Snowboarding will be class….but give me a paddle and some water (unfrozen) any day!!!……a kayak is pretty useful too
Enjoy
January 29th, 2006 at 1:50 am
Yeah, and while you’re at it my friend invited me to go jump out of a plane the other day, maybe you could have a go at that! Ha ha, unless my friend was trying to tell me something… ha ha… hey!!
February 2nd, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Morning John your obviously suffering sever cold turkey on the Paddling addiction glad to see you’re found an adrenaline substitute. Do you find yourself attempting the high brace in your sleep or are you through that bit yet!!
Not trying to rub it in but we had a few great days paddling before Christmas most Saturdays. Jake Tommy and now Ian Magee have caught the bug big time so expect some late nights when you get back – water was still strangely warm!! (not the usual Baltic for Dec). Christmas Eve was big , very clean – class day. Its been a bit quieter since – Not as warm. As you now know PC has joined the club!! His first day on the surf was a bit of a baptism of Fire (more like ice cold big surf – not for the faint hearted). – there was a few spectacular wipe outs and not just by PC, Jake and Tommy had their fair share) Didn’t put him off though. His first river trip was no less action packed – he still has the scars to prove it. – Snow boarding what a great sport!! Sounds like you need to find a big hill and a few big plastic bags. – must go and do some work now - speak soon.
Lyle