Florida paddles

For the first time in more than a decade, I did a Spring training camp. For the first time ever, it was in a tropical place. We stayed with a group of Saskatchewaners and Manitobans and paddled in the swampy, winding rivers all over central Florida.

We stayed together in a rental house and later in resort cabins, both on the river front by the Rainbow and Withlachoochee rivers. WE could pick up the canoes and put into either one for an early morning or later afternoon paddle.

We also loaded the boats up to try out some different waterways. We visited the Silver River, Crystal River, andWeeki Wacthee Springs.

When we headed out on these adventures, we did a morning paddle, ate a picnic lunch, and then paddled again in the afternoon before packing up and picking up groceries on the way home to dinner. These were usually 2.5 hrs or so for each paddle, so that really added up over the week!

I paddled bow and stern and learned a few things for each. I was a little sore, but ate ‘ferociously’ and had lots of time to stretch and recover, so I wasn’t dragging by the end of the week and didn’t need to take any workouts off.

I’d do it again for sure. It was a great escape from the frozen North, and a nice break from regular work life as well.