T

Summer Pleasures

Canoe Can-Do

A neophyte paddler
shares her Pigeon River
experience.

daughter, Stephanie, now 15, I realized
it was something you can do outdoors,
safely, with a small child. We go all the
time. Just recently, I took Stephanie
and Lizzie canoeing in Florida."
Being a canoeing ignoramus at the
LISA BRODY
time, I gave Linda the task of finding
Special to The Jewish News
us a place to take the kids canoeing. It
turns out the Pigeon River was nearby
was never keen on canoeing.
and is an easy, gentle river. Tomahawk
I had paddled a bit in
Trails Canoe Livery in Indian River
high school, but the lake by my
could outfit all of us in life jackets,
school wasn't all that big, and I
provide us with canoes and paddles,
didn't focus a lot of my attention on
and drop us off at the river. Short of
canoeing. And high school was a long
pushing us off, they took care of
time ago.
everything.
Fast forward to last summer. With
On a warm, sunny morning, we
only one child at home after packing
set off. I had assured Jacob that he
his big sister and brother off to sleep-
would get his own paddle, and I
over camp for a month, I was feeling
did not disappoint. He and Lizzie each
more relaxed
became the
Photo by Glenn Triest
than usual.
temporary
My husband,
owner
Gerry, my son,
of a child-size
Jacob, 4 1/2 at
paddle, while
the time, and I
Linda, Joe,
headed up
Gerry and I
north to Har-
each got the
bor Springs
real thing.
with our
Each family
friends, Linda
took their own
and Joe
canoe, with the
Aviv, and their
children seated
Canoeing along Michigan rivers is fun, peaceful in the center of
daughter,
and pleasureable.
Lizzie,
the canoe, on a
who celebrated
seat where they
her 5th birthday up north. I had
could view everything as well as partici-
visions of planked whitefish and long
pate in the paddling. As Gerry and I
conversations with friends. My goal
hadn't canoed in years, it took us a few
was to set up my beach chair near Jacob
minutes — and a couple of visits to the
and Lizzie and their sand toys, with a
river banks — before we got our
good book and a cold beverage, and not
rhythm. But canoeing is relatively easy,
do too much else. My agenda was
and before long, we were cruising down
achieved, but we also tried something
the Pigeon, viewing wonderful wildlife,
new Linda mentioned on the ride up
tiny rapids, and having a great time.
that they love to canoe, and that it is
We even stopped en route for a quick
lots of fun with the kids. She thought it
dip in the river.
would be fun for all of us to go canoe-
"You don't have to have skill, or
ing.
strength, or athletic ability to go canoe-
•My husband and I looked at each
ing," notes Linda. "You can't easily take
other. Canoeing? I knew from my
a 3-year-old hiking, but you can take a
camp days up north that canoeing was
3-year-old with a life jacket canoeing."
a popular recreational sport. I just had
Linda and Joe regularly take their
no idea that it could be so much fun,
family canoeing locally at the metro
and a perfect thing to do with kids,
parks. They rent everything they need
even ones as young as Jacob and Lizzie.
at the parks. "You can go for an hour
It can be an afternoon's activity (or
or two, and the kids can jump out and
longer) and it's easy to do.
swim for a while," says Linda.
"I started canoeing in college," says
I don't know about you, but I can't
Linda. "I had a friend who loved to
wait for a wonderful sunny day, to get
canoe. Later, when I had my first
into a canoe, and paddle.

I

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