A couple weekends back we went canoeing on Caddo Lake. This is one of my favorite places, a
landscape rooted with beautiful cypress trees and a lake that connects East
Texas and Louisiana.
I love visiting at different times of the year, we rent a canoe for a couple of hours and paddle our way through the simplicity of God’s creations.
It was still March, so the trees were not quite turning green, and the activity was rather calm. There were too many people for me as it was the weekend but once we got in the canoe they slipped away.
The fish were active; Robert did catch a couple for grilling later that night.
It was a great afternoon, a place I wanted to share with our son before he headed on his long journey. He had never been canoeing and when we finally got settled into a rhythm the three of us had the best time.
There is indeed a canoe rhythm and it's all part of the experience. If you have never tried, I
highly recommend and bring a cushion for comfort especially if you plan to be
out for more than an hour.
You either sit on the bench or you should be on your knees in the middle. After the first hour I needed to stretch my legs for a bit.
I remember the first time Robert took me canoeing, I was paranoid. A canoe is narrow, so it takes balance to keep from tipping and this is where coordination and rhythm meet. Mostly you just need to focus for about the first 15 minutes.
The key is to trust that the other people in the canoe are on the same page. Once you achieve that balance your soul lifts and a sense of peace takes over.
This is the best feeling and everything in life disappears. All you think about are the people in the canoe and your surroundings.
As we paddled back to shore, I mentioned to Robert it would
be fun to build our own canoe. Something
that is a bit more comfortable than the metal we rent at the lake. Perhaps when we finish our other projects that is something
we will take on.
Experiencing that sense of peace for just a couple of hours was such a positive way to spend an afternoon. We watched many people stand from the dock enjoying the scenery while taking selfies, but I thought, if they only knew what they were missing.
Peace while canoeing on Caddo Lake is a beautiful
experience.
Be the good,
Carole West
Plan your next weekend and visit Caddo Lake