Raft Up 2014

Being on Vashon for most of August you could not ignore the call for Kayaks participating in the Raft Up Guiness Book record attempt. It was a beautiful day on Quartermaster Harbor and I really wanted to be part of it (a Guinness Book record is also on my bucket list). Ready to go, I put my 6 year old in one of the two kayaks of our friends but she freaked out as soon as she got the idea she was supposed to be in the kayak by herself with jellyfish floating all around her pretty close, being pulled by a rope by me in the other kayak. No way, this will work, but I am a pretty persistent person and my goal for this day was set. So, I decided to put her in the row boat (which wouldn't count as a Raft Up boat) and pull her with the kayak.

It seemed like a good idea and very optimistic I paddled to the middle of the harbor to see if I could find the Raft Up meeting spot. After a while more paddler came in sight and after about two hours of slow, but constant paddling we made it to the group. Except for life vests and the boats, we didn't bring anything. Sun was burning down. Pulling the heavy row boat was exhausting. And as the attempt and counting took place, S really needed to pee and so did I. Unfortunately we were about 1000 boats short on making the record, but the idea counts, right?

We made it to the shore, thirsty, hungry, slightly sun burnt with no shoes, no money. S went to the food stand with big eyes and after being told the prizes for energy bars, juice, water, she explained we don't have any money. The friendly person there just replied, you can have something from the items that where lying her in the sun, melting away for the last 3 hours. S grabbed a chocolate muffin and a water bottle, thanked and ran up to me. This muffin and water was just the best ever.

We found a bathroom in the woods, another true highlight. Then we enjoyed our free snack before we made our way back to the other shore. The waves got higher and higher and my arms weaker and weaker, but I did not want to give up. I was very happy when we reached shore and felt the burn for 3 more days.