Travel
This surprised me, as Italy is a
Mediterranean country with plenty
of gorgeous sea to make any
kayaking endeavor a dream. The fact
is that most visitors don’t equate
the sport with the destination,
although awareness is gradually
increasing in recent years.
There is something very Zen-like
about paddling, though I never would
have made such a claim prior to this
trip. In my limited sea kayaking
experience, I only knew soreness
and fatigue. With Enrique’s expert
coaching, my skills improved
tremendously over time. As I was
in a tandem kayak, my improvement
was much appreciated by my more
proficient partner. Simple advice
such as lengthening the arm when
initiating a stroke allowed me to
understand the concept of the paddle
being an extension of the arm and
how crucial it is for stroke efficiency.
Another tip – remain upright and
plant your bottom on the seat, while
focusing on moving the torso from
side to side – was important to my
comprehending core dynamics and
its crucial role in powering the boat.
When it came to turns, the most
important rule – look where you
want to go – became my mantra.
My improvement was gradual,
but steady. Each day, I felt more
confident and in control of the boat.
There was a rhythm to paddling, and
I finally arrived at that Zen state
– where going through each of the
three stages in a stroke (catch the
water, bury the paddle, and exit)
became second nature. I was working
with the water, not against it; and it
was an exhilarating and empowering
experience. My partner and I worked
together in sync, like a well-oiled
machine. I like to think that we were
‘a thing of beauty’, gliding across
the water.
It’s hard to describe the water, as
it takes on so many different colors
depending on location, time of day,
and weather conditions. Our group
would often discuss the colors of
the sea, and everyone had their own
labels for it. The adjectives ranged
from emerald green and aquamarine,
to milky turquoise and azure. When
the wind blew, the sea darkened to
an almost cobalt tone. In certain
places, where jellyfish were in
abundance, their bright iridescent
hues added to the chroma potpourri.
The second half of the trip took
place around the island of Sardinia,
which we reached following a brief
stopover in Pisa and an overnight
ferry ride from Livorno. Our base
was Via del Centro B&B on the island
of La Maddalena. This is one of the
many islands in the Archipelago of
La Maddalena, which is about two
kilometers from the northeastern
shore of Sardinia. Although we had
stayed in several quaint inns and
boutique hotels during our stay, Via
del Centro proved to be the most
memorable property for our group.
Located right in the middle of town,
it gave us prime accessibility to
shops, restaurants, and the
waterfront. It was spacious and very
clean, but it was the innkeepers that
made the place so special. Charming
Fabrizio and his lovely girlfriend
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