Saturday, February 26, 2011

Against the wind...


Here we go again, the revolution is pretty much over, the security situation is safe enough for our institutions to allow us back. We find a changed Egypt, full of hope and new ideals, a new found equality for the poorer citizens and a lot more chaos on the roads as the police has been badly smashed.

It´s our first weekend by the sea again. It´s a windy day with a dusty sky. I´m alone on the beach behind my wind shelter, not one soul on this kilometer of white beach. Its comfortably warm in my wetsuit and a jacket. And there they come. I hop onto the kayak and follow them. There are two groups. I row, strong backwind helps me, pushes me, I make hardly any effort. We move down the coast, the pods get used to me and swim alongside my kayak. They swim right below me, tilting to their side to have a better peek of who is above. And then I see a third pod coming right behind.

And further it goes, far down the coast, to areas I have never been to before. The wind pushes me and I move with very little effort. Too bad I did not bring my mask nor my fins so there are no pictures of this trip.

After 5km I hold out,  I still have to row back. So it´s Farewell, dolphins. I turn around and start paddling. Three dolphins leave the pods and swim back towards me. And continue, and there they join up with a fourth group. Amazing, there are more than 40 dolphins here today...

I row and row, the waves move quickly forward below the kayak, my face against the wind. And I row and row, against the wind. And then I look at the pier on my left. And it is still there. I haven´t moved at all !

Maybe it wasn´t such a great  idea to come all this way after all.  I´m far away, no telephone, no money. At least the wind doesn´t blow me out into the sea, just down the coast.

Well, no time to whine, on my knees and now it is paddling like Pocahontas. Against the waves and the wind, with Bob Seeger´s song in my head... With quick and strong strokes and clenched teeth.

Against the wind,
I´m still rowing against the wind
So much older now but still rowing
Against the wind

Hours later I arrive at the beach. Extremely exhausted but happy.



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