If life is a video game, I feel like I’ve unlocked the next level by buying a kayak. There is so much to explore that isn’t possible with a larger sailboat. And it’s hard to express just how different a kayak is from the drudgery of rowing an inflatable dinghy, which is really a purely pragmatic vessel. Gliding soundlessly through glassy calm water in the kayak, or riding the swell, is absolutely delightful. The water here is so crystal clear that if you skirt the shoreline, you have a never-ending view into the water world below: starfish, shellfish, all kinds of fish and aquatic life. It is miraculous and inspiring to observe on its own, but the clarity of the water itself is also a miracle of its own. It’s like a window into a world below. I was reflecting that one of the distinctive properties of this part of the west coast, for me, is the absence of BC Ferries and their constant wakes — the giant waves constantly pelting the shore, inevitably and forever changing the sea life and the shorelines wherever they travel, as is especially the case in the Gulf Islands. After spending several days at Rugged Point, with Jura constantly bobbing around in the swell, which was ever-present regardless of how calm it was, I have been sleeping very well the last couple nights in areas where it is perfectly still. It is really a marvel to be on a body of water that has the potential for constant motion, and for it to come to a pause. To just be still. It has been raining pretty much constantly all day, but it let up briefly, so I took the opportunity to go out for a paddle. That is also part of what I feel like I’ve unlocked. There isn’t much opportunity to go ashore here, so previously I would have just developed increasing cabin fever, waiting out the rain inside. But now I have the opportunity to go out, even in the rain. Actually, it has been showering on and off while I’ve been paddling, and it is particularly beautiful to be out here exploring, looking, seeing what is under the water, and taking in the silence and peace. I’m grateful.