I went kayaking last night.
Here in San Diego we have an active kayaking meetup group. We usually kayak on San Diego’s Mission Bay. We start at Aqua Adventures off Quivera Way (down at the bottom of the chart if you’re looking) and paddle a couple of miles out, maybe to Vacation Island and then back. Last night when we came back we went past Quivera Basin and on to Hospitality Point (#5 on the chart.)
Mission Bay is calm, flat water, except for some fairly strong tides and the occasional brisk breeze. Lots of bird life, the occasional sea lion, the SDSU outrigger club, and one time even dolphins.
I love it.
Although I workout regularly, a couple of hours propelling a wee boat with a double ended paddle takes a bit out of me. I’m if not exactly trashed the next day, I am physically tired in the best possible way. I never plan on doing much writing the day after a kayak trip. Instead I just want to carry the sense of fatigue and beingness as far as I can. Usually, sometime after noon I’m back to my normal self.
I have found that engaging in a joyful activity that has nothing to do with writing seems to inform my writing and make it better. For me recreation doesn’t have to involve physical effort. Time with grandkids works. So does an hour with my non-writing friends. So does meditation.
Kayaking is just one way I restore myself.
What do you do to restore yourself? Tell us about it.
Write well and often,
Image from http://www.sxc.hu
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I enjoy figure skating. I do it on weekends now because I work full-time, in addition to editing a novel at the moment. It’s something I always wanted to do, and even though I’m not that great at it, I really enjoy it. Two hours on Saturday and usually an hour on Sunday sometimes wipes me out. But it’s a good wipe, not like coming home from work tired after a hard day and looking desperately at my poor little manuscript which needs my attention. Since I have been working on the book at lunchtime at work also, I don’t always feel guilty about taking a really long nap on Saturday after skating!
Kayaking is great exercise and wonderful for your soul. It’s hard to beat being outdoors surrounding on gorgeous San Diego scenery and getting up close and personal with a variety of marine life. I love it!
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I take a weekend in Ojai, meet with friends, attend a workshop. get a massage, go to church in Santa Barbara, help friends fix stuff around the house, drop by my old employer’s offices, and generally do very little, if any, writing.
To restore myself , I usually go to the market after doing some writing to treat myself an ice cream or buy a surplus dress.
I consider a 30minute to an hour walk around the market place , chatting with vendors on the streets and spending on food items a form of regenerative routine.