I own a couple of kayaks and a paddle board and enjoy getting out on the water whenever I can. For me there is a peacefulness that I find is really good for me.
The part I love the most is harmonizing with the environment around me. There are certain areas I go out on where they can only be accessed either during low or high tides. This causes you to really pay attention to not only the times of day but also the linear cycles to understand what the tides are doing. There’s an integration into nature that needs to be done.
This is why I hate jet skis. While they can be used for good reasons they’re primarily used for recreation solely to go fast over water. They’re just loud and fast and most of the riders I’ve experienced are self-centered. It’s more about bending nature to your own needs than being a part of it.
And that’s probably why I’m so animated on this topic. I feel like being on the water is the one place in my life that I try to blend with my environment rather than manipulate it. Our houses, lawns, cars, commutes, roads, shopping centers and virtually everything else in our lives changes nature to suit our own needs. You can try to be as conscious about it as you can but there’s no avoiding it.
So perhaps my bias in a bit hypocritical in the grand scheme of things but at least it’s something I’ve thought about and acknowledge. – unlike those damn self-centered jet-skiers.
A History of Stupidity 