At sea, after lockdown

The one from yesterday was a very special kayaking trip for us; it was not only the first excursion in 2020, but it marked a small step towards a return to a 'normal' life.

In this season, there should be passed plenty of water under the paddles by now; other years, we started training in March and in April we were already trekking for two or more days. However, this 2020 was not a normal year; the whole world had to stop because of the lockdown caused by the Covid pandemic.

Italy was one of the European countries where the lockdown was most severe: for more than two months it was forbidden to leave home except for reasons of necessity; the ban also affected individual sports, making all sorts of activities impossible other than running close to home. Only in recent weeks have the bans been slowly loosened and it has finally been possible to return to the sea, albeit within regional boundaries and respecting the rules of distance. We have therefore chosen to stay close to home and enjoy the beauty of the Ligurian sea paddling from Genoa to Camogli (one of the beautiful fishing villages near the promontory of Portofino).

In the morning, the weather was not the best and the forecast did not bode well.
Fortunately, the more we moved towards the Portofino promontory, the better the weather was getting...
...and after a short stop in Recco...
...the sun has finally come up...
...illuminating the magnificent village of Camogli...
The day was an opportunity to try out the rudder and cover for the first time.
The rigid reinforcements of the cover provide the kayak with greater stability and further increase its performance, the sheet allows you to stay dry even if you want to go out during the winter or windy days. The only negative note is that the ability to stow luggage is slightly limited and it becomes difficult to get back up in the kayak directly from the water after a swim.
The rudder is a valid optional for long crossings where the side current forces a paddle not constant; on a day like yesterday, with calm sea and almost no wind, it is difficult to appreciate its effectiveness.

During the navigation we have also dusted off a practice that proves to be very useful, during the excursions of several days, to ensure an excellent dinner: the towing. The kayak, thanks to its moderate speed and the total absence of noises that frighten the fish, proves to be an exceptional means of fishing and allows, even if only with a hand line and an artificial bait, to make good catches.

The day ended with an excellent dinner of freshly caught fish.

Now that sports activities are possible again, the hope is that means such as kayaking will attract more and more interest as they allow you to experience the beautiful Italian coasts in complete safety and in a totally ecological way.