When my Father "Bill" was just over 70 years old, I got the chance to take him kayaking for his first time. He'd always canoed, from boyhood, and was very comfortable in a canoe, even hunting from canoe with my younger brother, Steve. My Dad thought of "kayaks" as skin-boats made by Eskimos, and very unstable and difficult to use, being "tippy", and capsize prone…

He didn't understand about modern designed, lightweight, injection molded kayaks - the "sport" kayaks we see in all the outdoor shops today…

So we rented 2 kayaks from Summers' Backcounty Sports Outfitters, here in Keene, and put in on the Ashuelot River on West St. I told him the hardest part of these new-fangled kayaks was just getting into and out of the darn things!…He had very little trouble getting into the Kayak, really…

After a minute or 2 of paddle stroke technique lesson, where we were BOTH BOTH student and teacher, off we went!…

We paddled several miles upriver, until we were stopped by Surry Mt. Dam…found a place to pull in and get out for lunch, behind the VFW Hall on upper Court St…

Mostly coasting back downstream, we rounded a bend in the River, and there was a small flock

of Canada Geese, resting near shore, and feeding quietly. They weren't there on our way upriver.

We'd been having a great conversation, but when we saw the Geese, we both instinctively knew what to do. We did it together, as if we'd been trained, or pre-planned it…We both "shipped paddles" across the gunwales, and went silent…The Geese calmly watched us as we slowly floated past, less than 10 - 20 feet away…They were totally undisturbed by these 2 strange, silent beings…I know what I was feeling, and I know, by the look of wonder and awe on my Father's face, what he was feeling, too. Mother Nature had blessed us with a wonderful gift…

We passed in review of a formation of Canada Geese, and they found us both very acceptable…

That's who my Father Bill was to me, a GREAT GIFT…I miss you, Dad, and I'm sorry you can't see me know…You'd be proud of me, Dad, you'd be VERY proud, even if you still don't completely understand what it is I do…I do it for YOU, TOO…

I love you, Dad…You're the best Father I ever had…grin…

Love, your oldest Son, Bradford.

William F Hutchinson