Related Guides

Most Popular

Travel Resources

ShoulderSeason

Special Issues

Photo Galleries

Screensavers
share this article del.icio.us DIGG Facebook StumbleUpon

From Away.com
Page:
1 2 3 

Peering into Paradise (cont.)
Rapids, Paddlers, and Blessed Showers
Using a somewhat more subtle approach, Ron spurred us on toward the grand finale of our paddling trip, a two-mile crossing of a windswept, wave-tossed deepwater channel on the last leg to Peleliu. Hardened by six days of paddling, I felt up to the task. But I worried about Dan, a diabetic who'd lagged behind the whole trip; and Chuck and Laura, a pair of tentative novice paddlers in a double kayak who'd showed marked tendencies to wander off course all week. (Up to that point, the Chuck and Laura Show had been a trip-long source of amusement for the rest of us, but this was serious.)

We continued boring into the wind, back and shoulder muscles aching by now, and at long last pulled into the protected cove.
"Stay with me," Ron said as we set off into a brisk 15-knot wind and two-foot chop. As the waves broke over the bow and splashed my legs, I regretted for the first not having a standard spray-skirted boat. Bob, Roxanne, and I easily kept up with Ron as he led the way, but, sure enough, Dan, Chuck, and Laura began to fall back, barely making progress against the wind and waves. Halfway across the channel, they were barely in sight behind us.



"You guys go ahead," Ron shouted once our landfall point on the far shore was clearly in sight. "I'll go back and get 'em."

We continued boring into the wind, back and shoulder muscles aching by now, and at long last pulled into the protected cove. We were happily lounging in the shade when Ron and the trio of stragglers pulled in a half-hour later, limp with exhaustion.

From there it was an easy downwind run to Peleliu, where we pulled our kayaks up on the beach in front of a waiting row of thatched-roof bungalows and our first bed and hot shower in a week. So long, Paradise.

Practically Speaking
Wilderness Travel (www.wildernesstravel.com, 800-368-2794) operates about a dozen Palau sea kayak trips per year, from December through June. Door-to-door, the trips last about two weeks, including a week of paddling in the Rock Islands and several days of touring around Koror and on Peleliu and the nearby island of Anguar. Cost is $3295-$3695, depending on group size. Single supplement is $495.

Continental flies to Koror via Guam and Honolulu. Airfare is about $1500, depending on season and advance purchase.
Page:
1 2 3