Up until a few weeks ago I was really worried about how bad my balance was in waves this spring. But then on day I was out in the “washing machine” on the canal dealing with the diamond shaped standing waves caused by boat wakes reflecting back and forth, and something just clicked. I suddenly felt relaxed and I felt my hips just loosen up and go with the flow in a way I don’t think I’ve done before. Last weekend in the washing machine the diamonds were even bigger and I was even more tired and again, I felt fine and continued to put power down through them (mostly). Then last night we were out on the bay with its usual confusion of boat wakes and swells, and my usual trepidation bordering on fear was completely gone. Gigantic boat wakes hitting from exactly on the beam didn’t faze me at all. Of course it helped that I was in a group, and we were doing intervals so I was concentrating on a task, but it felt really good. I can’t wait to see what it’s like on the bay or the “potato patch” (an area around the Genesee River outlet where a combination of boat wakes, lake swell, reflections off the pier and shoals causes mass confusion) on a hot summer day when all the power boats and jet skis are out.
I just hope that whatever has clicked in my head and my body stays clicked over the winter so I don’t have to relearn it next year.