Kayaking adventure 
Six years ago, a friend and I decided to take an evening kayak paddle on Lake Gervais in Little Canada. It was a great time with lots of water time as we paddled the length of the chain of lakes and under Hwy 36.
When I purchased the kayak many years before, the salesman from Midwest Mountaineer said that I should learn how to egg roll and practice wet water exit because some day I will need to know how to do them. The best place to learn would be in a pool with an instructor showing me the right way to do each.
On this night 6 years ago, I was also able to cross off my list of things done by me and inadvertently rolling my kayak upside done and safely exiting it underwater. This was a 1st for me, and I do not remember exiting the kayak once it rolled over. Just the sheer thought of panic as I rolled over for, as I never learned how to swim!
I had locked my feet into the stirrups and me knees were wedged into the gunnels, sides of the kayak for balancing.
A rule of mine is to focus on balance in rough water and this night the sheriff patrol was on the water with their boats practicing water rescues along with diving practices. A few were creating a lot of wakes on the other side of the lake by the boat launch having fun.
There were also speed boats pulling skiers and I got caught in the wave action and as I came down the 3rd crest, my fellow kayaker spotted eagle and said to look up to see it. I was distracted by looking up for the eagle as a wave caught me off guard. As I tipped to meet the wave my balance was thrown off rolling over as it passed me under me.
Instincts kicked in and I accomplished an underwater exit from the kayak and grabbed for the surface. I popped up, saw the kayak, and grabbed for the gunnel side and with kayak in tow, wishing I had donned my life jacket that was in the netting on the kayak, I started to dog paddle to a near by dock and shallower water.
My friend grabbed the paddle and met me on shore. By the
time I got there, my legs felt like rubber, so I relaxed a bit, put on my
life jacket, and emptied the kayak of water. She informed me that once I rolled
over, I was underwater for a wee bit before surfacing. After getting back in
the kayak, I started paddling towards the boat launch hugging the shore the all
the way there.
