Paddling Novels & Stories

"Here comes a wave. Start paddling, Linda!" With as much power as she could muster, Linda pushed her arms through the water, digging under the surface. One of the boys gave her a push, and then the wave was in control. She pressed up on her palms, moved her leg forward as quickly as she could, and promptly lost her balance. The board flipped, sending Linda crashing into the ocean.

The sun painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, casting a warm glow on the water. Leo, an experienced kayaker, was eager to pass on his knowledge to his daughter. He handed Astrid a sturdy kayak paddle, its smooth surface glistening with droplets of seawater. With patience and care, he explained the basics of paddling, demonstrating a steady rhythm as he glided through the calm waves, "Astrid, remember, the key to a good paddle stroke is in the rotation of your torso. It's not just your arms. Try to engage your core muscles as you paddle."

It was the most profound ordinary I had ever experienced. I found Leo on the beach, his silhouette a sharp contrast against the glittering water. He wasn’t looking at the horizon for threats today. He was looking at a group of teenagers who were practicing "Surface-Gliding"—a sport where they used small, solar-powered fins to skim across the water’s surface like flying fish. "They're getting faster," he said as I joined him. He didn't turn around, but he reached back to find my hand, threading his fingers through mine.

“Yip!” “Thank you.” Brayden said sullenly. He took a deep breath and let it out before beginning again. “Wait!” Meredith told him as he was about to dip his paddle back into the water. “Watch me first.” Brayden sat there and watched as Meredith slowly and very deliberately pushed her paddle into the water and pulled it back. Then in one fluid movement she pulled it out of the water smoothly creating an arc as she pushed the other end in on the other side and pulled against it as well.

I was speechless as I watched Aiden paddle through the water with ease, the light from the sun reflecting off of his ripples. I couldn't take my eyes off him; it was impossible not to admire Aiden as he rode on the swan boat and paddled. It almost felt like it wasn't in his very being to be there, yet he was doing it. I watched him carefully, taking in every move he made with the paddle and observed how his gaze changed from tranquil to determined with each stroke of the paddle. He appeared unconcerned by what might’ve been going through other people’s minds.

As we paddle out, I settle into the familiar stroke, the familiar thump of my heart as my body works to propel me through the icy water. I’m smiling even as Levi pulls ahead of me to cut through a swell. That same swell slaps me in the face when I don’t paddle fast enough, and I sputter.

He continued while I cringed at the thought of having Kayaking. I didn't know the meaning when he said that kayak of a thing in class and had to G****e search only to realize it was almost like canoeing just that the paddler sits facing forward with his or her legs positioned to the front in canoe-like boats using a double-bladed paddle to pull front-to-back on one side then the other in rotation. I myself, I'm a scholar. Just that I would be scared doing it since I'm a first-timer, I'm so scared of large waters.

His patience steadies her nerves. Melody gazes out towards the horizon and watches sunlight dances across the water's surface. A pelican rests in a patch of honeysuckle along the shore, dipping its wings lazily into the water before rustling its feathers and creating a small splash that makes Mia smile. She's getting the hang of paddling now, her movements more confident, but exhaustion is setting in. Her shoulders ache, and her arms feel heavy. "Can I just float?" she asks, letting her paddle rest across her lap. "My arms are tired."

His own vocabulary and range of expression felt woefully inadequate to fully participate in their intricate communication style. The Lumina, however, were unwavering in their patience. They took him on long walks through the undergrowth, explaining the intricacies of the ecosystem, pointing out the symbiosis between different plant and fungal species, showing him the intricate dance of life and sustenance beneath the surface. They spent hours patiently explaining the intricate network of relationships that held this subterranean world together. He listened, carefully observing, taking in their knowledge and wisdom, slowly beginning to grasp the patterns in their language, their gestures, the

Parker answered, holding his stomach as a stitch gripped his side. “We need a river.” Riley declared. “But…” Paisley’s objection left her lips before she could think it through, and now her siblings were looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish her thought. Sighing when she realized they weren’t just going to forget, she added, “I can’t swim.” Her heart had never been strong enough to handle any type of cardio activity, so she’d missed out on a lot of fun things other pups took for granted. “Tha’s okay.” Parker assured her. “We’ll help you.”