When I was a teenager, I loved to go canoeing. We would head out on Beaver Dam Lake as soon as the spring sun warmed the air and work on our tans. It became a ritual for the eight of us each year.

At Girl Scout Camp Blackhawk, canoeing was a major activity, and I loved every moment. We spent hours learning how to paddle correctly and steer accurately. Time passed, and after I moved away from home, I never had the chance to continue canoeing or to try kayaking.

When I returned to Wisconsin in 2014, kayaking had become a popular sport in town. There was a rental spot at Waterworks Park and a launching area that made getting in and out of a kayak simple. My sister and I would pass it often on our daily walks and always said, “One day we’ll try it.” But we never did.