Kayaking in Quezon City?

Kayaking in Quezon City? I was in grade 6 then. We were mighty adventurous, but lacking outlets to release our energies through. We wanted to go kayaking, but didn't have the kayak, the wild river, and the skill to do it. We remembered the dirty river nearby. Okay, that would do. Now, how to build the kayak? The kayaking skill could come later--right on the spot.

We got some empty rectangular gasoline cans, riveted them together to fit our legs in, and that formed the "kayak." We also built a "canoe" using Chinese wood planks nailed together. We sealed joints by dropping melted candle on them. That should do it, we thought. We also made paddles from woods. Then we marched through the woods and then down the dirty river to go kayaking in Quezon City. 

Everything sank. Kayaking was not that easy, after all. It looked so easy in the Encyclopedia we had browsed. The same with canoeing. We noticed goat poo floating on the water. Some of us wallowed some of that water when we sank. It was a miracle that no one had stomach trouble. We went home laughing, though a bit frustrated. We planned on a come back--we wanted to be the first to go kayaking in Quezon City. But the return bout never happened again. That was in 1972. 

 

Some 38 years have passed. Most of the QC kayakers are living abroad--one in Australia, two in the US, one is a Housing commissioner, one is dead, and one is a web content writer---me. Recently I passed by the bridge along Mindanao Avenue near Road 20 where the kayaking trip happened. It's now a major, busy road. Some 38 years ago it was surrounded by woods and thick clusters of bamboos. I reminisced and smiled as I passed by---kayaking in Quezon City. We never thought it was crazy and dangerous. 

Kids, don't do that at home--or in any river nearby.