urban canoeing

must urban outdoor experience: canoeing on the gowanus canal. the gowanus dredgers host free canoeing on the big G every other saturday of the month. when i told a few pals i was doing this responses included:

"you know their are multiple diseases you can contract from the gowanus."

"dude, i was walking by last night there was a film of oil on top. NASTY! i can't believe shar is canoeing that."

"you are going to get bionic powers from that water."

despite the comments, i hit the canal this afternoon and it was awesome. alex, one of the dredgers, paddled with me to the bay and then back all the way to the other end at bulter street. i even was in some video that some documentarians were doing on the program and the gowanus. i was less wet than when i kayaked on the hudson, so no super powers to report yet.