Paddling beneath basalt columns, a daughter sits upright on her father's lap in an orange kayak. She holds the single double-ended paddle in her own hands and draws one blade through the water beside the hull. Her father smiles toward her effort, with his hands resting at the sides of her waist. Their fitted life jackets have dark straps and fastened buckles.

Coral sleeves and a yellow vest distinguish the girl from her father's blue shirt and red vest. Her legs point toward the bow between his, and the paddle shaft crosses diagonally in front of them. Small ripples gather around the lowered blade while drops fall from the raised one. Black deck cords, a wet molded rim and bright reflections give the orange boat a solid presence on the water.

Above the pair, closely fitted basalt columns rise into a vast dark wall. Fractures, uneven ledges and scattered warm patches break up the vertical shafts. The blue-green water reflects the cliff and kayak, keeping the intimate paddling lesson connected to the scale of the coast.