As the hulls of their kayaks silently glide through the water and the blades of their paddles rhythmically slice through the current, there is no feeling more peaceful and invigorating. At least that’s what experienced paddlers George and Irene Kamm say.

The couple has paddled off the banks of Nova Scotia and kayaked on the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. But since moving to Vantage House Life Care Retirement Community in downtown Columbia, the Kamms have contentedly navigated tamer waters locally, including Lake Kittamaqundi, Lake Elkhorn and Centennial Lake.

“A lot can go wrong when you take on a river,” explains Irene. “We have changed our destinations, but we aren’t ready to retire our kayaks yet – they’re stored downstairs.”

Also waiting release from winter storage are their bicycles, which once took them through the countryside of England, Holland, Germany, and other scenic spots. Now they have logged miles on bike paths in Columbia’s extensive network. While their sports equipment has not been retired, the couple themselves has – to a degree.

Very spry for their ages, 86 and 79 respectively, George and Irene Kamm fully embrace Columbia and its active lifestyle. Yet, they value the security of knowing that Vantage House, a continuing care retirement community, provides all levels of health care should the need arise. George says he initiated the move because he wanted them to arrange the next logical step of their lives themselves.

“No one our age wants to be a burden,” he says. But the Kamms’ idea of “slowing down” wouldn’t sound too relaxing to most people. In particular, the couple has kept very busy turning their apartment into a home. The brightly-painted rooms are decorated with European-style furnishings and prints of old masters such as Jan Vermeer. Adding to the warm feel of their home are Irene’s instruments: a harpsichord, piano and bass gamba, an early instrument in the viola family. Views of downtown Columbia from three angles give the apartment the feeling of a cozy aerie.

As lovely as it is, the Kamms hardly spend all their time there. George, a retired physicist who worked at the U.S. Naval Research Lab as a civilian, still makes the commute to Washington, D.C., twice a week to volunteer his services building scientific equipment. The couple travels frequently, too, arranging trips abroad with Elderhostel, an international non-profit adventure program.  

“I have always said you are only as old as you feel,” says Irene, explaining the couple’s desire to pursue their favorite outdoor sports, retired or not. As warmer weather finally shows its face in Howard County, the Kamms are feeling that familiar itch – it’s time to check out a new trail or lake, something they’ve had no trouble doing in their new neighborhood.