We go boating again

Saturday offered fair skies and balmy temperatures so we could not resist the temptation offered by Larry and Linda to accompany them on a boating adventure to Long Key.

Heading east, the miles sped by quickly due not only to the pleasant company but also to the fact that we traveled by car to Long Key park where we then switched to canoes.

With paddles in hand we braved the mangrove surrounded waters. Due to De Anne fidgeting in her bow seat I (always safety conscience) lowered our center of gravity by sitting on the canoe floor. I reviewed overboard proceedures and quickly determined that if one or both of us went over the side and ended up prone in the water by quickly flipping onto our backs death from drowning could be cheated. The water depth varied from 3 to 6 inches. Of course the required life jackets were provided by the rangers and if needed could have been dropped overboard and used as a platform to stand on keeping our feet dry until rescue crews arrived.

While Linda and Larry never went completely aground, for some reason we did. Strangely enough, once I stepped out of the canoe - sinking up to my ankles in the briny deep - we were no longer aground. In deeper waters I handled all rudder functions (semi-successfully) while offering De Anne encourgement to paddle harder in order to keep pace with Larry and Linda. They seemed to both be paddleing simultaneously for some unknown reason. As always, I conscientiously conserved my physical resources in case some emergency arose requiring the services of a 57 year-old corpulent man with a lisp. (Yes, the tooth is still missing - but I digress).

After a while we realized we were fighting a current. So, after going aground and then having a foul tide we realized the only thing missing from our usual boating experiences was wind on the nose.

It was great to be out again, and to cap off the day we stopped at Coco Plum Beach for a walk. A man on the beach was throwing rocks into the water and his dog would swim out and dive for them. I had seen dogs fetch floating things before but never a salt-water diving dog!
Boy Scout Troop carrier: