... but I wouldn't call it "just another paddle". No matter how many times I do this paddle, I am never disappointed by the sights and experiences, and last evening was no exception. The Pelican referred to is Pelican Island, the sub-island of Galveston Island, Texas. This turned out to be a "ladies'" paddle. There were four of us including myself, Lynne Ketchum, Marilyn Kircus, and my library student worker Autumn. Marilyn and Lynne and I in sea kayaks; Autumn on a sit-on-top the University had purchased for recreational users. Or, at least that was the way we started out at 5:30 p.m. The little blue sit-on-top (Pelican Viper) spun out continuously for Autumn, so in a little while, Marilyn offered her boat and a trade was done. The Viper spun its short stubby self in fewer circles with Marilyn astride, but had her worn out by the time we got to the ICW cut. In the way of fidgety boats, Marilyn's boat also dumped Autumn into the water broadside to the waves, so we moved on to the shoreline and an inviting-looking beach to put Autumn and boat back together again. Little did we know what a slime-pit and sucky mud beach it was! Lynne got stuck up to her knee and finally took the two of us to get her unstuck and back in her boat; and I saddled up on the Viper, Marilyn now in my Falcon. We crossed the ICW and two barges moored along the cut. The nesting pelicans of my last trip were no longer to be seen, but no lack of other birds. There were more numbers and species than any time I can remember. This includes a flock of those incredibly pink roseate spoonbills; 10 black-necked stilts at once grubbing for food in the shallow waters; hundreds of laughing gulls; many willets, brown pelicans, terns. A skimmer skimming; oystercatcher working the beach. Two white-faced ibises and many of the more common whites. The sunset was gorgeous out on the water and at its most intense red coloring the yellow/orange lights of Texas City refineries made a vivid ground contrast against the darkening and reddish sky. And no mosquitoes - even more unusual! Autumn reports she used a heating pad on her upper back last night, and I was amused by her remark at the takeout that us older ladies had "kicked her butt" on the paddle. I had less trouble than the others with the Viper. Years of paddling spinny whitewater kayaks has some advantage. We were packed up and heading off of Pelican Island by 9:30 p.m. I noted the well-lit tugboats in the channel, mvoing in on the Texas Clipper II, ostensibly so she can set out for her summer training cruise. Well, another great Aggie joke must have been playing out - Clipper is still at the dock this morning. I am reminded of the remark of her captain a few years back - "this provides a great training experience for the cadets. If it didn't break down they wouldn't have the hands-on opportunity to learn how to fix her." Maybe they should take up some paddling exercises too! Now to unload the blue boat from my car; go home to finish up packing for the weekend camping trip to Texas Hill Country (Kerrville area) and folk festival and paddling coordinated by Donna Grimes. Have a good weekend, y'all. Natalie Wiest HCC Paddler & League City resident; Pelican Island employed *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Jun 03 2005 - 09:21:37 PDT
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