Investigating Creeks

Today, with its warm temperatures and clear skies, was a good day for Julia to go rowing in the creeks. Adam's been working on her boat a little. He's got the back seat epoxied in tight. It'll have an air pocket here and in the front as well, so it can't sink.

So we sent her off into the creeks for an adventure. (Yes, she has a life vest on under that jacket.) She took her cell phone along too.

Meanwhile, Adam did a little tinkering with the sculling oar he's making, and I sat in the Nocturne, relaxing and enjoying the view from the boat.

Our cabin looks messy but lived-in.

On a boat, it's nearly mesmerizing to watching the flickering light reflections on other boats' hulls. It's comforting to listen to the "smack,slap!" of the water on the hulls, and the "gloop,gloop" of water underneath, as the wind tide pushes little waves against all the boats.

Sandy trotted along the piers, watching Julia disappear around the point, watching me sit in the boat. I didn't go anywhere.

After a while, we drove to another spot, to see if we could get a view of Julia, making progress.

Nope, she's not up there. But we saw some lovely river grasses.

We saw some beautiful boats, of course. There are too many to count around here. Julia called and told us she wanted to meet us at the boat ramp in Oriental, which means she'd have to row a distance into town, and then across Smith Creek.

The afternoon waned. We stood waiting under the Smith Creek bridge.

The sun moved toward its setting and glimmered in its watery mirror.

We drove over the high bridge, hoping to get a glimpse of the girl, in her little boat. Look what I found, blooming in a yard!

And we did see her, a dot in the watery mass, pulling hard at her oars. Here, she's crossing Smith Creek.

She hollered for Sandy, who had been most worried about her girl. Julia pulled in with a will, we loaded the boat up, and went home.

She had a great time, with one scary adventure. She saw a large snake in the water, its body about as big around as her thigh, she said. She described it as gray, white, and black, with a diamond pattern and two white rings near its tail. I know nothing about snakes except how to stay away from them. That did scare her a bit; she squealed and rowed away. Perhaps this will give her new incentive not to overturn her boat accidentally. But the purpose of her rowing adventures is for her to see and enjoy all the wildlife along the creeks -- birds, fish, mammals, and even snakes. And work on her muscles. She was just showing me a minute ago how they're growing!