Posted November 6, 2011 by liveoakblues in Uncategorized. 8 Comments

I get the impression they don’t appreciate folks with “college boy” glasses paddling boats without motors at Otter Creek (given the jibes about not going above idle speed and the unanswered questions about what kind of fish they were catching) but I’ve grown used to it. The payoff was two hours of solitude, clear water, and perfect kayak weather. Some of my coworkers complain about having to live in Florida (expats from Colorado), and I only wish I could have taken them down Otter Creek on a brilliant Sunday afternoon to show them my Florida.

The first stop was an abandoned fishing trawler that would have made a perfect clubhouse for the 14-year-old that lives inside of me. I love all things abandoned: buildings, towns, boats. I like to imagine all that went on inside them and what led to their abandonment. Further on, the leopard-spotted gar were abundant, but no gators, as the water was almost numbing. The dead fawn floating just under the surface was another clue that they had headed to warmer ground.

It was great to be back in the saddle again and we made it back with just enough strength to rack the boats and head to a well-deserved meal. There are few things more visually sad than a kayak in the backyard gathering spider webs. That is one abandoned boat I do not like to see.