823

The drive down is quick this morning. I am not sure whether it is that “Only A Game” is on or that I don’t have a course to teach until this afternoon. I cruise into Westport picking up water at Lee’s and coffee at Starfish. Breakfast is kicking in and I feel the energy flowing.

Some of the crew are already in. The front door is open and the flag is up. I enter the shop to see Sam pouring over the schedule, courses as well as rentals. It is going to be a tight day. I start pulling boats and gear. Rob rolls in and jumps into the fray.

Mike’s trip is ready to go and Carl plays chauffer. Early renters appear out of nowhere. We have told everyone that today is one of those days where it is better to go in the afternoon when the tide is in. We load boats on vehicles for those going offsite and put others on the river. It is a nice morning and I am anxious myself to get out on the water but it will be a couple hours yet until my class goes.

After the first wave of boat hauling and launching of renters I grab one of my sandwiches and inhale it. I will have energy to burn today. I inhale the second sandwich and eat my nectarine while Rob grabs his between sending out renters. We trade launches and feed off an amazing amount of positive energy.

I jump into my gear as the crowd of renters swells. My people are arriving. I start the course while Rob sends out the some of the noon renters. He joins us in a couple of minutes as Carl brings Mike and his crew back from the tour. We kick into gear and get the Intro course really cooking. These folks are going to be a blast. Already they have personality and are expressing individuality. That always bodes well for a great class.

The class goes well. Some folks get it, some folks are close. We try to give everyone as much attention as we can but it is not a private lesson. Our styles are different but the respect and trust is there so we blend our teaching well. The class exhausts themselves and we head back in. They are smiling and happy but looking forward to getting off the water.

The shop lawn is littered with boats. There are still renters out. We say our goodbyes to the class and start hauling boats, cleaning gear and try to prep for leaving in an hour and a half. There is work but also fun. Our silly little PFD toss is a wonderful break in the headlong rush to the end of the day. Rob is in the window while I chuck the jackets up to him. It is August so I am able to accurately huck the vests from wherever they have been set to dry. I start banking them off the wall next to the window with only a couple of misses. There is laughter from the shop and out on the lawn as we grind to the end of the day.

I climb into my truck and head to Carl and Sam’s house by way of my second trip to Lee’s, this time for dinner fixins. Rob and Alicia show up and we have a nice low key evening hanging out watching the last of the Olympics and chatting. Fall is going to be quiet with Rob going to a new job, Alicia back to teaching and Izzy back to college. Labor Day is next weekend as is the start of our fall season.

After Work

The wave slaps my shins as it rushes past. Receding water leaves the rock I am on slippery. My arm cocks back. The rod tip flashes forward and the released lure hurtles through the air flying a country mile before landing with a splash. I let it sit there slowly sinking. My hand starts cranking the handle on the reel. Not too fast. The line flicks the water as it tightens with a snap that causes the lure to again splash. Perhaps I have managed to get it to behave like a wounded fish.

The wave slaps my shins as it rushes past. Receding water leaves the rock I am on slippery. The rod bends to the sound of “z”. My body jumps and my arm cocks back again. The drag is set too low. My fingers fumble for the dial and increase the drag. I am off balance but still standing. “z”. My hand cranks the handle of the reel quickly. I pull up on the rod.

The wave slaps my shins as it rushes past. Receding water leaves the rock I am on slippery. My foot slides out and I sit hard. My hand is still cranking as I try to stay on the rock. The tension suddenly releases and again I am off balance. I slide into the water and stand on the sandy bottom winding in the now slack line.

The wave slaps my chest as it rushes past. There are hoots of laughter from the shore. I turn to look and my friend’s family is amused by my fall. Children stare at me in disbelief. I climb back on the rock staring hard at the water.

I look down as a wave slaps my shins as it rushes past. Receding water leaves the rock slippery. Both my pride and my heel are wounded. My arm cocks back. The rod tip flashes forward and the released lure hurtles through the air flying a country mile before landing with a splash. There is another splash as a rock mirrors the flight of the lure. From shore a voice yells “There’s a fish!” chorused with laughter. The day is done and I am entertaining people for free now.

My hand starts cranking the handle on the reel. Not too fast. The line flicks the water as it tightens with a snap that causes the lure to again splash. Perhaps I have managed to get it to behave like a wounded fish. The wave slaps my shins as it rushes past. Receding water leaves my rock slippery.

Times Fly

With Green Heron and Snowy Egrets in the marshes it is migration time! Osprey young are almost as big as their parents and still begging for food even though their emancipation is just around the corner. Schoolies are hitting the river at flood tide winnowing the bait fish population.

You have to get down here to go birding. Early tends to be a little better for conditions (other than tide) but really, any time down here is good. The Osprey will be on the move soon. A renter brought her boat back and talked about being stunned at how many Osprey there were in such a small area.

The winery tour was lots of fun. It is nice to work with people you know doing a job you love and having the trip reflect that fun. I didn't go to the dinner so I can only say the other guides enjoyed it. Izzy ran a Intro to Kayaking Family Fun Tour and I assisted. That was another blast. I had quite a bit of fun watching her work and am going to try and steal a couple of things that she did that I really liked.

All the Signs

The white “Z”s on my otherwise brownish feet, flash brightly at me in the shower. There are calluses and a tan where the body has adjusted to the summer activity. Raw spots where a little grit got in and ground its way through set up a constant background whine. A craving for caffeine has taken up residence in my brain. I am a year older.

Birds are grouping up, getting as many calories on board as they can before they set off for the south. Fishermen can be seen bouncing from one foot to the other as they anxiously wait for the second coming of the Stripers. Summer people are frenetically grabbing every bit of relaxation they can get their hands on before they head back home.

It is August and the mad dash for fall is in full swing.