View from the Bow…

When Deb and I first arrived in Florida back in 1981, we worked with the Lee County school district’s Environmental Education department – a job that had us working with kids and teachers outdoors a large part of the time. As our FL coastline provides vital ecological and economical benefits to our area, we often found ourselves exploring and teaching on or near the water. Florida has almost 1,200 miles of shoreline ranging from white sandy beaches to impenetrable mangrove swamp. And of course, we loved being on and around the water. 

In those early days, we had access to a battery of 17″ aluminum Grumman warhorses, and we took advantage of it. But years went by, we left the EE department and moved on to school-based jobs, me in technology and Deb in media. We often spoke about buying some sort of boat, canoe, kayak, whatever – but it wasn’t until 2006 that we finally broke down and did something about it. 

First, you have to understand that there are two kinds of people in the world. People who paddle kayaks, and people who paddle canoes. Now, I have nothing against ‘yakkers’ as they are affectionately known. Some of my best friends go both ways, paddle-wise. But for me, I want a paddle with a blade on one end and a handle on the other. 

So when we finally got serious about getting ourselves a boat, it was clear from the start that we were talking about a canoe. That cut down the choices we needed to consider from essentially infinite to less than a thousand. Things like size, weight, shape, material, design, color, and more all came into play. After doing a lot of looking around and comparison ‘shopping’, we (mostly me, I guess…) decided on the Old Town 15′ Square Stern Predator – a true thing of beauty.  

 

This plan went right out the window when Deb and I found one for sale while travelling through Maine on our 25th wedding anniversary. I grabbed one end, Deb grabbed the other and we lifted. And it didn’t move. Turns out that 113 lbs. is not an acceptable choice when it comes to weight, even if all the other parameters are maxed out. 

So we adjusted. We gave up on the square stern (I had already bought a hefty trolling motor on ebay that would be pushing us into back bays and estuaries – that was the reason for this feature in the first place). We ended up with an Old Town 16′ Predator, in camo. Just slightly longer, but more narrow and with just two seats, it came in at a mere 87 lbs. (which Deb rightly tells me on many occassions is still at least 35 lbs. heavier than a canoe ought to be).

We outfitted it with cushy padded seats (yes with backrests, since we almost qualify as old folks), an off-set trolling motor mount, a few other necessities and placed the order at the L. L. Bean Store in Freeport, Maine. A few short weeks later, a box the size of a canoe showed up in a truck outside our door in south FL. Shipped from Maine to FL for $50! You couldn’t do that going the other way with a 10-lb. box of grapefruit. We waited patiently (not!) for the weekend, and then we christened the ‘Bout Time’ with her maiden voyage around the northern end of Pine Island. 

Not a bad view from the stern, either. Beauty on all sides, and in the middle, too...

The color of the water in Lee County ranges from nearly jet black in the cypress swamps to gin clear offshore. After the summer rains and winds, you can’t see the bottom of your paddle in 18 inches of estuarine runoff  the color of Yoo-Hoo. Other times, when it’s been dry and calm for some weeks, you’d swear that you’re deep in the FL keys, looking over vast expanses of blues and greens. That’s part of the beauty – you can go to the same place four times during the year and it never looks the same – it always feels new. 

I just don't know where kayakers keep all their stuff.

Some days, we just grab two paddles and the boat, and we’re gone. Other days, there’s a checklist that rivals a shuttle launch: motor, battery, seats, fishing gear, coolers (one for bait, one for beer iced tea), boat bag, anchor stick, first aid kit, tackle boxes, camera gear, binoculars, etc. The boat is rated for 1,200 lbs. – and sometimes, I think we’re pushing it.

Sometimes, you just have to get out and walk...

Whether we are fishing or sightseeing, aiming for exercise or complete relaxation, alone on the water or with a flotilla of friends, shooting for first light or last, there is no better place to spend your time than out on the water in a small boat.  In fact, I’m thinking about a series of small mangrove islands just off the causeway, at the northern end of San Carlos Bay. And I’m thinking Saturday morning…

If you want to see our ‘fishing log’, check it out at http://home.comcast.net/~keithrhanson. It is always in need of catching up, but you’ll get to see some of the places we’ve visited.   

It is, indeed.