Sailing Away…

And, yes, he says he’s happy here, too.

Patrick, Bill and Joel on the Banana River

I think Patrick is happy, but he’s already headed home, so I didn’t ask.  He said he had a great time, though.

And Daniel loved piloting while Bill took a few minutes to talk to his brother….

A late night walk on the beach with Joel.  I love my kidlets!

Joel and Mom Cocoa Beach

Sunday, May 1:  The pose looks cheesy, and the hat isn’t so flattering, but I broke down and borrowed it from Bill when my hair got so wind-whipped I was beginning to look like Phyllis Diller.

I happened to mention that outloud and Joel said, “Who?”

Hiding my Phyllis Diller hair

Phyllis Diller

OK, yes, we limited media when they were growing up, but I  thought he’d know Phyllis Diller.  Perhaps she should have worn a hat, too.

I actually had a wonderful time sailing.  We watched manatee surface for air over and over at dusk, but they were hard to catch on video.  See a manatee, start a video, manatee disappears. Keep videoing in case it comes back up.  Give up.  Manatee resurfaces, start video, manatee disappears.  Give up.  Manatee resurfaces.  Repeat.

It was the same story watching dolphins surface.  I could have watched them all day, but couldn’t get pics.  And from the looks of some of my boring water-videos, I’ll also have to practice a steadier hand filming while sailing!

We watched cormorants glide past, half-submerged, and looking like weird little part-bird, part fish-creatures with just their necks sticking out of the water.

Cormorant

We saw White Ibis dig their beaks into the muddy shore for supper, flocks of pelicans gracefully glide by, and ospreys dive.  I even got to see a dolphin jump and splash on his back!

White Ibis

Pelicans

Osprey

Joel said his favorite part of sailing is sleeping.  Here he is checking out the cockpit…

Joel Sleeping in the Cockpit

…and the Cabin.

Joel checking out the cabin

He says his second favorite part of sailng is eating.  I think these two activities may be his favorite land pastimes as well.  Bill asked him to steer for a few minutes while he went below, and he quickly slipped into a napping position while eating (and steering).  That lasted until his mother ratted him out – just long enough for me to snap the photo.

Joel Nap-Piloting while eating

Techie Bill tracked our trip on his laptop.

Bill’s Laptop Tracking our Trip

We were able to make it back to the boat launch just as the sun was setting.

Sunset on the Banana River was yellow, pink and unbelievably lovely. I sometimes wonder why people are not able to see supernatural intelligence and supernatural power in the super-intelligent things that have been made.

Sunset on the Banana River

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Rom 1:20

Joel getting ready to throw the dock lines

Between getting to know the boat itself, working the main sail, and teaching Joel how to set up the jib (we made it all the way to a brisk 7 mph with the jib up), Bill entertained us with his never-ending supply of interesting facts about nature:  a group of crows is called a murder of crows, a group of owls a parliament – though we didn’t see either of them.

←Joel watching for the boat ramp as we finish the day.

All in all it was a lovely day!