20080222 Plot Twist
20080222 Plot Twist
On Tuesday last was scheduled my first ranger-led sunset canoe trip onto Florida Bay in at least three years. I wanted a good crowd so via email I spread the word to Gulf Coast, Shark Valley, and Pine Island. Someone took the initiative from there and posted the event to the park website. The trip quickly booked to standing room only, with a waiting list of five couples.
I had the bird walk the morning of the trip. Rain fell the entire time such that my group and I never left the Visitor Center breezeway. No matter, the birds on the flat put on quite a show.
Throughout the day rain and wind traded center stage. An encore was predicted for the evening. Several participants called to cancel. Near show time a squall line lay northeast to southwest across the radar screen, west of Flamingo headed east. The north wind blew about 15 knots. Still, I was reluctant to cancel. You never know.
As the audience assembled on the Florida Bay basin seawall, I warned them of the forecasted drama. "Moderately heavy rain is predicted and I can see it on the radar. Stronger winds may develop, forcing us to turn around. Still, I am willing to start the trip." Another couple dropped out. Some of those remaining distributed the impromptu rainwear of choice, black plastic garbage bags. Surprisingly, just as many people waited on standby as dropped out. Every place on every boat was filled with no one left out. Even Stephen.
As our flotilla of 12 canoes and kayaks paddled onto the bay, the wind dropped to about 10 knots. While gray clouds covered 98% of the sky, a hole appeared to the west. Miraculously, about an hour later the sun appeared in that hole surrounded by its own beams. It flamed in glorious climax until being doused by the bay.
As we paddled back to Flamingo in nearly dark dénouement, the overcast broke and a brilliantly white nearly full moon lit our path. The wind, in our faces for the early part of the return, stopped all together.
Had some force acted counter to the foul weather that threatened this introduction into Ranger Steve Robinson’s favorite Everglades genre? You never know.
On Tuesday last was scheduled my first ranger-led sunset canoe trip onto Florida Bay in at least three years. I wanted a good crowd so via email I spread the word to Gulf Coast, Shark Valley, and Pine Island. Someone took the initiative from there and posted the event to the park website. The trip quickly booked to standing room only, with a waiting list of five couples.
I had the bird walk the morning of the trip. Rain fell the entire time such that my group and I never left the Visitor Center breezeway. No matter, the birds on the flat put on quite a show.
Throughout the day rain and wind traded center stage. An encore was predicted for the evening. Several participants called to cancel. Near show time a squall line lay northeast to southwest across the radar screen, west of Flamingo headed east. The north wind blew about 15 knots. Still, I was reluctant to cancel. You never know.
As the audience assembled on the Florida Bay basin seawall, I warned them of the forecasted drama. "Moderately heavy rain is predicted and I can see it on the radar. Stronger winds may develop, forcing us to turn around. Still, I am willing to start the trip." Another couple dropped out. Some of those remaining distributed the impromptu rainwear of choice, black plastic garbage bags. Surprisingly, just as many people waited on standby as dropped out. Every place on every boat was filled with no one left out. Even Stephen.
As our flotilla of 12 canoes and kayaks paddled onto the bay, the wind dropped to about 10 knots. While gray clouds covered 98% of the sky, a hole appeared to the west. Miraculously, about an hour later the sun appeared in that hole surrounded by its own beams. It flamed in glorious climax until being doused by the bay.
As we paddled back to Flamingo in nearly dark dénouement, the overcast broke and a brilliantly white nearly full moon lit our path. The wind, in our faces for the early part of the return, stopped all together.
Had some force acted counter to the foul weather that threatened this introduction into Ranger Steve Robinson’s favorite Everglades genre? You never know.
posted by Tim at 3:00 PM
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