As some of you know Neil came down here to Florida for a couple of week's to relax and to be on vacation.
Well, while he, Mary and I were on the back porch talking and enjoying a frost beverage he asked if we could do a river for a day paddle and so he could get some pictures of a gator or two.
A short history lesson for you that don't know. Neil lives in Canada and is the gentlemen that set this forum up for us .....and Southern Paddler for me .......We call him the Administrator.
Naturally I don't need a big push to go paddling
so I suggested that unlike the other time when we did Rock Springs and he paddled his own canoe , that this time I would paddle and he could be in the bow taking pictures of the gators.
Neil liked the idea so we set up a run on the Econ for the following morning.
Morning arrived and he took Mary to her work so he would have her car to use and we could do the ole my truck at the takeout and the car at the put in ....Or the car shuffle if you want to call it that. Since the Mohawk (16 fiberglass tandem canoe) was on the trailer we decided to use it for the trip.
Got some coffee at a maw and paw shop and off to the Econ.
Dropped off the canoe at the Econ (419 area) then took the truck & trailer to the Snow Hill bridge and parked it so it would be there when we got off the river. Everything is going as planned at this time.
Arrived back at 419 and the canoe so we took it down to the river and loaded it up then hopped in and started to paddle down stream. The weather was really nice, sun shinning, a gentile breeze and everything was just perfect. About 1/2 way down the Econ ...Neil looks at me and say's .... You need to do something with this canoe it just does not have a lot of room up here in the bow for a paddler. A little more leg room would be a lot more comfortable or a seat with a back on it so a person could stretch out there legs.
What in the heck is he talking about ...I am thinking, there is plenty of room up there in the bow. :?
So I reach out to take another paddle stroke and then it hit's me. YOU DUMB A#$ You have him in the stern seat and we are paddling this thing BACKWARDS
I suggest that we pull over at a sandbar and get out to stretch for a minute. While standing there I told Neil that it might be a little nicer if we switched ends of the canoe and he would have more leg room. Then the question I was dreading and just knew he would ask...........WHY ????????
So I told him that his guide goofed up and we were paddling the canoe backwards and that he was sitting in the stern seat facing the wrong way.
Neil just smiled and told me he would never tell anyone about this and he just loves the idea of being able to hold a major goof up over my head.
Then he started to chuckle and got this look on his face that would strike fear in anyone and said three little words that still chills me to the bone and makes me want to run for some dark spot.
SOUTHERN PADDLER'S FORUM
I smiled and told him, Rent on my place for his vacation and we reached an agreement .....both of us would be silent about that small, slight, not important, oversight, of the seating arrangement on the river trip.
Anyway we had a good time, a pleasant paddle and Neil got several good pictures of some gators, herons, turtles and an eagle.
By the way it never RAINED on us, just great weather and a canoe that goes down stream backwards. Well, for about 1/2 of the run.
Besides I like to tell on myself when I screw up ..... Stop snickering you guy's ... like you never have goofed up. Plus it gives Kayak Jack plenty of ammo to use against me. :?
I am sure Neil has forgotten it because he and Mary were at the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal last night after we got off the river. Thinking about it I might of gotten him prepared for that by paddling with me during the daylight.
What could be more freighting :?:
Chuck.
Well, while he, Mary and I were on the back porch talking and enjoying a frost beverage he asked if we could do a river for a day paddle and so he could get some pictures of a gator or two.
A short history lesson for you that don't know. Neil lives in Canada and is the gentlemen that set this forum up for us .....and Southern Paddler for me .......We call him the Administrator.
Naturally I don't need a big push to go paddling
so I suggested that unlike the other time when we did Rock Springs and he paddled his own canoe , that this time I would paddle and he could be in the bow taking pictures of the gators. Neil liked the idea so we set up a run on the Econ for the following morning.
Morning arrived and he took Mary to her work so he would have her car to use and we could do the ole my truck at the takeout and the car at the put in ....Or the car shuffle if you want to call it that. Since the Mohawk (16 fiberglass tandem canoe) was on the trailer we decided to use it for the trip.
Got some coffee at a maw and paw shop and off to the Econ.
Dropped off the canoe at the Econ (419 area) then took the truck & trailer to the Snow Hill bridge and parked it so it would be there when we got off the river. Everything is going as planned at this time.
Arrived back at 419 and the canoe so we took it down to the river and loaded it up then hopped in and started to paddle down stream. The weather was really nice, sun shinning, a gentile breeze and everything was just perfect. About 1/2 way down the Econ ...Neil looks at me and say's .... You need to do something with this canoe it just does not have a lot of room up here in the bow for a paddler. A little more leg room would be a lot more comfortable or a seat with a back on it so a person could stretch out there legs.
What in the heck is he talking about ...I am thinking, there is plenty of room up there in the bow. :?
So I reach out to take another paddle stroke and then it hit's me. YOU DUMB A#$ You have him in the stern seat and we are paddling this thing BACKWARDS
I suggest that we pull over at a sandbar and get out to stretch for a minute. While standing there I told Neil that it might be a little nicer if we switched ends of the canoe and he would have more leg room. Then the question I was dreading and just knew he would ask...........WHY ????????
So I told him that his guide goofed up and we were paddling the canoe backwards and that he was sitting in the stern seat facing the wrong way.
Neil just smiled and told me he would never tell anyone about this and he just loves the idea of being able to hold a major goof up over my head.
Then he started to chuckle and got this look on his face that would strike fear in anyone and said three little words that still chills me to the bone and makes me want to run for some dark spot.
SOUTHERN PADDLER'S FORUM
I smiled and told him, Rent on my place for his vacation and we reached an agreement .....both of us would be silent about that small, slight, not important, oversight, of the seating arrangement on the river trip.
Anyway we had a good time, a pleasant paddle and Neil got several good pictures of some gators, herons, turtles and an eagle.
By the way it never RAINED on us, just great weather and a canoe that goes down stream backwards. Well, for about 1/2 of the run.
Besides I like to tell on myself when I screw up ..... Stop snickering you guy's ... like you never have goofed up. Plus it gives Kayak Jack plenty of ammo to use against me. :?
I am sure Neil has forgotten it because he and Mary were at the Halloween Horror Nights at Universal last night after we got off the river. Thinking about it I might of gotten him prepared for that by paddling with me during the daylight.
What could be more freighting :?:
Chuck.