BOAT HEAD

Boat Head: the sensation one gets while sitting completely still after being in rolling swells for hours in the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.

Day 68 of the BP oil spill and we are still oil free along our beaches and in our section of the Gulf. A few tar balls is all we have seen, thank goodness. Another fantastic weekend and today was another gorgeous day on the water in our kayaks. God has surely blessed us for at least one more weekend!

We spent the day at Crooked Island, where else? With a prevailing south wind, the paddle across to the east side was flat and calm, except for those rolling swells coming in from the Gulf. The booms were out across the sound and the oil workers are ever present these days. We skipped landing on the beach and headed straight out the pass into the Gulf and toward Mexico Beach. The water was perfect and today was the day to admire the awesome clouds forming back over land. We have marveled at some incredible cloud formations while
on the water in the past few years and today was no exception. The clouds started banking up early and by the afternoon, we could hear thunderstorms coming.

Paddling down the east side of the sound today was just as gorgeous as previous weekends. Last weekend the Gulf was flat, today rolling swells. We commented to each other that we would both have boat head today after being on the swells. We aren't sure if it is the rolling swells that cause the boat head or the amount of time we spend in the kayaks in the open water. We don't seem to experience boat head if we remain inland, only if we are out in the Gulf.

The tarpon fishermen were out early and scoping the sandbars for the illusive fish. We had seen several schools of tarpon last weekend and hoped we would see some again today. We spotted several sea turtles while paddling down the shoreline but they are so shy. Once you spot one, he is quick to duck underwater. Pelicans were floating in the Gulf, enjoying the swells. Dolphins were feeding in the emerald waters. We paddled a couple miles down the beach and then turned around to head back to the pass. While heading back, Jr. spotted a school of unidentified fish and cast out into them. He soon landed one but we weren't sure what it was. He let it go and caught another one and then another. He finally decided they were Ladyfish. Great little fighters and fun to catch!

As we neared the pass, the cell phone rang and it was our kayaking friends who were coming out to meet us. We paddled across the pass to the west side and met up with them on the beach. After a quick lunch and short trip down the beach to look for shells, the Gulf was again calling us to come play. So out we all went, this time to the west. The tarpon fishermen were still out and annoyed with us although we were nowhere near them to disturb their fishing. We paddled around and out to the "pretty" water and indeed did spot three tarpon. Jr. was behind us and spotted several more. He is now determined to get the proper rod, reel, and bait to try to catch one of those big fellows. What a great catch that would be out of his kayak!

We paddled back in and landed on the beach to swim and snorkel a bit. The thunderstorms were growing but nowhere near us. Our friends left before us, heading back to the landing. We made another trip down the beach to shell hunt and saw a new sea turtle nest. We have seen five just on the west side of the sound in the past few weeks. After our walk, it was time to head in. The storms were brewing and it was getting late.

It was another perfect day on the water, one we no longer take for granted since the oil spill. We now cherish every day we get to go out, when the water is still clean and pure and the beaches spoiled only by a bit of sea grass. We do not know what each day will bring to the Gulf or beaches here or what impact the oil will have once it arrives. It is not a matter of IF any longer, but WHEN. So, we plan our next trip, hoping the one we just made wasn't our last. My boat head is subsiding as I write this and my kayak is ready to go again. Let's hope for those southeast winds that have been kind to us so far to keep that nasty oil away!