archive for the “Florida” category
my newest toy, a cheap, plastic kayak for paddling on East Bay when, like the past week, the water is so rough (whitecap waves and swells) and I don’t want to stand in the wind on a board. A kayak cuts through waves, and I’m not standing in the wind, so I can make progress against wind and wave action with a two-blade kayaking paddle. I confidently turn sideways to waves and swells in the kayak (to change course). On my board I was afraid of being tossed into cold water when turning the board slowly on rough water in stiff winds.
Catalan racer Oriol Servia practices for the March 25 IndyCar Grand Prix of Saint Petersburg
Watch the SCCA Pirelli World Challenge sports car race on NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) April 8 from 4:30-6 p.m. ET.
Some of my photos of the Sixtieth 12 Hours of Sebring race are on OpenPaddock.net.
On a weekend without any race spectating in person or on television, home alone doing homework, I’m eager to go to the 12 Hours of Sebring about a month from now.
smooth water on East Bay
I have enjoyed so much paddling my 11-foot board in East Bay, chasing dolphins, watching ospreys and pelicans dive for fish, watching F-15s and F-22s banking overhead…
I love it, I love it, I love it! Exercising out in nature … as soon as I push-off, and the board glides away from the beach, I am on the bay, amidst nature, away from civilization, which I don’t see behind me.
I see mostly green water below and before me, and blue sky and white clouds above. The bay is so peaceful. I mean it’s a peaceful place to be, even if the water’s not calm. I rarely see a boat on the bay. Every second or third day that I’m on the water, airplanes are overhead: twin-turboprop planes laden with sensors, little Beech turboprop trainers, F-4s, F-15s, F-22s, T-38s, and/or F-18s. I certainly don’t mind them disturbing the peace; I love to watch them fly, often directly over my head. Many of the pilots fly touch-and-goes, landing, lifting off, then banking left to fly over East Bay (and me) or right to fly over the Gulf. Some days pilots are just returning from sorties and land immediately after approaching.
But many days I quietly enjoy the peaceful ‘wilderness.’ I watch cormorants duck under the water’s surface to swim and try to catch fish, I watch mullet jump again and again out of the water, and I see below me ‘puffer’ fish inflate themselves and swim away. Small- and medium size skates also swim away from my big white board and yellow-blade paddle. Standing on a board I can see so much in the water that I wouldn’t see if I were swimming.
Yesterday I saw a turtle swimming in shallow water. I hadn’t seen turtles or horseshoe crabs for months.
As I did when I was swimming, I admire pelicans gliding fast close to the surface of the bay, other pelicans orbiting twenty meters high, looking for fish then diving upon them … I see egrets or cranes walking slowly along shores, looking for fish in shallow water, and of course I see gulls wandering.
I really enjoy being out there on the water. Every day is different – waves, or lack of them, wind speed and direction, sky brightness and clouds, wildlife to watch, maybe boaters in the distance, maybe airplanes above …
another miscategorized, poorly-written PanamaCity.Craigslist.org ad:
Need a baby sitter? (Panama city, Fl)
Date: 2011-09-05, 11:17PM EDT
Reply to: job-rgewk-2____7@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
I am a 19 yrs old female and love kids and great with babies I have a job but would like to make some extra cash I have a valid licenses and clean record. I can babysit anyday after 330. Pay is negotiable! Just give me a email if you are intrested thank you!
- Location: Panama city, Fl
- Compensation: negotiable
another miscategorized, poorly-written Panama City Craigslist ad, from someone who has seen too many Transporter movies:
discreet driver/ no questions asked (anywhere)
Date: 2011-08-31, 12:30PM EDT
Reply to: job-uwk______9@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
I have 25 years of experience, I have driven all over the world, I ask no questions, as long as the money is good. I am a professional driver. I will transport anything w/o specifics. All I need to know is when and where the item is to be delivered. Serious inquiries only. I am retired Army looking for work. I have no problem in doing illegal shit.
