Jul 13, 2008

Shari capsizes in Jamaica Bay...product review

Did I ever tell you about the time I fell off a jet-ski right off the coast of Riker's Island? Ass-over-teakettle, i managed to get back on, with a jury-rigged ladder and a lot of foul language. It took some doing. Just as I got back on, here comes the Coast Guard! It was like a dream...they rolled up in one of those boats with the rubber tube bottoms, slid open the door, and there they were, the Coast Guard Rainbow Fantasy Team. One white, one black, one Hispanic, one Asian, all young and very healthy looking. In real life, I did not jump back in (oh it was tempting), but in the movie script I'm working on, it all comes out in a totally different way...anyway, that's not the point of this post.

The point of this post is that I capsized on yesterday's Members who are also Beginners paddle. Don't tell Jerry, OK? That's what I get for my previous post, saying, hey maybe I actually know how to do this kayaking thing. The blogosphere gods did not like my pride it seems.

It was a beautiful day, but very windy. (Need I mention that they promised the wind would be at my back later, and that I am still waiting for this ephemeral later that never comes?) There I was, happily bobbing over the waves that arise from, well from all that gravity and moon stuff, plus the wind, plus the wakes of the big fossil fuel burning behemoths (too much? ok, wakes from the power boats). Like I said, happily bobbing. The sound effects were something like "whee, whee, whee, oh crap, CAPSIZE." I never even saw that third one coming, it was hiding behind the second one. Anyway, with a minimum of fuss, muss and bother, I was popped back into my boat by a very capable committee of helpers. I could almost claim it was a drill. But you would know I was lying, so hey, what can I say, it has happened to better people than me.

My coast guard dream team? Nowhere in sight. My Sebago rescue team was...just as good looking, really. Really.

Side note bird report: no sightings of Prof M's elusive black necked stilt (see one here: http://www.surfbirds.com/namericanbirds/shorebirds.html) but I did see some American Oystercatchers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Oystercatcher) and I love their orange lipstick look. These birds were previously close to extinction,so even though they are no longer rare in Jamaica Bay, I enjoy watching them play on the shoreline. What can I say, I enjoy a Budweiser bird as much as a microbrew.

But, wasn't this supposed to be a product review, I hear my dear reader asking. Get to the point, woman!

When I returned to the dock, after my salty baptism, I was thrilled to see my latest purchase and by far the best thing I have bought lately: a solar shower bag. You fill it with tap water, lay it out flat in a sunny spot (bench near back door of clubhouse) and go out kayaking. When you come back, the built in thermometer reads...104 degrees! That's a nice warm shower!

After washing the boats and putting them away, I hung my shower on the back of the club house where a handy piece of hardware was sticking out. It was warm. It was not salty. I really really like my outdoor shower bag. Someone should figure out a way to build one that covers the whole roof and we can all have hot showers. Then we can build some enclosures for the showers for privacy.

Then we can call the Coast Guard for a safety inspection. Ask for the Rikers Island department.

2 comments:

Mary said...

We can do this (build showers, not capsize). I was at a campground that had a large length of coiled black hose covering the top of a shed. Water sitting in the hose warms (quickly because it's not a great big pool of water) and comes out the far end warm or hot. But I don't know whether it is actually kosher with DEP DEC and Parks people.

Reverend Shari said...

ok, find a chairman of this committee (hint: not me!)