| It has been almost 40 years since I | | | | huge shark. Well, so the story went. |
| first sailed a canoe, and now is the | | | | The next day we headed home. As we broke |
| time to share the experience. | | | | camp, I noted the wind was in just the |
| I was with my Boy Scout troop out of | | | | right direction. Having sailed a little |
| Miami. We went for a canoeing trip into | | | | on my Uncle Carl's boat I had a little |
| the 10,000 Islands area of Florida, a | | | | familiarity with the whys and wherefores |
| place where the land and sea fight for | | | | of sailing. Not much, mind you, but it |
| preeminence over the very southern tip | | | | was that little bit of knowledge that |
| of the state. | | | | engendered the idea-sail-don't paddle. I |
| We paddled a mélange of canoes out to | | | | convinced my tent mate (smaller than me) |
| an island, maybe just a couple three | | | | that this was the way to go. We lashed |
| miles or so. We made camp on ground | | | | two sticks-probably two tent |
| barely above the high water mark, | | | | poles-together, square-rigged, and tied |
| scattered with coral and transient soil. | | | | to them an Army poncho. We lashed the |
| Plants consisted mostly of sea grape and | | | | mast to the forward thwart and he would |
| whatever weedy stuff grows in such | | | | have to act as the step to keep it |
| inhospitable conditions good only for | | | | vertical. |
| crabs, mosquitoes and the ubiquitous | | | | With steering paddle in hand, (now, I'd |
| sand fleas. | | | | never seen this before, only surmised |
| By that age I had pretty much reached | | | | it) we left the beach, hell-bent for |
| the point where I was too independent to | | | | leather. Well, not right away. For |
| be a Scout anymore and this would prove | | | | awhile we sailed while others paddled |
| to be my last trip hanging off the | | | | ahead of us. They laughed. I knew |
| umbilical of a Scout Master, especially | | | | better. Tentmate/mast step complained |
| one who (in my youthfully arrogant | | | | that we'd get in trouble. I assured him |
| thinking) was better off sitting in | | | | we were being good Scouts and told him |
| front of the tube watching a Dolphins | | | | to stop bawling and just hang on. |
| game than trying to lead a hardened | | | | Then…we got wind…. |
| outdoorsman like myself. I had already | | | | It wasn't much, but we started |
| spent many days in the Everglades and | | | | accelerating, leaving the paddlers |
| practically lived in the drained-swamp | | | | behind. He held on for dear life, I held |
| pine barrens surrounding our southern | | | | onto the paddle and steered. |
| Dade County home by then. (Within a | | | | Wow. |
| couple years of this trip I would find | | | | The flapping poncho filled and tightened |
| myself held by the foot by trap in | | | | as the wind picked up. The sound of |
| alligator-infested, chest-deep water in | | | | water rushing over tin and rivets |
| the Big Cypress Swamp; but that's | | | | increased as the mast step got louder in |
| another story.) | | | | his complaints. We were leaving a |
| During one of the many lulls in the camp | | | | wake...the paddlers fell behind. I heard |
| action, I took off with the canoe | | | | not a word from Scout Master, who was |
| assigned to me and my tent mate, a | | | | probably aghast at the site of two of |
| Grumman, if memory serves; aluminum, for | | | | his young troops showing him up in such |
| sure. Packing a spinning rod and a | | | | an obvious (and plainly heroic) manner. |
| mullet gig, I went in search of | | | | I guess we beat the rest of the Troop by |
| adventure, and maybe some fresh fish for | | | | close to an hour. Tentmate was scared |
| dinner. After sticking myself a black | | | | we'd be in trouble and he complained |
| mullet and baiting a hook, I settled | | | | about being held hostage and I reminded |
| down in the bottom of the canoe in my | | | | him he wasn't a hostage, but Pressed, |
| usual repose: horizontal-napping. After | | | | like the British did to American |
| a bit, I had a strike. Shark! It pulled | | | | sailors, and should be proud he was part |
| hard and began swimming to deeper water | | | | of a grand adventure. |
| with a tin canoe and teenager attached. | | | | Scout Master was mad we'd left the |
| I hung on and adjusted my rod angle so | | | | others behind and castigated me for |
| the boat would stay inline with the | | | | being irresponsible and what would have |
| fish, knowing a broach would be uncalled | | | | happened if we wrecked and all I could |
| for when a shark is on the line. | | | | think was he was better off living |
| He pulled. | | | | indoors with others of his kind and he |
| I pulled. | | | | was red in the face and I was sure it |
| He pulled harder. | | | | was because he was shown up by a boy not |
| I hung on, (harder). | | | | yet old enough to drive who was twice, |
| And then the line parted, but not after | | | | no-thrice-the outdoorsman he'd ever be. |
| he pulled me and canoe into open water. | | | | And, that, my friends, is how I came to |
| How cool. | | | | sail a canoe the very first time...and |
| I paddled back to camp with an air of | | | | things haven't been "right" since...LOL! |
| success having caught, and released, a | | | | |