Water Activities

Today involved a variety of water activities.  When I woke up the sprinkler was on in the front yard and hitting my window - okay, that isn't one of the activities but it just came to mind when I was thinking about water.

First off was hiking to the base of Twin Falls.  The weather has been nice and hot, so it was a great day to go get completely soaked.  I go there basically every summer, but I cannot remember seeing the creek so muddy and high (I wouldn't have wanted to drink any of it today).  The left waterfall was really raging and the right waterfall was very small.  We were already feeling mist from the falls right after we crossed the rock face.  Getting down to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall was more work than usual.  I had a harder than usual time seeing to even get down to the pool, and I think I stepped into the water a little and then a wave came and soaked my foot (not that I noticed much because my shoes were already soaked).  The force of the wind from the waterfall even blew Aunt Jeany's sunglasses downstream.

me, Janine, Uncle Stan
- soaking wet from the waterfall

After Twin Falls we headed to Lake Kathlyn.  Mom and I kayaked from Lester's house over to where Janine is house sitting.  We spent time using kayaks, floating on the water, sitting on the dock, and getting in the water.  It was a beautiful afternoon.

While returning the kayaks to Lester's house, someone from our school community was coming back in with his Hobie Cat (a dual hull sailboat).  I had been watching him throughout the afternoon.  He was going to put his boat up and head home for dinner, but asked if any of us wanted a ride.  I definitely did.  It was a lot of fun to go sailing again, and it was only the second time I had been on a Hobie Cat.  One really neat part was that he had a harness, so I was in the harness, attached by a wire to the top of the mast, and then standing out above the water with my feet on the edge of the boat.  Not only was it fun, but it also helped to balance the boat.  We did ride on only one hull for a little while when we were going quite fast.  After going down the lake and coming back, I let him know that it would be fine if he needed to go.  I thought it was great, and it made me smile because his name was Doug and I have sailed many times with a different Doug in Louisiana.

Bringing in the Hobie Cat

It was a great day to spend on/in/around the water.