We went on a boat! Part 1

15 June 2008

We are very lucky because we happen to have friends who (a) own a boat, and (b) invited us to go out and play. ;)

The boat was an eight-seater with a little engine and could go at least 30 mph. Short of rowing boats I’d never been on one this small before so at first I was just a tad nervous. That lasted all of, oh, I dunno, five minutes. ;)

You back the boat and trailer down the ramp, the driver dumps the boat off the trailer, and then drives the car back to parking. He then gets damp, boarding the boat.

It would be understatement of the year to say that the scenery from Trinity Lake is spectacular. These are the Trinity Alps.

It’s been a long time since I could reasonably climb one of these without needing a rescue team to bring me down the mountain, but this doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate their beauty.

The wake stretching out behind us was oddly hypnotic.

There are parts of the lake where you’re required to slow down and not create a wake, though. These are marked with buoys. It’s kind of surreal to see the equivalent of traffic signs out here on the water. ;)

Most of the shoreline, which is very low now, consists of a barren, sandy kind of earth. But from time to time a large rock would jut out.

There were hundreds of little inlets, some of which will probably have streams running down them in the winter. We stopped here to look around. Apparently one can pan for gold in some of these areas! (At around $800 an ounce, a moderate find might pay a few months’ rent…we’re going to try it sometime.)

Here’s our chariot. Isn’t she a cute little thing?

The shoreline here was awash with butterflies. There were literally hundreds, and they weren’t shy.

From time to time bugs from the shore would hitch a ride, until they realized we were not going their way and would leave.

Coming out, I was introduced to the front seat. My baseball cap blew off (we caught it before it went overboard) but the feeling of the wind in my face was incredible.

The view, of course, was not to be sniffed at either. ;)

And no, I hardly ever wear matching socks. ;)

Our second stop was at an inlet full of tumbled wood and junk. Those bright green plants in the background have furry leaves. :)

Look out for part two, coming tomorrow. :)