Surprise Florida Trip

We woke up early last Monday morning, and headed out on another mystery vacation...we flew out of the Burlington airport via Jet Blue...we landed in Orlando around noon, and were at our hotel (the Marriott World Center) in time for a nice afternoon swim...we had a 3-day pass for Aquatica/SeaWorld, which would fill the next 3 days with fun in the sun...

The next morning we went to Aquatica, SeaWorld's waterpark, which was a ton of fun, especially in the heat...the rides were incredible, and we played for hours before heading home in the mid-afternoon...

Wednesday we went to Sea World, which was wonderful!


It was a very hot day, but we got there very early, and were among the first people into the park (something we did at both SeaWorld and Aquatica)...


One of the first things we saw was a display tank filled with stingrays, which we could touch...


...and feed...which was awesome!


My camera works underwater, so Gail took this pic of the stingrays swimming by...


We took turns holding the baitfish between our knuckles, and letting the rays take them from us...it felt amazing to feel their bony grinding plates suck in the fish (and sometimes our fingers) before swimming away again...


Ben loved feeding them, although it freaked him out a bit...we liked these guys so much that we came back at the end of our visit to feed them again on our way out of the park...


We next went to a dolphin feeding station, where we got to feed and touch the dolphins...it was astounding to get that close to these huge beasties...I was amazed at the feel of their skin, and the size/number of their teeth...


We had a great time feeding and playing with the dolphins...


Ben loved looking the dolphins in the eye and feeling them...this was a chance to connect with these mammals in a way I had never even dreamed about before...


After feeding them, we went into an underground viewing chamber to check out the dolphins and to cool off...


Bizarrely, while we were in there, a flock of pink flamingoes came down the ramp and into the chamber...my theory is that they came in to escape the heat (which was ridiculous)...


We loved visiting with the family of manatees living near the dolphin habitat...the manatees are silly and amazing creatures...


We went into one of the animal shows, and made a point of sitting in the "SOAK ZONE"...it worked...


The show was silly, but the performers, both human and animal, were fantastic!


We got soaked...


We were sitting up close enough to watch the action under water as well as above, and it was cool to watch the dolphins work with humans to pull off amazing aquatic stunts...


It was a great show!


We visited an alligator habitat, and while Ben liked them fine, he was just as interested in the anole lizard on the fence going through territoriality displays (we'd seen and learned about these on a David Attenborough nature show with Muz and D)...


We fed the seals and sea-lions, which was fun, although the innocent-looking one on the right was incredible at catching/stealing the fish that we chucked to the one on the left...


The show with Shamu and his friends was wonderful and even moving...


There was a super exhibit called "Wild Arctic", which was interactive, filled with incredible arctic beasts, and had superb set-design...we also appreciated the chill after the amazing heat of the park!


Ben on a beautiful polar bear statue outside the exhibit...


Family pic around the statue...

After leaving Sea World, we went back to the hotel to swim and rehydrate before our supper out at a pirate-themed dinner theater called, "Pirates Dinner Adventure"...


We went VIP (very important pirate?) for the show, which gained us a nicer place for the pre-show, preferred seating up front, better food, increased interactivity with the cast/show, and the opportunity to go on-ship after the show for pics with the cast)...Ben enjoyed a pre-show grog in a coconut...


Mid-way through the show, Ben joined the cast up on the ship to pledge fealty to the pirate king...


Later on, towards the end of the show, Ben was drafted to join the redcoats in an assault on the pirate ship to help rescue the princess...he was great!


Not surprisingly, he took his role very seriously...


After the show, we all went up on the pirate ship to get our picture taken with the lovely princess, and her brave and valiant boyfriend, the blue pirate...


Here you can see Ben relaxing in our hotel room...pirate style!

We had a super vacation, lots of fun and sun and sleeping in (for us) and eating out at great/fun restaurants...

More July Fun!

It's been a fun month in the sun...


Sarah on the dock at Camp Sunrise with Gail and Ben in their kayaks in the background...


Ben and Ayla noodling around in the water...


Trying to dump her off and into the water...


Kids and dogs in the water on the 4th...


Ben and Autumn and Ayla jumping off of the raft...


Ben and the girls up on the boathouse roof-deck...


A pretty sunset with a weird cigar-shaped cloud...


Sarah and Wendy enjoying the afternoon up on the boathouse above the water...


Ben and I went out paddling pretty mch every day, this day we went out for a morning paddle to Tommy's Rock, we bought breakfast along...


It was a gorgeous morning for a paddle, and Ben and I took a serpentine route out to Tommy's Rock to enjoy the morning and explore the newfound freedom of paddling your own boat...


We dragged our boats up on the island, happy to be the only ones out that early in the morning...


Ben played with some toys and explored the island a bit before we enjoyed our picnic breakfast...


I set up the hammock chair between a couple of trees, and enjoyed the shade and the breeze and the sounds and smells of the lake while reading a fun book about...zombies...


Later on in the morning, Ben took a break from running around and swimming, and ate some Smartfood and chillaxed in the hammock...


When we finally took off again to head home, Ben surprised me by disappearing to circle the island while I launched myself...we marco polo'd for a bit, but eventually hooked up again...he is very confident on the water and in his kayak...


He loves the freedom and grownupness of being able to choose his own route and pace...


We've had a great time paddling this summer, and are planning another paddle-camping trip with Gail and Ben and I...


I also took a bunch of paddle-trips with my dad, while they were still here...this is a huge culvert under a set of traintracks leading from Rainbow Lake to Lake Kushaqua in Onchiota...


I also took a super trip with some friends from ZSNY through the Saranac Lakes...


We did hammock camping, which made for a great tent village each night...

More pics to come, as I continue trying to clean up and catch up with my pictures...

First Week of Summer

We've had a great time during our first week of summer...my parents got here last Saturday, and we've basically moved over to the camp that they stay at for the month of July...we sleep in a cabin by the water, listen to loons around the clock, paddle our boats a couple of times a day, shower less than would seem appropriate, swim when we're hot, read when the mood takes us, drink strong coffee starting before 6am every morning, and live with the constant smell of wet dogs...it's pretty perfect!


One of our favorite trips is down through some ponds and rivers from Floodwood Pond to Upper Saranac Lake, and ending at Follensby Clear Pond...Gail has missed a couple of paddle-seasons due to work and such, and is glad to get back on the water in full force...


Sarah and her girlfriend Wendy are up visiting, and Ben rode with them on the Floodwood trip the other day...he is paddling his own kayak every day, but is not quite ready for the trips that we do...yet...soon...

Fuz is happy that the weather has turned nicer...we had a couple of days with rain and 40 degrees...chilly for paddling...


The river sections of the Floodwood trip are beautiful, and surprisingly when we did it the other day we saw almost no other people, despite the fact that it's the 4th of July Weekend...


It's a fun little stretch of water, with rocks and logs and ducks and turtles, with the sound of wind through the trees and the sound of gurgling water below your keel...one of the best places on Earth...


There are a couple of bigger ponds along the way, which are nice to get clear of the feeling that the woods are hanging over you...it would seem that the Eurasian Milfoil is becoming less prevalent along this waterway, which suggests that nature is in the process of reaching a balance with this invasive species...this section of the trip used to be jammed with the weed, and now is mostly clear of it...

Ben got an awesome summer haircut the other day, it is tempting me to go and visit Patty (our patron saint of hairstyle)...my only hesitation lies in the fact that the sight of my shaved head might make children cry (it is, in the words of Stuart Mackenzie, "like Sputnik. Spherical, but quite pointy in parts.")...here you can see Ben enjoying a bite of Wendy's cheese and horseradish sandwich...



Anti-Sarah teaching Ben the essentials of "picnic with pringles" etiquette...


Gail and Ben and I have made a habit of heading out every morning before everyone is up to go for a paddle...he's getting stronger and more confident with each day, and it is a fun bit of family time...

We brought a breakfast out to a nice/vacant campsite yesterday morning, and enjoyed watching the morning come to Upper Saranac Lake...as you may be able to see from the pic, I borrowed my dad's carbon fiber Hornbeck boat for yesterday's paddle...it's really fun, but also a bit like a longhaul trucker driving a friend's Porsche...



I had to take this runaround picture of all of us enjoying the splendor of morning at Campsite #3...


We paddle back the long way, around the island, and came home into a variable headwind, which Ben did very well with...


I raced the last 100 hundred yards so that I could help everyone out of their boats (although Ben has almost got the knack of it by now)...it was a glorious paddle...it's just turned 7am as I'm typing this, we'll hit the water soon...


After the morning rituals, we headed out to do a longer paddle from Jones to Osgood to Church ponds, with some nice river paddles between them...it's one of my favorite paddles (I notice that I say that often when describing the trips that we do, but then, why bother with trips you don't like?)...it was a gorgeous day, with high water, and we saw 13 turtles sunning themselves on the first stretch of river...


We stopped for lunch, and Ben switched from Muz and D's boat into Gail's kayak, amazingly, he still fits in the cockpit with her...


We got to the takeout and left Gail and Ben to wait while we went to the put-in for our cars...they had a fun time paddling around Church Pond...

Wendy and Sarah and Gail and I have played cards and talked late every night, and sometimes after late-night beverages, we get a little goofy...I like this look on Sarah...I call it "El Tigre, with clips"...