Brrrrrrr, it’s starting to get cool again; it’s fall. I have a hard time remembering the seasons even though I am from up North. Just a few weeks ago I was lucky to get a few weeks off. Because it was hot in the morning and rainy in the after noon and not much kayaking going on at Gulf Coast Kayak in Matlacha, I flew out to California with my wife, to babysit my four grand daughters, so their mom and dad could go to Italy on a vacation. I don’t know why they need a vacation with four lovely little girls, all under twelve years of age, and all so well behaved. I mean the getting up at five to get two out the door and lunches in the backpack was not too hard. Then a small drive to the bus stop, and drop them off.

Then back to the house to get the older one her lunch made and homework finished, and back in the car to the other bus stop. Then, IF we were lucky, we could sneak back in the bed to catch a few minutes sleep just before the little one gets up. Ah, the weekend. Let’s do something fun, Grandpa. So, we start out early, and off to the fashion mall in New Port. The girls love the mall: stores, fountains, escalators, fishponds, gardens, and pet shops. Now it’s time to do things grandpa likes to do.

We drive on to the ferry in New Port to Balboa Island. The girls had a good time on the merry-go-round and I had a chance to check out the kayaking. There are about four places to get a yak and put in. I like the one by the old pavilion, it’s an easy put in, and you are right there by all the action. You can be away from it all and on the back bay in about a half hour paddle, where I saw all the same bird life we have right here in Matlacha. There were egrets, great blue heron, black crown night heron, brown pelican, sea crows, and all kinds of gulls. However, the thing you will fall in love with the most is back to the deeper water in the harbor. That’s the cute little harbor seals. Their big brown eyes, wet little noses and long brown whiskers; they are so interested in the kayak when you pull up next to them. Here you are looking them right in the eye, only a few inches away, all is so quiet and serene till they start to bark at you.

Then one after the other, the other, and the other seal comes to see what the other one is barking about. Next thing you know you have a whole choir singing just for you. The harbor seals are silver gray or black with spots; they can get to be about six feet and can weigh about three hundred pounds. The males are bigger than the females. A pup can swim at birth, and will sometimes be seen riding on mom’s back when it gets tired. The seals feed on sole, flounder, sculpin, hake, cod, herring, octopus, and squid. The total seal population in California is estimated to be around 40,000 and the seal population on the eastern Pacific is around 330,000. Well, our tour of duty was over faster then you would think, so off to sunny Florida Grandma and I go. This time we rented a small compact Kia to drive back on I-10. Palm Springs was hot, Arizona desert with all the cactus along the mountain roads was quite a sight, but one place that caught my eye and made me sad that we did not have enough time to stay was the bayou and swamp in Atchafalaya, Louisiana. It is the largest hardwood swamp/forest/river in America.

The natural attractions of the Louisiana area are its beautiful swamp and bayou regions with its abundance of animals and fish. As you drive over some bridges on I-10 and find the swamp area, stop in at the rest area; they have a great movie and welcome center there. After an eight-day drive across this vast country we live in, needless to say, it was really good to get back home. I had a sunset tour the first night back and knew that even the fish (mullet) were glad to see me when one jumped up, hit me in the shoulder and then my head, and knocked my light off my head. The tour still wants to know how I trained the fish to do that. The manatee is back also and the tours are still going on at Gulf Coast Kayak in sunny Matlacha. Thanks for paddling with Mel, the Guide. gulfcoastkayak@msn.com Gulf Coast Kayak is open all year 24/7 941 661 8229 239 283 1125 for rentals or to book a tour with Mel, the Guide