03/27 Canoeing Excursion!

Yesterday, I went canoeing for the first time, and I woke up this morning surprised by how sore my shoulders were! We started around 10AM when it was still slightly chilly. We put on life jackets and successfully made it into the canoe without tipping. I took the front and Caroline brought up the rear; she was great at steering—I was impressed! Anytime I began to get nervous that we were drifting one way or the other, Caroline always seemed to be on it, ready to steer us in the right direction. 

It was hard work to begin with as we headed into the wind. It was extra difficult right before we turned back when the wind was extremely strong on the open water. I could tell a significant difference as we returned with the wind at our backs. Once the sun came out about halfway through, it was the perfect Saturday activity to be outside and enjoy some nature. 

Speaking of nature, there were many animal sightings! Most notably, we saw two alligators. One was just barely poking its head out of the water near the shore. Then, the second one was much smaller, but we got super close to it which was slightly frightening to me. We also saw lots of turtles sun-bathing on logs including a little baby one. I enjoyed the many large birds circling in the sky and even caught sight of two cardinals playfully flying through the trees. It was a wonderful experience to share the water with Dr. Williams and friends!