It's the season for weekend warriors to hit the waterways and if you will hang around public/private boat ramps, you can be entertained, ISYN. Back in 83 or 84, my camping buddy, Billy, introduced me to ramp watching. He put one six pack in a cooler for us and off to the largest ramp on Lake Norman we went. A group had already arrived ahead of us and we all sat around, away from the loading and unloading traffic; having a cool one and enjoying the likes of things you can't imagine, unless you hang around boat launches ! Our first outing, we watched a young husband and wife launch their pleasure boat and their kids stood on the walkway watching them do their thing. He backs the boat and trailer into the water, then he gets out from under the wheel and she gets in the drivers seat. He gave her some instructions, what we don't know, then he gets into the boat and motions for her to back up and back up she did. Next thing you know, the truck bed is in the water and the husband is hollering for her to put it in drive and pull him out. She jumps out of the truck as the truck is still in reverse and the next thing your know water is coming in the cab and debris is floating everywhere. Boat and trailer were still above water, but the truck was under water and you could see the headlights were still on !! Hour or so later, a wrecker arrives and pulls the truck, trailer and boat out of the water slowly so the truck can drain as it's pulled out. We gave the wrecker driver a big hand and he got out of his cab and bowed to us as to acknowledge our cheers and clapping.
Another time, I was dropping off a group at a public landing after fishing all morning. Lot of people putting in and taking out, so I had to wait in line to safely unload my clients. In a ramp next to us, a group on a pleasure boat, who happen to have had a few too many, pulled up to the ramp and one of them went to the parking lot to get the boat trailer so they could load the craft. This dude drives the truck and boat trailer to the ramp with the truck approaching the ramp cab first, he finally stopped, after everyone was hollering at him to, when the front wheels were a tad into the water. Whether he was pulling a joke on everyone or was too drunk to know what he was doing, I don't know. At one time I had a photo of this happening, but I don't know where it is to this day. Back in the day, I did post a photo on the B.O.C.
Meanwhile, back on the dead end road along the shores of Lake Norman, the Squaw and myself were busy with outside yard and garden work yesterday. I did go out into the cove back of the shanty and caught some white perch on minnies about mid afternoon. I got a surprise yesterday while cleaning out one of the raised beds. I found four rooted small Blueberry plants that had rooted and I thought they had died, due to the freeze. Now they are in pots so they can continue to grow a tad more. Amazing how young plants can survive harsh conditions as long as they aren't subjected to yellow water, IJS.
The water surface on Norman is turning yellow and it's surface temp yesterday PM was 58 degrees. Here is what's in store for us weather-wise today >>>
https://weather.com/weather/today/l/28037:4:US
Later Gators.