Birthdays and Learning to Swim the Fast Way

OK, folks I have a lot of stuff to inform those readers who want the 'real story' from time to time. We left Morehead City, NC and traveled a long day to stay on the hook ( I am getting this lingo down) near the entrance to the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal. We went through some big waters including Neuse River and Pamlico Sound which for about 2 hours we were rocking and rolling and I DID NOT LIKE IT AT ALL. Big ol waves and lots of pounding and things falling down everywhere.....don't think Mom and Dad liked it either. Dad kept saying something about how somebody sure missed the wind and wave predictions. Next day we made another long day crossing the Albemarle Sound to Coinjock, NC to a neat marina where I could walk right by the boat.....also it was my Dad's birthday and Mom had some stuff for him and they ate a 32 ounce prime rib....and get this....brought NONE back to me!!

Now here is the exciting part.....my Mom has this deal where she is kayaking in every state we are in and this was the last stop in NC and Mom had to get the kayak in the dirty brown water and as usual wanted me to go along. Now I have been on the kayak and few times and like it and don't mind the life jacket too bad. After doing some exploring up a few little creeks and other neat places we stopped at a boat in another marina close to ours for a short visit with some folks from Texas who are doing this same trip we are. Mom was talking to them and next thing I know I am under the water and in the dark under the kayak all alone! Mom had flipped the thing over somehow sitting by the boat and then turned the kayak up and got me by the life jacket and put me up on the boat....it was wet, salty, and cold!. Anyway it was a big deal for me and good thing I had on the goofy looking life jacket. We got back on the kayak and headed back to our boat. Well , guess what? Next thing I know is over we go again!! Well, by then I had had enough and let Mom know it. She got all wet too and we got back to our boat and told Dad all about it....I barked at Mom all night to let here know not to do that again. Not sure I will go with her next time...matter of fact I think I will chew up the life jacket and that will be the end of it.

Yesterday we were supposed to have an easy day going about 50 miles (we had traveled about 75 miles each of the last two days) and get in early....not to be as we sat in a lock (first lock we had seen since the Tom Bigbe Waterway) for over 2 hours waiting on the lock guys to get something dislodged from the gate before we could get out. Then there were lots of bridges we had to wait on to open and wound up just idling around with lots of other boats near the bridge...made Dad nervous. Anyway, we got in here at Portsmouth, VA yesterday for a couple of days and I know today is special because it is my birthday....a whole year old!! I know Mom and Dad will do something special for me...if not I will let you and them know about it. Lots of big Navy ships.....Mom and Dad left me in Condo today to visit Norfolk and a big Battleship.

Over and out for now....bark more, growl more!!