Signs of the season!

So Spring sprang slowly and soggily, with cold, gray, rainy weather to a point that would've had me wondering if I'd been secretly transplanted back to the Seattle area if I didn't see the Chrysler Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty every day on my commute. Even with the constant dreary drizzle, the proper Spring things went on - the flowers came in, the birds began their spring arrivals and departures, and the water is gradually feeling less bitey. We've said safe travels and see you in the fall to to the loons, buffleheads, longtailed ducks, and most other winter residents; the brants are still around but will be on their way soon, and we've welcomed back the ospreys, egrets, and oystercatchers. 

And this weekend was another big seasonal marker - less photogenic but here's a picture anyways and a big YIPPEE!!! for GEAR BAG SWITCH DAY YAY! That's right, with the water temperature in Jamaica Bay now up to the mid-50's, and air temperatures on Saturday (my paddling day this weekend) going up pretty darned close to 70, it was finally time to switch from the drysuit to the wetsuit, which means that my paddling gear goes from needing the enormous black duffel to fitting in a mid-size backpack. This is always a really exciting thing because this actually means that after work paddles suddenly become a lot more feasible. The days have been getting longer and with the air temperatures warming up, night paddles are getting to less risky (in fact the first Full Moon Paddle of the season was last night, couldn't make it but I bet it was great) but until I don't have to schlep the giant bag along on my commute, going out after work just doesn't happen. And I'm really hoping to get in some more after work paddling this year after a couple of years where I just couldn't seem to get out of weekend warrior mode. 

Saturday's paddle was fairly moderate as there was a weeding day at the club for garden committee folks and anybody else who wanted a really easy way to pick up some volunteer hours. I didn't make it for the weeding because a gardening committee meeting at my co-op ran over by quite a bit, but I did make it in time for the paddle. We paddled up to the end of East Mill Basin and back. I always get a kick out of this paddle because you're going by all these huge, flashy homes, and then right there in the middle of them is this stubborn little pocket of pure work boats. I don't know what the story is, whether they hark back to an earlier day here in Mill Basin, or what, but I just like that they're there. Around 7 miles, which puts me at around 80.7 miles for the year so far.

As always, click on any photo for a better view.

Other signs of the season -

Trees are leafing out nicely (I loved these little leaves against the sky);

Sailboats are splashing!

We're finally consistently getting up to temperatures where I can start to think about repairing my keel. Trusty Romany has got to be 20 years old, I got her used from Atlantic Kayak Tours in either 1999 or 2000. For the first 18 years or so, the hatches were bone dry. Then there just started to be the tiniest seep in the back hatch - not excessive, just a little dampness after every paddle. Then, on the day in February when Ilene and I paddled out to Gerritson Creek and crunched around in ice and saw a seal, I came back to find a good half-gallon of water sloshing around in there. You can't work on fiberglass in February in the Northeast (it has to be 60 degrees for the epoxy to set) but I found the leaks and made do with duct tape to finish off the winter. Think at 20 years maybe Trusty Romany has earned herself a keel strip. 

And last but definitely not least sign that we're moving on to summer - my garden's all planted! I'd planted cold-tolerant seeds (beets, chard, and I'm trying carrots for the first time this year) a few weeks ago, and those are all sprouting nicely, and then on Friday after work I went to the Union Square Greenmarket and got tomatoes, basil, lavender, and rosemary. I was too late for weeding on Saturday, but I was able to get everything into the ground before it was time to go paddle. Looking forward to the summer!