Anniversary Winners!

First of all, I will announce the winners. Patti of Winding Vine Wanderings, the first comment and the first right answer is the winner with Piping Plovers. Now, the island has fences all around it and signs that say, not to go in the areas of the piping plovers, so duh to me, lol. They are so cute, they look like little chicks, but with pretty markings.  Patti, please send me your choices of two epatterns or ebooklets.

The winner of the random number generator is #11, Valerie of The Wooden Acorn!
Valerie, please send me your choice of an epattern or booklet.
Thank you to everyone who commented and played along and for the Well Wishes. This year was our 37th and hopefully we have many more ahead of us.

As for yesterday, I was going to take it easy, but I loved going to the island so much, I had to go back. During the weekends it is too crowded, so being able to go when there is room to park, was a treat for me.

If  you noticed the scenery behind the gull in yesterday's picture, you will see a point, off in the distance, that was our destination. Things look a lot closer than they are and this was no exception, lol. The paddle up was nice, we stayed close to the shoreline and enjoyed the views.

Here Bill is enjoying the views and watching the boats coming through the channel. I think he should move;)

We made it to the point, here is the Stonington Lighthouse Museum, if you visit the link, you can see some interesting displays that they have there. When we got to the end of the point, the water changed, a lot rougher and windier out in the open waters. I decided it was too much for me, so it was time to turn around.

As we paddling back down the coast, I decided it would be quicker and fun to surf back to the island. Well, when you enter the channel, the waves got a lot higher and were churning back and forth between the tide changing and the boat waves. I don't know if you call it surfing, but I was paddling like a mad lady and bracing with my legs to keep the boat steady and flying across the waves. And it was a lot longer across than I thought, so I was exhausted by the time I got to the island.

Since I could not take photos and paddle in this water, I made Bill go back out and paddle in, so I could take a photo, lol. I am such a mean wife, but he loved it, his boat is larger and taller in the front, than mine.

And here is a photo of the waters in the main areas, this is more my style, nice rolling waters.

At the island, we enjoyed the views, a swim in the calmer waters, all types of sea birds and a nectarine for lunch. Fresh fruit is a great pick me up, after a tough paddle. In all we paddled about 6 miles, so today was a rest day, if cleaning and cooking is considered rest;) This weekend, I will be back out on the water and paddling along the coast in our bay.

Sailors pray, For fair winds and a following sea The smell of salt in the air, The feel of their skin as it's touched by the spray An albatross soaring above, Dolphins in the ship's wake at play To witness a work of art that only God can create, The sunset at the end of day At night a million stars in the sky, Safe anchorage in an islands lee When the time comes to die as for all it must, To awake in Sailors Heaven where nothing ever rusts And always there would be, Fair winds and a following sea