Out And About In A Boat

Lest my word-play pass over the heads of readers outside the PNW, I must explain that when pronounced by a we't-coast Canadian, the phrase "out and about in a boat" makes no distinction in the round vowel sounds; "ooout and abooout in a booout" serves as a yardstick by which to measure Vancouverian origins as surely as a fondness for poutine. In addition to pronouncing "lichen" to rhyme with "kitchen," I am often found to be going ooout and abooout in a booout whenever the weather invites me, or rather, in a kayak.

For the most part, the shoreline of my favourite lake is either developed or too steep to "put into port" for a stretch break. I've managed to find short-term moorage in all but one arm of the X, although at high water, exiting the boat can be a little tricky. This location gives the easiest access to dry land, but on my most recent trip, I noticed that the big cedar tree on the right had had the lower three feet of its bark clawed off by some kind of varmint. There were no tooth-marks to indicate a beaver at work, and the size of the scratches eliminated even the smallest of bear cubs. Discussion of the anomaly with Kevin brought the culprit to light: porcupine! From this point forward, I will be more cautious when I steer my little craft into this secret pirate's lair.