Tampa Bay, Florida - Day 1 - April 2, 2010


Took a direct flight from Ottawa to Tampa Bay on April 1st on WestJet. Only 3 hours. If you like incessant jokes that make you wonder if they really know what they're doing, fly WestJet. Maybe it was just the timing! It was April Fools Day. The leather seats are comfortable and even my long legs fit in between the seats. Hertz had a nice selection of cars, no complaints. Took a cute,(can't figure out the colour) KIA mid-size SUV. Like it!

Went to bed last night at 1:00 a.m. after hanging out at the pool researching stuff and gathering info from the tan and friendly locals, who also helped me get the Internet connections fixed on my laptop which needed major updates! The only place you can get it at my Belleair basecamp is at the pool! (I mean the Internet.) Boo hoo (ha!). I wanted to write from my balcony.

Up at 7:00 a.m. to catch the morning moonshine and a giant pelican fishing in front of my window. Everything looked nicer and larger when no one else was around. More space! Even the buzzing fridge that is smaller than me and my yoga mat had shut up. Time to screw up the coffee by adding too much water and make the paddle plans:

Contact Sweetwater Kayaks.

Find out about the river paddle I want to do to see manatees, dolphins and birds (minus the gators).

Investigate paddling pristine Caladesi Island (south of Honeymoon Island and Palm Harbor) across from the Dunedin region of Tampa Bay. Recommended by a local beach jogger.

Tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. there is a demo day in the Bay, so will check out what kind of boats they paddle in Florida.

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