Friday, June 13, 2008

I wanna do it

I ran for the camera when a group of these floated by. I must experience this. They glide by like something in a dream. This is similar to but different from parasailing where a small boat tows the airborne rider, and parasurfing where the rider skims the waves on a surf board while wrestling with the kited parachute. Here, you simply sit in a chair with a giant fan behind your back while you glide along the shore almost noiselessly.


Of course, there are some perils. The wind could drop off or the fan power could expire but I imagine a soft landing. Hopefully, not amid the group of five sand sharks that were feeding a few feet away (I couldn't get a decent picture of them) or anywhere near this frightening waterspout (click to see it) that formed further down the coast and was headed to shore, retreating into a single dark cloud in an otherwise gorgeous sky.

8 comments:

The Bum said...

One of the most harrowing things I have ever witnessed from my balcony was one of those contraptions being overtaken by a large fast-moving thunderstorm coming in off the ocean. The pilot tried to outrun it and then climbed and climbed to try to get above it, but was eventually swallowed up by the cloud. I stayed on my balcony a full ten minutes before I saw it emerge flying the opposite direction out of the cloud at a much lower altitude. I was sure he was done for.

Very old waterspout pics http://thesouthbeachbum.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html. We witnessed eight over the course of 30 minutes one morning walking on the beach one of which was less than 100 yards from where we were standing. None were moving in our direction, so we felt comfortable staying and observing. Amazing things.

Anonymous said...

Amazing shot of the water spout.
The colors are so beautiful.

The Bum said...

And I'll agree with dray. That's an amazing photo -- perfect.

JMG said...

since i can see YOUR building in this photo, i can only wonder from whose apartment you took this.

Tony Adams said...

Oh Joe you know. You've been there. P&B graciously suggested I use their place while my kitchen is in chaos. It's been comfortable, but surreal. If I leave my book in the bedroom and remember it when I am in the kitchen, I have to walk miles to get back to it.

Anonymous said...

It is indeed a vry lovely picture, coupled with the coolness of being able to see the waterspout. Well done, T!

Anonymous said...

That picture is very H.G. Wells. An alien warship, obscured by clouds, re-fueling from the water before it will annihilate human existence.

tornwordo said...

I love the shot of the waterspout.