Moonlight Kayak in Austin

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I organized a potluck/kayak outing with my vegetarian group. The moon was supposed to be full and beautiful. There is a regular full moon kayak organized by the local rowing club that is supposed to go from the city dock on Town Lake.

I showed up at 7:10 pm and I didn't see any of my friends on the dock. I thought for sure this would be a popular event. It was a perfect night, perfect weather to howl at the moon a few times. I was feeling rather dejected that no one showed up, but then I wound up on a totally different adventure in true Austin style.

I was sitting on the dock with my Thai rice noodles and feeling rather discouraged by the veg group when a woman came up to me and asked if I was with her group. I said no, explained about the vegetarian group and said I was waiting for them to show. She told me if no one showed, I was welcome to come with them on their raft. I sat politely waiting for my vegetarian group until 8:15 while I watched this other group start to form. Out from different cars came people with the bits and pieces to put together the raft.
The "raft" turned out to be three Zilker Park canoes tied together and a plywood deck strapped on top. On this raft they put plastic lawn furniture, coolers of food and drink and many, many musical instruments. I actually wound up being acquainted with two of the people...one who's a fairly well known Austin musician, and a woman named Laura, whom I met a couple of years ago. We waited until everyone showed up, the last being a man dressed in full pirate regalia. We shoved off as the sun was setting with 14 people. (yowieeee!!!!!) The water was looking dangerously close to the deck. Our pirate was standing proudly with his pirate flag at the front of the raft and everyone else was singing and playing guitars, mandolins and a chorus of really great folk music. The raft had the tiniest motor I've ever seen as we puttered along down the lake. We went to Lou Neff point in Zilker Park to meet more people, had a picnic/potluck, danced and sang.

After that, we returned to the raft and floated around on Town Lake, stopping every now and then at a different spots on the lake to sing until 1 AM. I wound up with my face hurting from smiling so much.









... only in Austin....

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Photos

Sunset on Town Lake
I wish I had gotten pictures of the raft.

Comments

[Peggy]

So cool!
Natanya, I LOVE this story. It's not only about how cool Austin is, but it's also a grant metaphor for life.