On March 31st Sam had booked a para-sailing thing (cruise? tour? event? not sure what it’s called). On that day we went out in the rain and cold and the boat was ordered to turn around due to adverse conditions. We rescheduled for about six weeks in the future, when we thought it would be sunny, warm and nice. We arrived at the marina on Saturday to an overcast gray sky, wind and low (but not too bad) temperatures. I couldn’t decide for a while whether to bring my camera, but at the last minute decided not to bring it. I was scared it would fall out of my pocket on the initial ascent into the sky. Thus, all the photos in this post are from Sam’s point and shoot.
Sam tried to come out beside this guy on the right there by the boat and he shocked her with a pretty loud bark.
It’s a good thing I didn’t bring my camera as it only took a few minutes into our boat ride before the driver said “it’s a little choppy out there today” and woosh! a wave of water crashed over the front of the boat and completely soaked me (and others). I thought it would be warmer in May so I wore jeans, a t-shirt and a thin jacket. For the next two hours I’d shiver and shake. The water never got calmer and as soon as I thought I was starting to handle it we’d get another dousing of cold saltwater. There was one tough-guy in a t-shirt and shorts pretending not to feel it, not sure what his goal with the act was.
The boat was full and the “helper” employee that was tasked with getting our equipment on and off was literally beaten up by slipping and sliding and hitting our knees and other things when the ship would bank suddenly or bob up and down violently. I accidentally kneed him in the head and I wasn’t the only one. He returned the favor by accidentally punching me in the eye when he was trying to put my life-jacket on. One time we banked so strong that the couple sitting beside us slipped off the seat and ended up on the other side of the boat.
The only person that could have possibly enjoyed the boat ride was the driver. Sometimes it seemed like he was revving the engine and banking on purpose to put his helper guy on his back.
I quickly realized that rainwater is warmer than ocean water most of the year. Things would have been much better if I’d had a different outfit.
After being bopped around by the boat and the water for about an hour it was our turn to go up.
Sam had purchased the “extra high” ride, so we got a great view.
Just for us, the sun decided to peek out from the clouds while we were up there. To our right was Will Rogers State Beach and to the left the blue ocean stretched out until it touched a grey blanket of clouds.
I don’t know if it was because we were closer to the sun, farther from the water, or from adrenaline, but it wasn’t very cold up there in the air. It was incredibly peaceful, an experience hard to have in Los Angeles. It was a stark contrast; a hellish bumpy beating of saltwater followed by a eerily quiet soar through the sky. I would do it again, but only during the heat of the summer.
