HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Sorry I didn't get back with you yesterday…that pesky work thing kept getting in the way.

So…where were we…oh yeah…we were continuing with day 43. Well…day 43 is in the past and this moment were in now will never come again, so lets start fresh with where Captain Ned is now. Let’s get to ‘Ol Ned’s destinations and decisions.

Yesterday, 7/3/2008 at 12:30 PM EST “Hey mon…what’s happenin, how you doin, everything going alright” is what I got when I picked up. Pondering the thought I’m doing the same damn thing I was doing yesterday, I asked what’s happenin with you...where the hell are ya? He said he was feeling kind of lazy and was just drifting along at about 4.1. Said he didn't push off until 9, he sat, sipped coffee and watch the water. He’s looking forward to hitting different color water. He’s got Florida in his cross hairs.

He said it was sprinkling which felt good, but the wind is nonexistent. We all know what no wind means...Wilson is worthless. Capt. Ned is cursing Wilson pretty good. Said that if he doesn’t pull his damn weight when he hits the Gulf Of Mexico he’s going to drown that miserable no good lazy SOB. He said he tried to use him the other day, but as soon as he came out of retirement the wind shifted immediately and came in nose first. He says “I just know that SOB is laughing at me, watching me do all the work”. Be advised Wilson could very well meet the same demise as the frying pan, computer, numerous cameras and various other items I probably shouldn't mention.

Well…its official…Captain Ned has hit his end destination on the Mississippi. He’s in St. Francisville, LA or at least he was when I talked to him last night just before 8 PM. He informed me that he’s in a pretty crappy spot next to the boat landing. He said “St. Francisville isn’t crappy; I’m just not real pleased with where my camp site is”.

Capt. Ned got into St. Francisville around 2 PM yesterday and so far has had no luck finding someone to take him over to the Pearl River, but he basically just arrived. He said that there is a small tavern about a quarter to half mile from the landing and there are a couple people their that are going to put their feelers out.

It’s just after 1PM now and I’m hoping we get a call from Capt. Ned pretty soon letting us know he’s in route to his next destination. The only calls I keep getting are from some friends that are trying to get me to go out on the boat. LOL…she said all the cool people are doing it…I told her no…no…not all of the cool people…one of ‘em is going to stay inside on this absofreakinglutly beautiful 4th of July day and type on a blog.

Hmmm…I should get my head examined; I really should be out their buzzing up and down the Indian and Banana River watching those bikinis bounce with every wave. LOL…I can see and hear dad now, I’d get a raised brow look with a “what the hell were you thinking”. Then he’d laugh at me and say “well damn the bad luck…but ya know…it’s your own damn fault”.

Moving away from my mental pictures and self absorption, let’s get back to Capt. Ned and his plans. I mentioned in a previous post that ‘Ol Ned had some decisions to make when he hit the Gulf. Yeah…I’m going to have to get back with you on that…I’m going boating. LOL…just kidding ya…here’s the deal; we’re not exactly sure where Captain Ned plans to end his Kayak Krooz.

The final destination is the “Rainbow’s End” and the good ‘ol captain will most definitely get their, however the Kayak Krooz may end somewhere up in the pan handle??? We don’t know, and neither does Capt. Ned. He’s not their yet and if you’ve learned anything from his actions and my feeble attempts at writing, you have learned that Captain Ned Mott does what he wants, when he wants and he wont make that damn decision until he gets their.

I can however truthfully tell you that ‘Ol Ned’s spirits are as high; he has thoroughly enjoyed himself and he has absolutely no regrets.

Currently 30 feet above sea level, when Capt. Ned drops and transitions from muddy brown water into the clear blue that he loves so much, he will have the tides to deal with. Not so much “deal with”, this man can read the water…he owns it, but the rise and fall of the tides will be working against him as well as with him.

According to my Rand McNally the inner coastal waterway and barrier islands, up in the pan handle, end near Apalachicola, FL. This point was a topic of discussion recently, but then again I’ve heard him say the following “I’ve come this far”…”hell I don’t know”…and the classic “I’ll make that decision when I get their”.

Whether it’s Tarpon Springs, Apalachicola or at the Florida (GO GATORS) State line or wherever the hell captain decides to end “his” Krooz, he can say “I Huck Finn’ed my ass in a kayak from Indiana to Florida, I did it for sh!ts & giggles and to be able to say I did it…nothing more”.

We'll give you another update as soon as we here back from 'Ol Ned. Stay tuned...