Sunken day on the bay

4/15/06
Barnegat Bay / over head near channel while sittting (intercoastal and b bay), waist high 250 yards out from shore / NW wind / according to scottsbt.com tide was low at 3:47 p.m. (little egg inlet) / 68 degrees (air) / estimated 50 degrees, bay
Trip: Somewhere across Barnegat Bay, from 23 St., Surf City (Jared's house)
Drop in: 4 p.m.
Takeout: 5:10 p.m.

Today was the best of days. Lost my digital camera, cheesy sunglasses (had them one year) and alomst, my new boat. We left Jared's house from the end of his street at the bay. He was paddling Tim's old sit-on-top. He just bought it for $75. We headed out against a nice lap of 2-3 foot chop. My boat was filling fast (no spray skit) but we aimed to hit this "Christmas tree isle" probably about 2 miles across. At maybe a mile or half, Jared noticed that I didn' t put in my drain plug -- my ass was draggin' low. We were at about the 20 min. mark. He capped it, we paddled on. Soon, my boat was foundering (before the intercoastal waterway). We turned around. I was starting to think I was going to lose my boat, although I knew I could swim to shore. Finally, I had to take a dunk and take my boat for its first roll (1/2). It was still floating! I grabbed the front handle and Jared towed me and boat home (I kicked and paddled). The water wasn't cold while swimming (for about 40 min.) At a beach, one block south of Jared's house put-in, we washed in. We tested my boat and found that it wouldn't sink: upside down or upright with the stern bulkhead filled with, ice, beer and water after over an hour of paddling. My Pelican, that's supposed to be watertight, had about 3 teaspoons full of water inside after being submerged for the duration of our trip. The cam still didn't make it, but I hated that damn cam anyway (but I lost the few pics we had before the Titanic re-enactment).
I intend to write the Pelican people.We scarfed bbq chicken and dogs at Jared's later. On the way home we listened to The Black Keys (Rubber Factory) at bass +7 in his new Dodge Ram 3500 (Cummins diesel) -- windows down, rolling home, it was great.

* Note to self: Always use a spray skirt on the bay and double check the drain plug!