Ninety-two in the Shade

It’s early June, the days are long and warm weather is settling into Southern New England. The sailboat’s topsides and decks are painted, the cabin sides and coaming varnished, and the boat will soon be lowered into the water and secured to its mooring. It’s now time to…head to Florida?

I remember heading to the Keys one April when I was young. It was hot, even more so with the absence of air conditioning. Later, a friend often talked about how much he loved his trips to Florida in the middle of May. I didn’t believe him. I figured we had a different reaction to heat. That changed last year when Sally and I made a visit to southwest Florida in early May. Warm days, comfortable nights, and jumping tarpon changed my perspective. So this year we’re going to test the limits with a trip this coming weekend.

I am looking forward to the chance to see nesting sea turtles. I suspect that the weather and humidity will test my tolerances, but I will be curious, too. I have lots of questions and I am looking forward to some first-hand experience that will guide me.

Here are some of the questions I hope to answer:

Are the bull sharks and hammer-heads that come inshore as the water warms truly attracted by gold rings?

Do the Pizza Huts and Mr. Tacos shutter-up and close in the offseason?

If we drive the side roads will we see Floridians releasing their Burmese pythons and boa constrictors?

Will the airport shops mark down their unsold Coconut Patties?

Will TV coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs be pre-empted by NASCAR?

Will NASCAR be pre-empted by religious televangelist programming?

Will my white legs, and Sam Adams in my hand, give me away as a Yankee?

I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see. As they say, life is for learning.

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