Ridin' The Manta Ray
It's Labor Day weekend Sunday
(2006) and everyone decided it would be fun to spend a couple of
days riding Tim's latest addition....the Manta Ray. Papa
and Grammy just came along to watch, take pictures and enjoy the
camaraderie before going home, rather than spend the night. We
were all supposed to meet at the Dam where the others would pick
us up in the boat.
Did you ever see so much
stuff? Even a porta potty. You mean we have to carry it, and all
that stuff down to the water? Actually...Cheryl, Sue, Papa and
Katie did most of the carrying down the steep incline to the
beach.
Here they come....but what's that
they're towing behind?
It's none other than Brent
riding this interesting raft designed like the ocean's Manta Ray
(below). The wing span of these graceful creatures can
reach over twenty feet and they seem to gently fly through the
water. It's man made replica is supposed to fly above the waves.
During our trip to our campsite, the
Manta seemed to
have trouble lifting out of the
water.
....So Timmy adds more air.
Then Amanda and Katie try their luck
riding the Manta.
Before we knew it they were airborne.
Whoopee!
Cheryl and Margie are
thinking about trying their luck. It does tend to buck and
flip the riders off. What's funny is how they manage to hang on.
At one point Cheryl lost her
grip and literally skipped across the water's surface on her back.
I've done the same thing with rocks before. I think she complained
about an achy-breaky back later.
Now it's Margie's turn....
...And Sue buckles up for her
turn. We were all laughing, screaming and having so much fun that
another boat stopped by to see what the Manta was all about. It's
about flying! They were impressed.
We've had enough for now.
Some of the others are ready to water ski, but we head up the hill
to the camp site. Tim and Brent are busy setting up their tent.
Papa enjoys the nice view.
And of course I'm taking pictures.
Vicky pushes Amanda off
shore to ride her jet ski.
...and before long Katie hops on for
a ride.
After dinner, just as the sun
was about to disappear, the kids took us back to where we'd been
picked up earlier. Somehow, the trail back to our car seemed a lot
steeper. Regardless, ridin' the manta ray turned out to be lots of
fun.
