Close Encounters of the Slithery Kind

I was feeling a little disenchanted after missing the SE sailing at Badin Lake with Chuck Friday.  Saturday morning we had a good bit of rain move through and when a window opened up on the radar I headed to my spot tucked away in the NE fork of the lake.  The Uwharrie Mountains are one of the oldest in North America now eroded to the point of just being some big hills.  They are also one of the things that makes Badin Lake such a great place.  If there is much south in the wind it follows the lake and on Saturday it lined up pretty great ahead of the front.

I'm all about manoeuvres so I didn't mind the short fetch.  Straight line sailing is just the route between jibes!  I wanted to make sure I rigged big since I wasn't sure how long it would be before the nasty line of storms showed up.  Wicked overpowered 5.8/106L sailing or skipping in some puffs.  Leah headed out with me on a 4.7 but the conditions were not to her taste so she just did one out and back. 

Something really weird happened too.  When I came in to help her derig I sailed up next to the boat ramp and jumped off my board.  The bottom was really rocky and on about my 3rd step in waist deep water I stepped on something and felt it hitting my legs.  When I stepped off a 4 foot water snake bobbed up next to my thigh and shot to the bank!  Leah had been standing on the ramp for a few minutes so imagine my surprise to find a snake on the bottom only a few yards from her.  Imagine his surprise too- just root hogging trying to make a living on the bottom of the lake when some jackass goes and stomps all over him. 

Leah got a few pics and a clip before the camera battery died.  I always forget to charge it when we really need it.  Tons of fun.