After months of saying "I want to Kayak out to Sapelo Island and photograph the Lighthouse" the day finally came to put up or shut up. I had previously scheduled a trip out on the Ferry because I didnt know the area and didn't want to get lost in the marsh. I backed out on that because of work. Really ! I had to work. I had went to bed many nights saying, "Ok, tomarrow I'm going to get up early and head to Sapelo." That never happened. I had mentioned in conversation with friends at work about my desire to make the trip, how I thought it would be a cool trip. Still the lack of knowledge of the area, the fear that maybe I couldn't phisically handle it, time, work, etc., etc. all had lead me to just say to myself, "some other time." But yesterday all those excuses no longer applied. I knew that I could probably handle it phisically. After all my kayak and I have been joined at the hip for eight years now. So being down to my last three days left on my vacation I made the plunge. I had finally found a site on the internet where there was some really decent info about the area. Some other avid kayakers had posted accounts of their excursions, Sapelo just having been one of them. It seemed do-able. Tommarrow was the day. Period! The weather should have been my first clue to re-rethink this. It was 38 degrees outside when I got in the truck to make the trip and it had been predicted to only reach 60 degrees in the afternoon. A brisk day to be nice about it. I packed the truck and headed out to Darien to the launch. I arrived at the visitors center at about 9:00 am, noticing that the tide was high and just turning around to go out. That was good, it would give me a push on the way to the island. I wanted to stop into the visitors center real quick before I got serious. The Park Ranger at the counter was a really nice guy named Bill. I asked him who all the vehicles outside belonged to, kayakers? His reply,"On no, their are no kayakers out there today." Another clue I let slide right over my head. He asked if I was alone, which I was, and if I needed a map. I had one I printed of the internet, but I took the extra one, just being nice. I browsed the store for a couple of minutes and headed out, Bill wishing me luck and safety as I left. Half way to my truck I heard Bill calling out to me. He asked me to come in and tell him when I returned, so that he would know if he needed to send anyone out looking for me. I thought that was very nice of him and thanked him, not knowing that those words would cross my mind many times in the next few hours. It was cold out. I thought about that briefly as I loaded all my gear into the boat. But I had planned it fairly well, I thought. I had thermals on, dressed warm and even had an extra set of clothes and another coat just in case I got into trouble on the water and got wet. I packed a good assortment of lucnhables, some good drinks(gator aid) and even a few beers. I packed all my camera gear. All the lens's I owned and had charged both my batteries. And at the last minute I grabbed a good pair of leather gloves and my rubber boots from the truck. Just in case. And off I went. The out going tide was really pushing water out to sea. I got up close to the bank that the map had showed as being the best side to be on to avoid as many long water crossings as possible. The wind was really blowing up pretty good but it was at my back and I had gotten up to a good speed and with the current aiding me I was rolling along rather easily. Heck, this aint bad, no problem! I might mention that this was also to be my longest ocean trek. I normally keep in tidal creeks and inlets around Savannah. This trip was 5 1/2 miles each way. Also my kayak is not a ocean kayak. It is an open bow, tow seater that I bought primarily for day trips on the Lakes around north Georgia. But I had been in the Savannah area for over five years and had really learned some hard lessons about ocean kayaking and thought myself to be a compitent paddler. I keep a life jacket tucked into the back of the kayak but I think I have only wore it twice. I hate it. It is just too confining. The scenery is alway so nice in the coastal regions here. I rounded a couple of bends but still not lighthouse in the horizon. After about 45 minutes I spotted what I thought had to be the light and kept my bow aimed that way. Finally I got to where I knew it was the light and it was beautiful. Off to the right in the Doboy Sound was what once use to be a nice shrimp boat, run aground and rusting away. Now only a home for the birds and fish. I thought that to be ironic. The lighthouse was less that a quarter of a mile from where it meet its final resting place. I pulled the kayak up to the closest spot to the light that I could get to. It was an oyster bank on the edge of a marsh grass area. Not the best landing spot but that was my pull out. I went ahead and changed shoes and put on the boots. Th

Today was good. I went walking with Addys and Dominic and even scored some sunburn! It isn't really warm here in Iceland but it was nice anyways! It was sunny and so beautiful but the sunset was something you really needed to see! I really didn't get to capture it as I wanted but I still like this picture. There has been lots happening the last few days but the main things are that I've decided to move next autumn up north! I am currently living in southwest Iceland but the college I want to attend is up north but that means I am really uprooting myself and placing myself somewhere I ONLY know ONE person! But that is okay. I feel good about this, I know I can do this! In a year I could be gratuating with a degree in business (accounting)! I am applying for the college in a month and I am really hoping that they will take me in! I really do want to do this! I can't believe that I am putting myself into this situation but I don't think I'll regret it! I told Alli about this last night and he told me I should go for it! I really do appriciate my friends telling me to do this, to do something I want to do, to study! I know that I can do this and I don't have to always fail at things I do. I can't believe that we are 103 days in in this year! Nearly 1/3 done of it! It's a tiny bit scary as it feels to me as it has just begun! There is one thing I've noticed! Since I started this project I haven't really blogged! I seem to write everything I have to say on here! As if I don't need to express myself in other ways then photographing and just saying a few words. People... I just wanted to say that I really do appriciate everything you've done for me. I don't say it often enough but I really ought to! xxx P.S Yes I am aware that I've been wearing that dressing gown lots on the last few pics but Alli gave it to me and I find it REALLY comfortable *gets all comfortable*