I spent a great day on the Roanoke River with my family yesterday. Although they did not know it, I replayed my childhood over and over in my mind. These were the same miles of river I had skied, knee boarded, and ridden on growing up. It took me back to the days of learning to ski behind a 14 foot, tiller steer boat. Then later I would graduate to a Ski Nautique which was a very new experience. My friend Stanley showed me the finer points of skiing that I could not find behind that little 14 foot boat. Yesterday, I motored those same miles in my boat with my family. Even though my friends growing up were like family; this time it was my real family. I saw the smiles on my son’s face that I am sure that were on mine over 25 years ago. We stopped and fished along the same lily pads as I did. I wondered to myself if those pads had grown older like me and had seen the hoards of passing boaters over the years. However, I did hold back on taking them to the pads where my dad and I caught White Perch when I was a teen. I would meet him after work and fish from the shores seemingly pulling them in with every cast. Those will be for another day!
Then it was time for the final trip down memory lane. We drove the 5 or so miles by river to the Albemarle Sound and took a right to head to Albemarle beach. I spent many days each summer swimming along its shores, having cookouts and digging up clam shells from its muddy bottom. I have seen people baptized in it waters and even once walked on its frozen surface. We would always marvel at how far we could walk away from the shore and still be able to touch bottom. As I pulled the boat up to the shallows, I anchored the boat and watched my boys do cannon balls off the side. As another grin wiped across my face I had to do it….I made sure my pockets were empty, took off my shirt and showed the youngsters how to do it. Instantly I went back in time. No longer was I a 42 year old adult; I was a kid and teen again. I showed the boys how to dig up the clams with our feet although they were not as excited about digging in the bottom of the sound as I was. But as all good things go, these too had to come to an end. We all got back in the boat, weighed anchor and made our way back to river where the ramp waited for us.
I have spent the last day thinking about yesterday, the fun I was able to share with my boys and have been proud to introduce them to my memories.
Then it was time for the final trip down memory lane. We drove the 5 or so miles by river to the Albemarle Sound and took a right to head to Albemarle beach. I spent many days each summer swimming along its shores, having cookouts and digging up clam shells from its muddy bottom. I have seen people baptized in it waters and even once walked on its frozen surface. We would always marvel at how far we could walk away from the shore and still be able to touch bottom. As I pulled the boat up to the shallows, I anchored the boat and watched my boys do cannon balls off the side. As another grin wiped across my face I had to do it….I made sure my pockets were empty, took off my shirt and showed the youngsters how to do it. Instantly I went back in time. No longer was I a 42 year old adult; I was a kid and teen again. I showed the boys how to dig up the clams with our feet although they were not as excited about digging in the bottom of the sound as I was. But as all good things go, these too had to come to an end. We all got back in the boat, weighed anchor and made our way back to river where the ramp waited for us.
I have spent the last day thinking about yesterday, the fun I was able to share with my boys and have been proud to introduce them to my memories.
