Florida has pretty predictable weather patterns, it’s mild and sunny in the morning, not too much wind. It starts to cloud up between 12-1, the wind also gets stronger, then there is about a 30% chance of rain between 2-5. This makes planning my kayak fishing easier. The wind tends to come from the same direction (east) when it gets strong in the afternoon. I try to be in a position NOT to fight that wind on my return paddle.
This means I often return between 12-1 – lunch time. Since I can’t launch from the neighborhood like I have done in the past I spend a lot more time at parks, boat launches and sandy clearings by the water. What I have discovered is; if you work for the city/county/state
, or you are part of a yard maintenance crew, plummer, pool cleaner or even a cop, between 11:30 – 1:00 you seek out one of these parks or sandy patches by the side of the road to spend your lunch hour and a half. Pretty much everyone who does their job in a vehicle does this. All picnic tables are claimed, some lay in the grass
, some never leave their truck.
I have to admit, I have mixed feelings on this. If I was delivering phone books all day in my truck, I would want to spend my lunchtime in a shady park by the water too. After all, if you are driving a dually with 6 guys inside and pulling a 30 ft trailer how many lunch options do you have? On the other hand, a mom taking her kids to the park isn’t really comfortable sharing their picnic table with Chico and the man. One time I came back to the kayak launch ramp and there was a truck parked on the ramp. This is not cool. So
, in general, I think this is one of those things that is what it is and you just work with it.
It does make you think what they do everywhere else. I would have to think we have as many electricians and yard guys running around the suburbs of Houston as they do in Vero Beach
, where do they all go??? I know where our yard guys go, our front yard. When it’s time for lunch they sit against a tree and eat and rest for a while. Once one of them broke out a hibachi grill. It’s OK with us, we have known them for many years and the place always looks better when they leave than it did when they got there.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
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