Update on first day

Just got a phone call from Jim at Coconut Grove Resort, Windley Key.  He's paddling the only canoe in a group of 68 vessels.  All the other paddlers are in kayaks, including a 20-foot tandem British-made kayak paddled by a husband and wife team.  Sixteen paddlers from Michigan are also in the group.  Jim said it's hard to keep up with the group, as kayaks are built more for speed than are canoes.  He also said he doesn't envy the group organizers, as "herding" paddlers seems to be akin to herding cats.  Does paddling a kayak make one independent thinking or do only independent thinkers paddle kayaks?????  :>)  Jim had a bare 5 minutes to down his lunch before getting back underway shortly after noon, and  he got in at Coconut Grove shortly before the offshore tide level gave way to bare grass.  The distance covered was 18,9 miles, which Jim paddled in 6 hours, 5 minutes.  Not bad Jim!!!   Hope his next door tent neighbor doesn't mistake the full moon for the sun and start noisily breaking camp at 4:30 am tomorrow as he did last night.  I think everyone in the group deserves a good night's rest after a long day.  He's enjoying the group adventure and looking forward to a more leisurely 12-mile paddle tomorrow.  God speed!