Andy Dear | Monday, 31 July 2023
“It is a little disappointing to see that your legs are not as strong. But I like the idea of growing old, and the thought of approaching death is not particularly daunting to me.”
– Francis Ford Coppola
Late yesterday morning I decided to make a last minute run down to Powderhorn Lake. Rare are the days when the wind forecast shows 5mph, so I loaded up the kayak, and headed south. Before I left, my wife pulled me aside and asked "Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be in the kayak by yourself? A bit of an odd remark I thought, as before Jackson was born, most of my fishing when not with a guide were solo excursions. I assured her it would be fine, and headed for Port Lavaca.
When I arrived, the wind was probably blowing 15...which I expected, but decided to fish the back of Powderhorn via a small estuary called Coloma Creek. I pushed the kayak in and headed north through the bayou to Powderhorn. It became apparent pretty quickly that this may not have been the best idea. Swirling winds made it tough to control the boat, and the tide was very high and muddy. As I was making a last-ditch effort to position the boat, it occurred to me that maybe Mrs. Dear was right. Here I was, the only angler on the water in a reasonably remote location. And to boot, on blood thinner medication due to a blood clot from a recent ankle injury. One slight miscalculation and I could tip this kayak and be standing in a bed of razor-sharp oyster shells...not a good place to be on my current meds.
Tired, disillusioned, and quite honestly a little depressed, I paddled back to the launch, loaded up the yak, and treated myself to some fine Mexican cuisine. Nothing cures a bruised ego quite like a plate of Enchiladas and a Cerveza. After dinner, I retired back to the small cabin on the shore of Powderhorn. Replaying the days events in my head, I came to the conclusion that it's not that I mind getting older...heck, I better not mind it, as it's going to happen whether I want it to or not. But coming to terms with certain aspects of the aging process have proven to be slightly challenging, and ironically enough, the challenge has been more mental than physical. I suppose that transitions like this are part of the universal human experience, and the answer is just to stay as physically and mentally healthy as possible to continue to do whatever it is that you love to do for as long as you can do it.
Oh and the wind this morning? Yeah...it was less than 2 mph. Nine Redfish and four flounder were brought to hand before 9am. Powderhorn was on FIRE!
Hope you all are having a great week!
Andy