he said sternly. I huffed. “She knows,” was all he said. Stewing, I continued toward the narrow channel, but (despite every inclination to) I did not call her back. Radio Annie: “Hi. Hello. We spoke recently. I’m at the entrance. Do you have a ball for us?” Radio Lady: “Call me when you get to the headquarters.” At this point I felt like the butt of a bad joke. The headquarters were about a quarter-mile in along a frighteningly-narrow channel with a rip current. But, again, under Phillip’s stern eye, I did not call her back. After we got settled on our ball that was, yes, readily available for us with plenty of depth and surprising room to turn around, Phillip and I dinghied up to the headquarters to check in. In the office we could hear another boat over the radio. Radio Guy: “Hi, we’re planning to come into the Land and Sea Park. Do you have a ball for us?” Radio Lady: “Boat length and draft?” Radio Guy: “42 feet long with a 7-foot draft.” Radio Lady: “Call me when you get to the channel.” Phillip and I shared a fantastic “here we go” look as the radio cackled back to life. Radio Guy was apparently not the rulefollower I was. Radio Guy: “Ma’am, we’re motoring toward the channel. We’re seven feet. Do you have a ball with enough depth for us?” Silence. Radio Guy: “Ma’am. Hello?” w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
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Latitudes & Attitudes 65 2/5/20 10:08 AM