RIDING THE BREAKERS 



everywhere seven lines of breakers formed be- 

 tween us and the beach. We passed three with- 

 out trouble, but backed the canoe before the 

 fourth which sent up columns of water and foam 

 that shut out the view of the island we were ap- 

 proaching. 



As the broken wave rolled on and the follow- 

 ing one lifted us to its crest we caught sight of 

 our captain standing with a group on the beach 

 and waving his arms to motion us back. We 

 paddled outside of the breakers again and were 

 hailed by a passing sponger and asked if we 

 wanted help. When I thanked the skipper and 

 told him we needed none, he asked: "What are 

 you doing out here in that cockle shell?" 



"Looking for a job to pilot a sponger," I re- 

 plied. 



The skipper laughed as he said: "Your 

 friends on the beach think you need one your- 

 self. They are signaling as if they were crazy." 



I assured him they were and, dipping my pad- 

 dle in the water, thanked him again for his cour- 

 tesy while he threw over his wheel and with a 

 genial "Ta, ta!" continued his course down the 

 coast. 



51 



