Speed Boat Ride

Got off work early Friday and on the way home I thought it was the perfect weather to get Charlie out on the water on a boat. I knew that the speed boats at Navy Pier run a short ride and very freaquently.

A cab ride away and we were at the boat getting a ticket. What I hadn't expected though, was competition for Charlie's interest. It turns out they have a thomas the train ride at the Pier and that was pretty much his only focus.

I had to break his concentration and keep him focused on the boat.

We sat around the middle with him on the side. Everything was perfect, ducks swiming around with ducklings, birds everywhere, weather perfect. He was tired but ready to go.

The ride was slow until we got into the open lake and he was very happy to be on the boat watching everything around. Once they hit the gas though he wasn't so sure. He put his head down because of the huge wall of water that came up on the side. It was loud and rough and he was just not too sure about this whole thing.

I managed to keep him entertained by singing songs and keeping his head down into my head and generally protected from the elements since he had a good jacket on with a hood and I put my jacket over his legs too to keep him ultra-protected.

I had been on the seadog ride before and I do remember how short it was so the loudness didn't last that long. Once we got to the south side the boat stopped again for a site seeing talk and Charlie peeped up again.

The next longer run to the North side of the Pier took longer but he was a bit more comfortable with it all. Again after a stop he got more and more comfortable on the boat and the last ride into the Pier was real short and the final slow part into the dock was exciting with all the other boats around and also knowing that the train was next.

All in all a good time but he was happy to get off the boat (after running up and down the length of it while everyone was off a few times).

Of course, the train was the best, he was focused, and loved every turn. He stayed on it until Eileen came and picked us up for dinner.

All that sunshine and fresh hair he was exhausted.