His boat, the Sea Spray, was a solid sixteen-foot open boat painted a fading blue. It wasn’t fancy, but it was reliable. He’d had it for twenty years and knew it inside and out. He took off the tarpaulin cover, folded it, and packed it away.
Then, using rollers and a practiced technique, he pushed the boat down to the water. The boat hit the shallows with a soft splash. He stepped in with his rubber boots and secured everything. One last check—anchor, backup oars, life vest under the seat.