Not enough sense to come in out of the rain

Yesterday I set out to paddle around the Loosahatchie Bar.  I'd last done it back on February 5; it took me one hour, 55 minutes, 15 seconds that day, and according to my G.P.S. device I covered 12.66 miles. Yesterday my course was about a half-mile shorter--12.17 miles--and I took over two minutes longer to do it at 1:57:35.

The main reason for the shorter distance is a higher water level: 22.9 feet on the Memphis gauge, versus 19.7 feet on the fifth of February.  This makes a difference at the north end of the Bar and at the southern tip of Mud Island, where water covers up more terrain as the water rises.  Meanwhile, the main thing slowing me down yesterday was a stiff south wind.

Mind you, I never really do this paddle as a serious time trial--I don't go out dead-set on beating my best time or anything like that--but I do try to keep the boat moving and follow efficient lines and stuff like that.  I keep a watch on it mostly out of curiosity; I'll get back to the dock and look at the time and say "Hmm, I did that pretty fast today" or whatever might be appropriate.  I'm always really tired by the time I get back to the harbor, so part of the value of this exercise is the opportunity to practice good stroke form with my body in such a state.

There's a storm system moving across the central U.S. that the weatherman on my tee vee has been talking about all week because of its potential for bringing Noah's-Ark-caliber flooding.  The system arrived here in the Memphis area last night and it rained pretty steadily through lunchtime today.  It felt like a bit of chore to go out and paddle in such weather, but of course I usually get at least somewhat wet anytime I paddle--it is a water sport, after all.  So out I went.  Having paddled hard both Thursday and yesterday, I kept the intensity low today.  It was reasonably warm, fortunately, and I tried to relish the drenching rain.  Tried, that is... I was still glad to get back to the dock and go home.

I'm curious to see what effect this storm system has on the Mississippi, seeing as how it's covered large portions of the Missouri, Ohio, and upper Mississippi basins.  I've been watching the NOAA forecast of Memphis gauge readings, and over the last few days the predicted crest has been revised upward from 25.4 feet to 32.5 feet to 34.5 feet.  Official flood stage on the Memphis gauge is 34 feet: the city of Memphis will be fine, but bottomland on the Arkansas side and along tributary rivers on the Tennessee side will be inundated.