Mama Bear received the following from Papa Bear today:
Some of the past recent storms had washed a lobster buoy and attached float into the cove. They were floating near shore near the House on the Cove, but the low tides have been higher than normal lately, and the buoy and float had always been afloat (and their anchor, for they did not move, had remained invisible). Today, the low tide was such that the buoy was on "dry" land. I decided to walk out and get the buoy and drag the attached rope, float, and anything else that was attached (like a lobster pot with dinner in it) back to shore. I put on some "appropriate" shoes and managed to walk out to within reaching distance of the buoy. That's when it happened. Duckie (the cove monster and possibly distant relative to Nessie) came up out of the muck and attacked me. He may have been after any lobsters that were attached to the buoy, etc. But, then I think he noticed my shoes and wanted them instead, because he knocked me to my knees and out of my shoes. It was a nip and tuck fight, but I managed to chase Duckie off and back into the cove. It all happened so fast! Anyway, I was left kneeling in the cove muck with no shoes on but I still had the buoy. I managed to get my shoes (and about two pounds of cove bottom) back, and carried the shoes and buoy (dragging the rope and float) back to our shore. I never did get a good look at Duckie so the mystery only grows and deepens.
P.S. The Cat, who loves rubbing her face on Papa Bear's feet, walked by his feet after this encounter, did a quick sniff, and kept going. Has Duckie somehow marked Papa Bear's feet in such a way that The Cat will no longer adore them??
P.P.S. Where was Mama Bear during this encounter? She was reviewing the DVD of Scotland pictures we are about to send to the other trip participants. Alas! Mama Bear was not available to Papa Bear to help, nor to witness the encounter, nor to view Duckie.
P.P.P.S. Picture is of Papa Bear having returned from his encounter with Duckie. What does not show well in the picture is that the dirt on that appears on his sweatshirt is much more prevalent on his sweatpants. His garments had to be washed twice to get them clean.
P.P.P.P.S. There was no lobster pot attached to the buoy and float and rope. We had something else for dinner. We are guessing the rope was snarled on a rock.
