Drones and cops

This morning I got out on the lake at about 7:45am.  My plan was to do a short paddle around Redbud Island because I thought it was going to be windy.  Well -- there was a swimming race from Redbud Island to my dock so I couldn't go that way and it wasn't windy -- so I headed toward the Lamar bridge.  I wasn't sure how far I would go.

When I was close to where Barton Springs comes into Lady Bird Lake I noticed something in the sky and it caught my attention.  There are very few birds who can fly and stay in one place:  hummingbirds and osprey are the only two I know of.

So something was hovering in the sky over the middle of the lake -- a small, five-armed, personal drone.  This was my thought process:
 -- I want to take it down!
 -- Who is controlling it?
 -- What are they watching or looking for?
 --  Oh, that is really cool!!
 -- I want to take it down - it creeps me out!

I watched it for a while.  On the underside of each are were red or green lights.  It made a cool "whirring" sound.  Then I got bored and paddled on.

Because the weather was nice I kept going: under the Lamar bridge, under the 1st bridge, under the Congress Bridge and 1/2 way to the IH-35 bridge I saw two of the fanciest jet skis I have seen.  The jet skis were being ridden by APD officers!!!   Then I paddled a little farther and there were two power boats that were from APD.  WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE LAKE TODAY!!

I later realized that the cops were there to protect the swimmers during the race -- boat escort.  That made me feel better.  At first I thought was had entered one of the dystopian adolescent novels that I read all the time!!!

I made it down to the Longhorn Dam and around the basin by it.  I paddled over 8 miles in a little over 3 hours.  It was beautiful.  During some portions I went slowly and enjoyed the nature around me -- at other times I pushed myself for speed and endurance!