Photo byRobert CollinsonUnsplash

Once upon a time, in the sun-kissed, alligator-notorious state of Florida, where oranges grow fatter than a sun-hogging beach bum, and the sun shines brighter than a disco ball at a gator's tea party, a motley crew of adventurous kids embarked on an exciting sailing escapade. These weren't your ordinary, video-game addled, candy-craving youngsters. Nah! These were the formidable Florida Mariner Munchkins! The kids, with their sunblock-slathered noses and captain hats cocked at a jaunty angle, were often seen chirping like seagulls and leaping from one boat to another like capering dolphins. They had a quirky mentor, a one-legged, exuberant pelican named Paddy. He was a crackling bag of feathers, with a laugh louder than a thunderclap, and a knack for spinning wild tales of his time battling monstrous sea-squids and conga-dancing lobsters. Paddy trained the Mariner Munchkins to steer the boats around pesky pirate seagulls, dance to the rhythm of the untamed waves, and navigate through the maze of coral reefs that sparkled like sunken treasure under the turquoise Florida waters. The sails of their little boats would flutter in the wind like the wings of giant flamingos running off with their dad's barbeque sandwiches. With the salty sea breeze in their hair and a sparkle in their eyes, these kids were more than just Florida's youngest sailors; they were the giggling guardians of the vast, whimsical waters. Oh, the tales they would tell! About the time they raced with the Delirious Dolphins, or that day when a band of rogue crabs tried to hitch a ride to Bora Bora. Each day was a new chapter in the grand adventure of sailing in the vibrant, wild, and just-a-wee-bit-wacky waters of Florida.