The Water Walkers

  Have you ever thought of just how neat it would be to walk on water? If not, take a moment to think about it!  Say I wanted to head over to the other side of the Bayou, I would just step off the pier and stride right on over.  There would be no need for a boat and I would not have to worry about stepping on a stingray!  What could be nicer?  Yep, I do think about these things occasionally.  Usually it is when I see some interesting object on the far side of the Bayou and I am just too lazy to paddle the boat over to investigate.  Walking would be much easier and quicker.

  The thought occurred to me again today while I was out by the little Frog Pond.  I was pondering if I needed to thin out the Water Hyacinths again since they are (as Pop would have said) as thick as the hair on a dog!  Anyway, while checking the hyacinths, I noticed several little critters skittering about on the surface of the water.  Now if I tried that, I would be ten feet under!  What gives?  Why can a bug walk on water and not me?   Anyway, come to find out, it is combination of the way the insect is created and the condition of the water.  A thin film usually accumulates on still waters and since the water walkers weigh practically nothing, they can stay atop.  The long, thin legs of "Pond Striders" allows them to literally walk on water!  If this water had been moving, either by current or wind, the critter would be washed under.  

  It does amaze me just how critters do this.  Think how practical it would be to have this ability.  I made my pondering evident to Son who made the remark "Just wait until the pond freezes and you can walk on it."  Nope, not me.  I would fall right through the ice or slip and slide around like a greased pig.  I guess I will leave the water walking to the critters.