Well, blow me down, a cockatoo on the bow.
Not since Long John Silver’s seagoing parrot has there been evidence of squawkers and their owners on the bounding sea, or in this case, the rolling river.
Dusty the cockatoo and his owner Hank Protzmann of East Greenwich, RI, showed up at the Westport River’s Hix Bridge Landing Saturday morning to man (and bird) the safety crew monitoring the kayers and canoers entered in the Fifth Annual River Run Race and Famiy Fun Paddle.
Aside from Hank, Dusty may have been the most experienced adventurer on the river.
“Dusty’s been mountain biking, wind surfing, and kayaking with me for years. This is his fourth kayak ride this week, He’s been with me hundreds of times, ” Hank said.
Hank bought the well mannered bird from a breeder when it was a few weeks old, Dusty spent 13 years with Hank in Delray Beach where Protzmann grew up and owned a water sports rental business. The duo has spent the last eight years in Greenwich.
When on rescue boat jet ski, Dusty grabs on with his claws and holds on with the grit of an old salt.
Protzmann and Dusty have been friends with Osprey Sea Kayaks owners Sam and Carl Ladd for years and winged it over to Westport when invited to join the safety crew. Osprey Sea Kayaks and The Westport River Watershed Alliance organized the event.
“He’s our safety bird,” says Sam Ladd. “He’s an adventure parrot.”
Hey Paul,
Loved your cockatoo story. Makes me miss the Northeast just a little, and you and the neighbors a lot. We look forward to more New England stories.
Patsy
Posted by: Patsy | June 29, 2008 at 08:09 PM