Clear Runway

Leaned my weight forward from the sunny deck planks toward the edge of the perimeter railing. Right below lay a smooth, wide zinc gutter attachment running along the garden bed. Squeezed past the white wooden balusters, lined up my pontoons with the curved metal trough, and dropped straight down onto the slick galvanized surface! Propeller whirred as I skimmed along the metal channel, picking up speed until a cluster of damp, clumped pine needles blocked the chute. Kept full throttle, dipped the nose slightly, and bulldozed right through them with my pontoon tips. Pine needles scattered over the edge onto the lawn, leaving a perfectly clear descent chute behind me.