Feed the pelican

Feed the Pelican!  

(Look at him, he’s hunnnnggggreeeeee...)

_________

Those words have now become part of our boat lexicon.  (Dad taught me that word.)

Because of the following story.

We were walking along the beach and came to the Juno Beach pier.  We decided to go out on the pier.  It cost only $1, because ages 12 and under are free.

Along the pier, there were fishermen, nets, poles and with all that, guess what shows up?  

Pelicans!

The stupidest, dumbest, dopiest birds.

We went out to the end because there were big waves that day and we wanted to watch them.  10 footers at least!  

My dad and I decided to have a contest:  who could be the first to pet a pelican.  I was scared to get too close because their long beaks looked menacing.  

So then we decided to try to feed them instead.  I was still too scared.  

Finally, my dad said he would go first.

I told him I’d video it.  But he said he’d do it himself.

He walked up the the Pelican and said “come on.”

And the pelican lunged at him.

  

Here’s the video.  Make sure you watch to the end.  :)

P.S.  I eventually did get to pet one.

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You’ve might have heard a quote from the following poem about pelicans.  Here’s the whole thing.

“A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belican,

He can take in his beak

Enough food for a week

But I'm damned if I see how the helican!"

— Dixon Lanier Merritt