Water Taxi Zigzagging Between Canal Houseboats

A weathered water taxi cuts a sharp white wake through the murky green channel, its hull marked by salt stains and peeling paint. The boat angles sharply between two rows of stationary houseboats, their wooden pilings rotting at the waterline. Noon sun flattens the shadows, casting a harsh glare off the glass windows and corrugated metal roofs. Late autumn leaves, brown and brittle, float on the surface near the bow, caught in the turbulent wake. The sky above is a uniform, cloudless blue, offering no relief from the bright light. Rusty railings and faded nautical signs rest on the houseboat sides, showing years of exposure to the elements. The taxi's engine exhaust creates a thin, gray ribbon that hangs momentarily before dispersing into the clear air. A reflection of the blue sky shimmers on the churning water just behind the stern.