We’re Going Boating…NO MATTER WHAT!

Our boat’s name is
MAKING MEMORIES
and I think it’s lived up to it’s name quite well.
Over the years we’ve had some GREAT times on the water!

Sadly, boating time is almost non-existent these days.
Flynn lives 450 miles away, so he can’t just show up in an evening to go out on the lake.

I refuse to tow the darn thing
-OR-
back it down the dock
-OR-
hook it up to the back of the rig
so that means we don’t go out without him.
(I would like to say, however, that I am TOTALLY competent in backing the boat off the trailer,
driving the boat [i.e. towing tubes and boarders]
as well as loading it on the trailer. There are a lot of women who don’t do that part!)

2011 Boating Time = Once. Uno. Singular. = Much Sadness

2012 Boating Time = Once (so far) = Probably the most Memory Making boating experience to date.

We picked a Saturday Flynn was going to be home and decided we were going to go.
We watched the weather forecast.
It started out okay… something like 20% chance of thunder storms with temps in the mid 80’s.

As the days progressed, the forecast kept changing.
30% chance of storms…
40% chance…
Temps dropping to low 80’s.

The day before we were supposed to go we checked and
the forecast had changed to 60% chance of thunder storms with the temps hovering around 79°.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
At that moment, it was 93° with clear blue skies!

I was nervous about going and tried to cancel the trip.
Everyone else said, ‘WE’RE GOING!’
Even though I claim our family is NOT a democracy and I’m in charge,
I guess it really is and I’m not.
I was out voted.

We picked up Shack, Little Miss Doolittle and Gratia
and drove to the Reservoir.
(Stinky had to work.)

We pulled in the parking lot while it was raining buckets,
and the other boaters were loading up their boats to leave.
We got some strange looks to be sure, while we took the cover off and started loading our gear in.

Once we got the boat backed down the ramp, next to the dock, I tried lowering the prop.
It didn’t move.
At all.
The battery was dead.

So, we pulled the boat out and back up to the parking lot and found out the wires connecting the battery to the boat were disconnected, which left the battery completely without charge for months,
which meant it was in a deep, deep coma.

Thankfully, some super nice people
(who were just as crazy as us, since they still had their boat in the water and were heading back out into the lake)
offered a jump start from their boat to ours.

We ‘jumped’ on that opportunity! (ha)
Guess what?
The boat started right up!
It was a medical miracle!
Woo hoo!
The clouds parted and the rain went away for a minute,
so we headed out to the lake
(staying close to the dock in case there was trouble).

I will admit, it was a blast.
We inflated the tube and put Beast in it.
He’s NEVER been on a boat before and we were ready to show him a good time!
(Poor Belle had to work, so she missed out.)
You can see the storm surrounding the lake in these pictures.
Especially the second picture.You should be able to see mountains behind Beast and Gratia!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, those clouds finally caught up to us.
There was a LOT of rain!
But, the water was smooth, there was no lightning, so we kept going.

Have you ever boated in POUNDING RAIN?
Can you say,
OUCH?!?!

Oh my heavens!
I wore my sunglasses, trying to protect my eyes so I could see.
Didn’t work.
I just had to cup my hands over my eyes and squint.

Those of us in the boat were as wet as the two in the tube.
Shack, bless her heart, came prepared and brought
RAIN PONCHOS!
How hilarious is that?
Rain ponchos on a boat?
Well, mock all you want. They helped!

(How flattering is this? NEVER take photos from underneath!
Shack, as always, is BEAUTIFUL!)

The rain came and went
but the wind stayed calmed and we always watched the skies for lightning.
We agreed that the first sign of it, we’d head back in.

It was a beautiful day even though we didn’t need sunscreen.

This is one of the sights we enjoyed. This is a homemade sailboat. Don’t you love the red sails?

All of a sudden,
WHAM!
BAM!
The wind came howling in!
And then we saw it!
LIGHTNING!

Gah!
Time to head for shore!

Flynn, who was in the tube, noticed that the sailboat guy looked like he was in trouble.
Good Flynn.
I was so focused on getting our own boat safely in, I failed to notice the other boats on the lake.
Flynn is SO GOOD at thinking of others!
Instead of heading to the dock, I turned back around and drove back to the middle of the lake.
I prayed – hard – that we’d be safe since we were trying to help/rescue someone in need.

As we approached the sailboat, the man stood up and waved his arms.
He most definitely was in distress!
The wind was blowing so strong, he had to bring his sails down and (ironically enough)
the battery for his small engine was DEAD.
He was drifting, and at the mercy of Mother Nature.
And it seemed like she was extremely angry!

He threw us a rope and, towing him, we were finally able to head for shore.
Yes, I was still praying.
The wind was blowing so hard.
If we’ve been in the boat in wind/surf like that, I don’t remember.
The waves were crashing over the bow of the boat.
We were soaking wet, not from the rain this time, but the actual lake.

Getting the boats to the dock was a chore!
I missed it the first time.
The wind was too strong.
So I had to head back out into the lake for another try.
This time, I swung far out and let the wind just push us next to the dock.
Those same good Samaritans that gave us the jump were still there
and helped hold our boat in place while Flynn and Beast jumped off and helped the
sailboat get under control.

Pretty soon, the dock was crowded with people helping others.
Beast stayed at the dock to help the sailboat and another boat that was docking.
Flynn sprinted to the car so we could get our boat on the trailer and out of the water.
More boats were frantically coming in and trying to dock.
I wasn’t the only one that had to turn around and try again.
It was AMAZING and INSPIRING watching
about 15 people – all strangers—work on that dock,
assisting the few crazies that had chosen to stay out on the lake that day.

Thankfully, no one was hurt
and as far as I know, none of the boats were damaged either!

Thus ends one of the most memorable boating days we’ve spent in
Making Memories.
I’m so glad she lived up to her name!

And, next time we go boating…
I will remember that even if I don’t plan on getting in the water,
I should wear a swim suit and take a towel (or a rain poncho).
Because staying in the boat is NOT a guarantee of staying dry!!