Where’s The Brake?!
Where’s The Brake?!
Oh my, where to start…hmmmm. Well, as much as I’d like to forget about it, I guess I should own up to it in print. Besides, Brian won’t have it any other way….. :p So here goes…
Brian’s cousin, Ester, and her mother-in-law, Maria, were here from Holland. The weather was nice (22c) and so Brian, Ester and I took the boat out for the day. We docked at Albion and went for lunch, showed her Mikes boat and then headed back to Mission. All was going as planned. I piloted the boat up the “street” and approached our slip. I brought the bow in, no problem, and then……umm….well…umm…..People, and yes that included Brian, started shouting…a lot…and it startled me…a lot. Now being the alert person I am (hehe), I soon realized the stern was NOT gliding into the slip as I thought it was, but was swinging outward in the direction of another boat and the bow was going too far forward and in the direction of another boat….AAAACK! I had mistakenly put the transmissions into the wrong gear….I KNOW…I mean really, how often am I wrong (Shhhhh now Brian). Anyway, Brian was using a push pole and a couple of guys on the dock, had a hold of the ropes and all were doing their best to keep the bowsprit from hitting the boat ahead of us, while Ester was using a push pole at the stern while doing her best to keep it from hitting the boat across from us AND dock dolphins (Giant Posts). So, although trying not to panic become overly concerned, one part of my brain is screaming saying WHERE’S THE BRAKE?! while the other part of my brain is screaming saying THERE IS NO BRAKE, REMEMBER?! All of a sudden I hear “Cut the engines!” Now I HAVE been known to do what I’m told from time to time (Uh huh, Uh huh) so I immediately cut the engines. The boat is now MUCH easier to just push/pull around, and soon the guys on dock have hold of the ropes and tie it ever so nicely to the dock…I was never in doubt…Really. Oh I’m sure most people would experience a multitude of emotions like relief, stupidity, frustration, and embarrassment. But as I’m not most people (nuh uh) I was calm, cool and……Ok, ok, I did feel all those things, and I should throw in deflated for good measure. I must say though, that everyone that was around the dock was very supportive. They shared stories of their misfortunes and have assured me that EVERYONE has them, even the experienced boaters. That did help a lot, and I thank them for their encouragement. As one of them put it “There is no real damage (minor, repairable, tear in the canvas of the boat ahead of us), no one got hurt and the boat is still afloat, so it was a good docking”. And Brian was still talking to me….whew! I’m not afraid to take the helm again, and he’s not afraid to let me. I don’t think there’ll be a problem anyway, as the boats nearest to ours have all moved…Hmmm…I’m sure they just wanted to be closer to the filling station. J
A few days later, Brian and I headed to the boat to do a little work. My job was to scrub the dinghy, so I put on a pair of coveralls, got out the bucket, brushes, etc. Now instead of getting on the boat by using the swim grid and the little door at the back of the boat (I was sure they were for aesthetic purposes only) we often choose to just sit on the edge of the boat, and swing our legs over. Brian has long legs, so he really just puts one leg over, followed by the other. I, on the other hand, have to actually swing my feet over and turn in. USUALLY not a problem. However, USUALLY didn’t cut it this time and it didn’t go quite so well. As I swung my legs up and went to turn my body inward, I lost my balance and FELL, HARD, into the boat, with (once again) onlookers at the dock….I KNOW! Now, you’d think I would have just landed on my butt, bruising my pride and maybe a cheek, but Nay Nay, not I. You see, Brian had lifted the fiberglass engine compartment cover and set it against the inside of the boat. The side that I was attempting to get in from. Yup, my ribs made contact with the upright cover, my right leg slammed against the raised ridge along the edge, and then my butt made contact with the floor. OUCH, swear, gasp for breath, OUCH, swear, gasp for breath, as Brian grabs my arm to help me up. My E.M.T. training kicked in, and I instructed him how to help me check for injuries, all the while going OUCH, swear, gasp for breath. I assured everyone that I wasn’t about to expire (at least not at that moment). I slept upright for 3 days, howling at even a tiny cough, and damn near killed myself when I suddenly sneezed. Can anyone say DRUGS? Legal ones of course…;) Ahhhhh…. Anyway, you know how things often come in three? As these last two incidences have happened on the boat, I’ve decided to stay away from it for a couple of weeks. I see no need to tempt the mishap gods. Nay Nay. And I’d like to report, that I did eventually get checked out at the hospital, complete with x-rays, and although I badly bruised 5 ribs, my leg AND my butt, I will live to entertain the others at the dock another day. Besides, Brian says I still (eventually) have to scrub the dinghy….sigh.
