Chronicles of a Rookie
Husband and I are thrilled about buying our first boat.
The temperatures have certainly been agreeable to being out on the water, but hot, hot, hot (and humid). Record setting, in fact, for three days running now (we may possibly make four today).
But lordy, lordy... Nothing like putting two rookies in a boat on the Mississippi River with no boating experience or piloting training, (other than I can sail a boat -- sort of).
It's like putting a dyslexic behind the wheel of a car for the first time, in England, with no maps and no instructions on how to drive a car.
Yesterday was the first day with no mishaps, so it was a great day!
First day the shiny new stainless steel gas cap sunk to the bottom of the river, and of course every place was closed... so we bought a sewer pipe clean out plug from the hardware store until we could replace it.
Second day we plowed into our dock finger while trying to maneuver our boat into a rather slim slip during gusty winds out of the south... fortunately, all of our docks are being pulled and replaced this winter due to age, (and we're getting bumpers on our slip fingers). I think a bouncy house arrangement might be a better option until we're better at piloting a boat.
Third day we destroyed the prop on a wing dam. Had to special order a new prop, which (thankfully) my brother from California was here visiting, so he could help with the replacement.
Fourth day we couldn't go out as we were waiting on our replacement prop, and the weather was rainy anyway.
By the fifth day, (my brother gone back home to CA), it was just my husband and me... and we managed to get stuck in the mud. I won't point any fingers, ahem, but I do recall mentioning how very shallow the water was to the person piloting the boat... and that same person whom was protesting how it wasn't shallow because said person had just kayaked in that same area earlier that morning.
Sixth day... no mishaps!! Where's my shiny rookie badge?
I have to say, when I was younger, I had the sh**s of hearing "you don't know how good you have it" ....... now I understand what they meant. 