Have you ever tied a six passenger boat to a girder under a bridge at night? Well, I haven’t actually done the knot-tying, but I apparently was in the way while my father tried to tie one!
When I was younger, we used to go to Clarks Hill (now apparently they call it Strom Thurmond Lake).
It was a delightful family vacation spot. It offered fishing, picnicking, boating, camping, and other outdoor activities. It was not uncommon for us to take the boat and our pop-up camper to the lake for a week-end get away.
On this particular evening, my dad decided it would be fun to do some night fishing. We headed out of our quiet little cove into the massive lake. Heading towards the long bridge connecting South Carolina to Georgia, my father maneuvered the boat into position. Taking one rope, tying it to the front of the boat and then lassoing the girder, he secured our position. He then attempted to do the same with the back.
During this process, anyone sitting in a seat near the “casting-off” position was asked to move. I moved from the left rear to the right rear. When he missed the rear girder for the third time, his frustration grew, so he told me to get to the front! Time and again he tried. Finally, the connection was made and the boat sat cradled between two taught lines.
I returned to my seat when he pulled out yet another cord! To this, he tied a light. Like a wild cowboy, he swung the loose end over his head and upward toward the ledge. Splat!
It hit the water with a dull thud. Again he tried. The wind began to blow softly swaying the boat like a baby’s cradle. His frustration shown with each additional missed toss. I, along with all other members in the fishing-party, were told to move.
In my teen-age wisdom, I asked “Should we just jump off the boat?”
Swoosh, clink, he did it!
Hmmmm…was it my wit or his wisdom of not responding immediately to my mouth that caused the rope to catch? I may never know, but I learned a lesson that night.
Teenagers are developing wisdom; parents are practicing it!
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