West Wight Potter Owner's Home Port
Humor
Want to share your sailing story?
____________________________________________________________________
|
My boating experience began back before fiberglass, electric starters, boat registration, PFD's and
dirty water.
My first really memorable experience took place in a rented canoe, in Herman Park lake in Houston,
Texas. Probably about 1948.
My Mom took me and my running buddy John, last name omitted to protect the innocent, to the lake
one beautiful Sunday afternoon in the spring.
We rented a canoe. It was an industrial strength wood and canvas model with a heavy brass bow
strip. It wasn't very maneuverable but it had great carrying ability.
Also on the lake that day was a wooden row boat. It carried four young ladies obviously fresh out of
church....wearing, as I recall, fluffy white dresses and cute little hats.
Each was armed with a paddle. They were not making much headway.
Our interest peaked when one of us, probably John, came up with the idea that we could get to know
them better if we bumped their boat.
So from a distance of perhaps eighty feet, we applied power and gained speed.
Being somewhat waterlogged the row boat sat low in the water. It's freeboard probably no more than
seven or eight inches.
When we arrived the smooth round brass clad bow of our canoe rose up and over the gunnel of the
row boat. We glided gently across as the girls screamed....and the row boat sank.
Fortunately the lake had only two or three feet of water, the rest was mud.
We didn't actually get to meet the girls as they were rescued by the rental boat fellow.
My Mother was also informed that our presence at Herman park lake was forever forbidden.
I have always considered it a valuable learning experience in marine engineering as well as human
nature.
Dr. Sebastian Gomez - Ph B.D. Cryptophenomenologist
First Boating Experience
by
Dr. Sebastian Gomez
|