10-Minute Writing: A Summer Day

I'm so happy crazedparent posted another 10 minute writing exercise. It was one of the things I was looking forward to participating in. Timer's set... here goes.


When I was growing up my family would often take camping trips that had different features. My mom was not a big fan of camping so they were definitely car camping, sometimes with waterslides our fishing and one particular campsite has a lake for sailing. We arrived with our FJ in tow and mom drove off to the site with the car and my sister, and my dad took my brother and I to sail over to the dock near the site. It was really really windy, but a very short sail. My brother immediately got distracted with a stick in the water he wanted and envy over a big boat near us. We were probably around 8 and 10 at the time. I'd always trusted my dad with my safety, even though he was not the most proficient sailor in terms of winning races, he was really cautious.

Next thing I knew though, the wind picked up and completely turned over the boat. If you've never been in a "turtled" boat it's quite a site. Essentially the whole boat flips over and the mast gets stuck in the mud underneath. My dad has managed in that split second to yank my brother out from under the boat, while I was still underneath. Plenty of air though, this was about a 12 foot little boat. I hung out, probably a bit scared but sort of fascinated that I could breathe so easily and trusted my dad to rescue me. I remember another time when a friend and I were totally trapped up against a dock with a really tiny sail boat and could not for the life of us get out of there. Next thing we knew a little head came bobbing towards us in the water - dad swimming over in an orange life vest to rescue us.

So what happened next. Our heroes in the big boat jumped in to rescue us. So cool I have to say. I was pulled out and my brother and I were taken aboard to be let off at the shore. We made our soggy and muddy way across the sites to our campsite. The young guy from the big boat joined my dad and they got the boat safely to the dock. In the meantime, however, my mom was waiting for us, and what did she see but two people in our yellow boat when there should have been three. Absent minded dad must have lost a child along the way. They landed though and explained what had happened, although I doubt she felt that much better. Her muddy children arrived soon after, though, safe and sound.

Thanks for the opportunity.