anchor and then took the lead line I snuggled down into my sleeping bag dark clouds were lumbering overhead
around the boat, sounding for depths. against the chill of the night and fell back and shortly, cold, fat raindrops started
Jeff backed down on the anchor to asleep only to be awakened around four in assailing us. The three of us flew into
really set it and to check for dragging. the morning by lightning! action, stuffing the cushions below deck
A broad grin appeared on my face as and clearing the V-berth. The wind had
I confirmed the depths and Jeff killed then that I’d have to have a landing picked up so I went forward and let
the motor for the first time in hours. craft when I got a cruising boat of my out another 20 feet of rode. Back inside,
The previous night we pitched own. Jeff slid the companionway closed but
and rolled tied off fore and aft to After dinner we relaxed as twilight didn’t put in the boards so we could
some pilings which fixed us against approached. Shortly after dark a huge, peer out into the tempest. I felt like a
the wind and current. I was content shimmering moon rose through the pretzel as I wrapped my body around
with tonight’s anchorage – the wind trees. We marveled at how golden it the compression post to swing my legs
was being blocked by the island and was while trying all the settings on our forward into the V-berth. Again we
if, for some strange reason, it wanted cameras to capture the right color. drifted off to sleep, thankful of our dry
to switch to downriver, there was the Kyle and I opted to sleep in the bedding.
weir upstream to break any waves. cockpit again instead of shoehorning The morning came with cold, grey
Jeff decided that a cleansing swim into the tiny V-berth. All was quiet in skies, wet decks, but thankfully, no
would be a good thing after two days our little world as we settled down and rain. After some hot drinks we raised
on the river. He put the ladder over the read by lamp light. Despite closing my anchor and headed off upriver in the
side and, just in case, I tied a line off eyes, I kept peeking over the rail at the company of bulk carriers and container
the stern that trailed aft in the current. river and smiling. ships. Surprisingly, we made it back to
The water was cold but refreshing. Jeff The next thing I knew, it was hours the ramp at the appointed time, weary
was surprised at how swift the current later, and as I slowly woke up, it took from the sun that now beat down on
was. He didn’t think he’d be able to my hazy consciousness a few moments us. On the drive home I thought about
swim against it if he lost his grip on to realize that the tide had turned and I Kyle’s experience being on a boat for
the boarding ladder. I joined him and was facing the other way. three days. He spent a few nights on the
found out we had to swim all out to I snuggled down into my sleeping river, endured endless motoring, caught
stay next to the boat. The stretching bag against the chill of the night and fell his first fish and rode out a storm. Was
and exercising felt wonderful. I enjoyed back asleep only to be awakened around he hooked on sailing? Still too early to
hanging onto the line and letting the four in the morning by lightning! Thick, tell. On boating? Definitely!
current push me around.
After we dried off, Jeff and I went
about making dinner while Kyle dug
out his fishing rod. The next thing I
knew Kyle said he had caught some
weeds, but when he reeled them in they
had changed into the beautiful silver
Super Sale!
of a 10-inch shad. Kyle had caught his
first fish! When I asked him to take it
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off the hook, he turned to me with a 25% OFF retail price
distressed look and I released the fish
for him. I turned back to preparing
the meal and before I knew it he had
another on the line. Jeff took over the
meal as I went for my rod. I chose a
similar lure and cast all around the boat
to no avail. Kyle might have caught the
only two fish around the boat but I was
convinced his success was because the
fish knew he was a vegetarian.
We were entertained during our
meal with the appearance of a 40 to 50
foot ketch motoring up river. They must
have liked what they saw because they
swung around the weir and headed our
way. They dropped anchor downstream
of us and promptly disgorged an
inflatable of kids to storm the beach
while the adults got all shipshape and fisheriessupply.com (206) 632-4462
prepared a meal in peace. I knew right
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48° No r t h , No v e m b e r 2009 Pa g e 35
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