I Did Say I'd Get My Own Boat

When Dave and I first started dating, I was living in Central Pennsylvania, in an area that basically existed for two reasons: 1) the college I worked at (and had graduated from); and 2) the Raystown Lake.  The lake is very much a recreational area that attracts lots of people for boating, fishing and other related outdoor activities.  So when Dave was visiting me over the summer, and I needed to up my outdoor activities if I ever planned to keep up with this Mountain Man, we decided to rent a canoe and head out on the lake. 

I don't know why I thought this would be fun.  I was (and still am) hopelessly uncoordinated and not quite interested in being outdoors with the heat and the bugs and canoeing is like real work.  Ug. I even wore Dave's generally infinite patience thin while we struggled to find a cove for our picnic lunch and then of course I was even more unmotivated to not be a complete pain in the ass while we negotiated out way back.  In the end, Dave basically said never again, but well.  We did try again a few years later in a much more relaxed environment (and with a friend so we were on our best behavior).  Then we discovered kayaking would be a far better paddle sport for us, since we could each get out own boat.  That was actually fun.  A couple summers ago we each rented kayaks and headed out on a local river for an afternoon.  Being far more mature and slightly more interested in being outside (despite the bugs and the heat), but still hopelessly uncoordinated, we had a lovely afternoon and have since talked about getting kayaks for ourselves so we could do it more often.

Fast forward to this past Saturday.  Beautiful weather, a long weekend, the unofficial start of summer.  Clearly a perfect day for a little kayak trip.  We'd been hoping to check out a local boat house on a different river a few miles from home, so we looked it up.  The rates were good, but of course if we get a tandem boat, it would be even cheaper.

Me: Yeah, but remember the last time we did tandem?

Dave: But this is different.  Kayaking is easier to do tandem than canoeing.

Me: I don't know, I think I should get my own boat.

Dave: No, it'll be fun.  You'll be fine.

You know that saying about famous last words?  Yeah, insert that here.

We arrived at the South Bridge Boat House to start our trip on the Concord River.  They have single and tandem kayaks as well as canoes for rent, and since it was a great day, they were pretty busy.  We didn't really care since it was just for fun and planned to head up to the Old North Bridge (you know, Revolutionary War, shot heard 'round the world, blah, blah, history, blah), about a mile and a half up river. 

So we started paddling and then I noticed we were drifting to the left.  Apparently this was my fault.  So repeatedly Dave made me stop playing (he didn't actually fire me) so he could straighten us out/get us back on the right side of the river.  When I got permission to play again, we'd be ok for a while, then of course we'd start drifting (again, my fault).  Now, bear in mind, the last time I kayaked was at least 3 years ago and that was my first time.  Also note, Dave did not give me a refresher course in paddling physics despite the fact that he knows I make stuff up when left to my own devices to determine mechanical or physics-related logic.  And I'm almost always "wrong."  (That last bit is in quotes because Dave says I'm wrong about a lot of science-related stuff, but I think he just wants to the science brain in this relationship, so he tells me I'm wrong even when I make a genius statement.)

At some point this whole thing just became comical and while I couldn't stop laughing, I do think Dave was at least mildly amused (I tried several times to take his photo but seeing as how I wasn't interested in flipping the boat over in an attempt to turn around and get a good one, I can't only assume this smile wasn't completely contrived).  I also repeatedly informed him that I had been the one to suggest we each get our own boat, but he was the one that insisted we'd be fine.

So finally, as we approached the Old North Bridge, having avoided any collisions (with other boats--I did try to goose some geese but they flew away) Dave, who was sitting in the back, noticed why we were bearing left and educated me.  And then I noticed that we were bearing right when he paddled, so I made fun of him.  To which he said it was only because he was overcompensating for me but I like to think it just proved we were meant to be together because if I bear to the left and he bears to the right, then together we should be in perfect harmony. 

Except really we weren't.  Instead we literally zigzagged a little over 3 miles round-trip on the Concord River.  Dave said it was exhausting.  I said it was getting our money's worth because we got to see more of the river that way.  When we pulled in to shore and the worker there helped us out, he asked, "How was it?"

Me: He said I have to get my own boat next time.