Best to read the post just before this one to get the context... I know I said a story for another day, but I have a slow morning so I thought I'd tell it.
I do throw caution to the wind even in my advanced age of gulp - 50! Besides my big boat, I have a Zodiac - a 13 foot long rubber raft with a 10HP motor on the back. I remember the Zodiac as a kid as being the preferred mode of transportation for Jacque Costeau and the boys as they went off to explore some far flung coral reef. I always dreamed of doing the same thing in my life, and for years now, I have enjoyed speeding around the bays and inlets of CT and Long Island on my own Zodiac. This particular summer weekend afternoon was not unlike many others. Sitting around on the dock enjoying the company of friends I got bored and hopped into my Zodiac for a spin. Noting it was low tide, I knew I could not venture into the salt marsh as I usually do - so I headed up river and once clearing the no wake zone I opened her up. After some time I turned around to head back to the dock but decided to take a quick detour over to rock pile in the middle of the river that once served as a channel marker to look at the nesting ospreys who called the rock-pile home. I picked up a little speed and suddenly the prop hit bottom and I was thrown from the boat. Fully clothed, sunglasses on, I tumbled and bounced along the bottom eyes open staring at bubbles and green water. Coming up for air, I gasped and realized I could stand up on the sand bar I was on. My Zodiac was over near the rock pile about 40 feet away, still running and slowly going around in circles inching further and further from me. At this point extreme panic started to set in. I am out in the middle of a tidal river far from land other than the rock pile. The tide was beginning to turn and I could feel the incoming tug of the current, and my boat was moving away from me. I thought to myself - get ahold of yourself! Do not panic! DO NOT PANIC. Now - what to do? I am a strong swimmer - swim over to the marsh which was about 100 yards away? Swim to the rock-pile and wave down a passing boat? Or swim towards my spinning zodiac - risk getting chopped up by my prop and climb aboard? God and angels protect drunks and fools as the old saying goes - so I start to swim out to my Zodiac and catch the bow rope and hang on as she is still spinning. I manage to hit the engine kill switch and pull myself on board. I am soaking wet, and shaken. I re-start the motor and slowly putt putt back to the dock. Damn! I lost my new aviator sunglasses. Embarrassed, I slip past my wife and dock friends back to my dock, sneak on board my boat and put on a pair of dry clothes.
Later that night I did tell my wife about this ordeal - but to this day I never told anybody else!
Thank you guardian angel - once again!
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